An investigation into the use of public procurement and commissioning to deliver community (societal) value

This study examines policies and practices in procurement and commissioning which aim to maximise the value of public organisations' spend by asking for contractors to deliver social value (community benefits) as added value, over and beyond the core requirement. It draws from case studies of revealing practices to i) contribute to the definition and interpretation of the term ‘value' in procurement and commissioning, ii) identify a theoretical model of how community (societal) benefits can be delivered as ‘added value', aimed at improving public procurement and commissioning practices and iii) explore the implications of this model for the current debate on ‘Public Value', examining how it might contribute to policy and practice in creating and delivering value in public services delivery.