Thames Valley supplier Social Value is being transformed, into visible support for our communities:
In 2023, Thames Valley Police (TVP) adopted Pluggin's civic infrastructure built-into our region's communities and the Marketplace enables us to facilitate and harnesses supplier Social Value into supporting specific provisions and objectives benefiting the communities we serve.
Potential suppliers to Thames Valley can now build, bid and then contract social value which visibly supports Thames Valley's police and crime plan objectives; supply contracts being built with detailed and measurable contributions aligned to communities where positive impact is being achieved.
All Social Value requirements are designed to be proportionate to the contract and relevant to the service being procured.
What Social Value means at Thames Valley Police:
Social Value is about using public contracts to deliver wider benefit to the public. It is not charity and it is not funding for core policing activity. At TVP, Social Value focuses on suppliers supporting our strategic objectives published within the Police & Crime Plan:
• community engagement and reassurance
• crime prevention and public safety
• accessibility and inclusion
• safe and welcoming police public-facing spaces
Making Social Value S.M.A.R.T in TVP tenders:
TVP played a central role in the creation of the Social Purchase Order (SPO) process which is unique to Pluggin. This enables all public buyers to ensure bid social value is hyper-localised and pre-aligned to local needs and strategic objectives, presented in bids as a S.M.A.R.T submission created within the Pluggin Marketplace.
Behind every tile on the Thames Valley area of the Pluggin Marketplace, is a secure link into the SPO processing system. Each SPO specifies what social value support is requested from suppliers and pinpoints the activity details, location and impact already being made against Police & Crime Plan objectives. The SPO then enables a potential supplier to offer resources (money, equipment or/and skills/time) in support of the listed provision. When submitted, a digital PDF proposal outline is returned to the bidder, for submission within the main tender submission to TVP.
TVP then evaluates and scores the SPO/SPOs within the bid (in line with the % weighting in the tender).
Upon contract award, the SPO converts from a bid proposal to a contract agreement where it is then locked-into the Service Level Agreement of the contract and then mobilised within the Pluggin Marketplace.
Two ways that Social Value can be proposed to TVP:
Depending on the nature, value and complexity of the tender, TVP may ask suppliers to deliver Social Value in one or both of the following ways:
1) Direct social value contributions to the listed community provisions on the marketplace area for Thames Valley;
2) In-kind social value support for Thames Valley Police community-facing events and activities during a contract tenure.
1) Supplier contributions directly to providers for local impact:
Click through the button below to the Thames Valley area of the Pluggin Marketplace, to see a list of the charities, social enterprises and strategic projects TVP has approved for potential suppliers to support within their contracts.
TVP was a founder member of the Steering Group which supported Pluggin to establish this Marketplace across 44 areas of the UK and embed into police and wider public buying authorities. The intention being, for all public buying within areas to drive contract social value to support the building of healthier, safer and more resilient communities.
2) In-kind social value supporting Thames Valley Police:
As a buying authority, we support our front-line police teams in operating community engagement events and activities, to develop awareness and as prevention and reassurance activities.
Potential suppliers are able to support police events and activities which sit outside of core police budgets. This social value is classed as sponsorship, and formally recorded through Pluggin in accordance with official anti-bribery legislation.
Below are 3 specific in-kind supply and support areas which can be offered directly to TVP within bids - each of the three will create an SPO which can be submitted:
Offer to supply and support community engagement and open activities (equipment or staff time)...
- gazebos or temporary shelters
- seating, tables or signage
- materials and consumables used at engagement events
- light catering or refreshments for community participants
- materials for safety campaigns such as safer driving / drug awareness etc
- digitalisation support to support inclusivity for community engagement
Offer to supply specific crime prevention and personal safety items (for the issue to the public)...
- personal safety alarms
- bicycle locks
- property marking kits
- similar crime prevention products
Offer to supply non-operational animal-related items (community engagement only)
- rugs or coats
- non-tactical harnesses or leads
- toys and treats used during public engagement activity
- Cooling/heating aids
For Clarity: What “in-kind” social value means and when to offer:
An in-kind social value contribution to TVP within a contract means providing goods, services or support instead of a cash payment.
Examples include: purchasing and supplying items requested by TVP; providing equipment, materials or services; offering staff time or skills-based volunteering (where appropriate)
TVP will not ask suppliers to transfer money directly to the Force.
Please Note:
Direct in-kind support is only to be offered where stipulated in tender guidelines and is not meant to replace the core TVP objective of channelling supplier support and contributions out into the communities and local provisions listed within this Pluggin Marketplace.
Social Value cannot be used to support:
TVP staffing, training or apprenticeships; TVP operational policing equipment or vehicles; routine TVP staff welfare or operational provision; generic charity donations with no link to the Pluggin Marketplace and Thames Valley Police & Crime Plan objectives.
Why TVP takes this approach:
• It keeps Social Value proportionate and relevant
• It tangibly supports crime reduction and community safety
• It avoids replacing core policing activity
• *It ensures social value is operated locally and is visible in real-time within a civic infrastructure acting as a public-facing viewing screen.
Ultimately, Pluggin is the independent infrastructure ensuring social value transparency and auditability - validating real Social Return on Investment benefits to the public.
If you have questions about Social Value or how it applies to a specific procurement, these can be raised through the clarification process set out in the tender documents.
*On occasion TVP tender on behalf of other police forces, if the SV area falls outside of the Thames Valley region this will be clearly identified within the tender documentation.