Learn how public-sector bidding standards work

PPN 06/21 — Carbon Reduction Plans

Applies to: in-scope major central government procurements

Procurement Policy Note 06/21 asks suppliers bidding for certain major central government contracts to publish a Carbon Reduction Plan as a selection requirement.

• The plan is published by the supplier and confirms its commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 in the UK.
• It reports current emissions covering Scope 1, Scope 2 and a defined subset of Scope 3 categories.
• It is signed off at board (or equivalent) level and refreshed at least annually.
• Prepare: emissions data sources, the reporting period, the baseline year and the named approver.

Social Value Model (PPN 06/20)

Applies to: in-scope central government contracts

PPN 06/20 introduced the Social Value Model, requiring social value to be explicitly evaluated — not merely considered — in in-scope central government contracts.

• A minimum weighting of 10% of the total score is applied to social value where the model is used.
• Themes cover COVID-19 recovery, tackling economic inequality, fighting climate change, equal opportunity and wellbeing.
• Buyers select the themes and outcomes relevant to the contract subject matter.
• Prepare: measurable commitments you can actually deliver and evidence, with owners and reporting method.

Whole life carbon and embodied carbon

Applies to: construction and built-environment bids

Whole life carbon covers emissions across a building or asset's full life cycle, not just operational energy. RICS publishes the assessment standard widely referenced in UK construction procurement.

• Embodied carbon covers product, construction, use-stage replacement and end-of-life stages.
• Assessments follow defined life-cycle modules so results can be compared consistently.
• PAS 2080 addresses carbon management across the infrastructure value chain and is often cited alongside it.
• Prepare: the assessment scope, data sources and assumptions, so figures can be reviewed independently.

Finding tenders and reading evaluation criteria

Applies to: any organisation bidding for UK public contracts

Find a Tender Service is the UK's official portal for public-sector notices above threshold. Award criteria, weightings and submission rules are set out in the notice and tender documents.

• Notices state the procedure, timescales, clarification deadline and submission route.
• Award criteria and their relative importance must be set out before bids are assessed.
• Questions usually specify word counts, required evidence and scoring descriptors — all of which are enforced.
• Prepare: a compliance matrix mapping every question to its criterion, weighting and evidence.

Procurement Act 2023

Applies to: contracting authorities and their suppliers

The Procurement Act 2023 replaced the previous UK public procurement regulations, consolidating the rules for contracting authorities and introducing a revised notice and transparency regime.

• Contracts are awarded to the most advantageous tender against published award criteria.
• A central digital platform carries notices across the procurement life cycle, improving transparency.
• Assessment summaries and a standstill period support feedback and challenge.
• Prepare: read the legislation itself for obligations — this summary is orientation, not legal advice.

Greenhouse gas reporting and conversion factors

Applies to: carbon accounting and ESG reporting teams

The UK Government publishes annual conversion factors used to convert activity data — fuel, electricity, travel, waste — into greenhouse gas emissions for company reporting.

• Factors are updated each year; state which year's set you used and keep it consistent across the report.
• Scope 1 is direct emissions, Scope 2 purchased energy, Scope 3 other value-chain emissions.
• The GHG Protocol corporate standard defines the accounting boundaries these scopes sit in.
• Prepare: activity data with units, the factor set used, and the calculation trail for review.

Frontier AI and cyber defence (NCSC)

Applies to: organisations deploying or procuring AI-enabled systems

The NCSC explains how frontier AI models are changing the cost, speed and scale of cyber operations for both attackers and defenders, and why defenders should assume some attackers already have access to capable AI tools.

• AI capabilities relevant to cyber operations are improving quickly — the best model in early 2026 completed nearly six times more attack steps in simulation than the best model 18 months earlier.
• The NCSC highlights three defensive uses: reducing the attack surface, improving threat detection and investigation, and carefully designed automated response.
• Strong baseline security — asset inventories, access controls, secure configuration and comprehensive logging — remains the most effective defence; AI amplifies both strengths and weaknesses.
• Prepare: treat AI-enabled security tools as part of the attack surface and deploy them securely, in line with the Government's Code of Practice for the security of AI.