Winston IntelligenceTender evaluation guide
Read the scoring rules before you write to them.
A public tender is evaluated in a defined structure: a participation gate, then award criteria scored by a stated methodology and relative importance. Knowing that structure tells you where a response earns marks and where it only has to pass.
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The evaluation structure
Four layers, in order.
Conditions of participation are a gate. Award criteria are the competition. Do not confuse the two.
- 1
Conditions of participation
A pass/fail gate on legal, financial and technical ability, set under section 22 of the Procurement Act 2023. Failing to meet a condition removes you from the process; it is not scored against other bidders.
- 2
Award criteria
The criteria the buyer scores tenders against under section 19. Section 23 requires them to relate to the subject-matter of the contract, be sufficiently clear, measurable and specific, and be a proportionate means of assessment.
- 3
Assessment methodology
The buyer must describe how tenders are assessed against each criterion, including whether failing a criterion disqualifies the tender, and any scoring matrix evaluators will use.
- 4
Relative importance
Where there is more than one criterion, the buyer must indicate importance by percentage weighting, by ranking, or by describing it another way. This is what tells you where to spend response effort.
How scoring works
What the published methodology tells you.
Every point here should be checked against the specific tender's award criteria and assessment methodology.
| Point | What to read for |
|---|---|
| Most advantageous tender | The Procurement Act 2023 uses “most advantageous tender” (MAT), replacing the older “most economically advantageous tender” (MEAT). It is the tender that best satisfies the award criteria when assessed by the stated methodology and relative importance. |
| Quality and price | Most competitive procurements combine a quality score and a price score on a published ratio. Read whether price is scored by lowest-price-gets-full-marks, by a formula, or against a benchmark. |
| Pass/fail and minimum thresholds | Some criteria are pass/fail; some quality criteria carry a minimum score below which the whole tender fails. The assessment methodology states this — do not assume. |
| Assessment summaries | After award, unsuccessful suppliers receive an assessment summary showing how the buyer determined the most advantageous tender against the criteria and methodology. Use it to improve, not only to challenge. |
Social value
A live policy area — verify it per notice.
Social value is a common award criterion, but the weighting and model depend on the buyer and the date. This section is reviewed on a short cycle because the policy is changing.
- Central government
- Procurement Policy Note 002 asks in-scope central government organisations to apply a minimum 10% weighting for social value, applied to procurements on or after 1 October 2025. A further Procurement Policy Note and a new Social Value Model apply to central government procurements started on or after 1 January 2027.
- Wider public sector
- Councils, NHS bodies, housing associations and universities set their own social-value approach. Weightings and models vary; there is no single figure that applies everywhere.
- What to do
- Read the specific notice and its award criteria for how social value is weighted and scored on that contract, and check the current Procurement Policy Note. Do not rely on a headline percentage quoted in third-party commentary.
What Winston does here.
Scout helps you find the tender and read its published criteria. Interpreting the methodology for your organisation, planning where to win marks, and drafting or reviewing the response are not Scout features; that organisation-specific work is planned paid Winston bid-assistance and is not available yet. This guide does not estimate how often social value or any other criterion appears; check each notice.
Primary sources
Check the rules and the current policy at source.
Winston checked this legislation and official guidance on 1 September 2026. The Procurement Act 2023 regime has applied since 24 February 2025; social-value policy is changing, so this page has a short review cycle.
Use the process around evaluation.
Ask a clarification question when the methodology is unclear, or revisit the bid/no-bid checklist if the marks are not there.