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Embedding social value in small contracts remains challenging for businesses.

Recommendation
However, for contracts that are too small to be able to fund a certain number of apprentices, it is difficult to sensibly embed social value. We wanted to hear how government is planning to review this or engage with small businesses to address this. The GCF commented that one of the purposes of the SME Crown representative is to try to tease that out. The GCF told us that if something is so small as not to be easily measurable, that will also apply to the large company that is bidding. The GCF explained that if the larger company says, “I will put a whole apprentice on that”, but the smaller company can only put half an apprentice on it, maybe we do have the right result. The GCF reflected that in that example, it would be the wrong metric to apply to that contract.53
Government Response

A response document is linked to this report, dated 8 March 2024. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document.

Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 2.7 yrs
Report published 13 Dec 2023