A free event providing practical support and advice for businesses looking to secure public sector contracts will return next month, Essex County Council (ECC) has announced.
The return of ECC’s Social Value Festival was announced at the County Council’s Levelling Up rural Braintree launch event today (Friday 10th June) at Sible Hedingham Village Hall.
This year’s festival will take place from 18 – 21 July and is a must-attend event for those looking to secure future public sector contracts.
If you wish to win public sector contracts, increasingly you need to score well in questions about your ‘social value’ – that is how the way you deliver a contract will impact local jobs, businesses, communities, and the environment.
This event offers four days of free, online, practical advice for organisations of any size and from any sector which want to know more about ‘social value’ questions when they submit tenders.
This year’s programme includes:
18 July
Social Value Fest 22 Launch: Social Value update for bidders, suppliers and partners – 11.15am to 1.15pm
Hear the latest news on how ECC measures social value and climate in tenders.
Practical workshop discussions on climate, measurement and finding local partners to support your offer.
19 July
Preparing Your Organisation for Bidding and Reporting – 2pm to 4pm
Practical advice on social value and climate question: how to prepare and bid.
How to report on social value and climate commitments.
20 July
Examples of Social Value – 11.15am to 3.15pm
A day full of examples to adopt or to inspire your own ideas, including: employment and skills schemes such as apprenticeships, the Armed Forces Covenant and careers advice.
21 July
Climate: What we need, how to start and how to bid – 11am to 5pm
2022 Climate ‘ECC TOMs’ – the new climate measures in the County Council’s set of social value metrics.
Practical advice on Carbon Reductions Plans.
Introducing Climate Action Business Advice Packs – including guidance, advice and funding opportunities.
Cllr Louise McKinlay, ECC Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community, Equality, Partnerships and Performance, said:” I am delighted to announce the return of the Social Value Festival later this year. The festival is so important, as it will explain how suppliers can commit or pledge social value, helping contribute to local communities and also our plans to level up Essex.
“The way suppliers deliver their contracts can bring both financial and non-financial benefits to our residents and communities. This is particularly important in our rural communities, such as in Braintree. For example, providing job opportunities for local people, additional support for job seekers and helping local charities and community groups based in these areas.”
During the festival, local companies and charities can find out more about ‘social value’ with an emphasis on what they can expect to see in tenders and practical steps that they can take to prepare to bid for ECC contracts.
Local charities, schools and community groups can also discover they can benefit from the social value commitments suppliers have already made.
So far 18,500 hours have been committed by companies that community groups will soon be able to bid for and take advantage of.
All the sessions for Social Value Fest 22 will be run online and are free of charge. Organisations can book their place here: Social Value Festival 2022 (zoom.us)
