Procurement Trends in 2025: What Social Care Providers Need to Know

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Procurement in social care is evolving faster than many providers realise. With the Procurement Act 2023 now shaping tendering processes, alongside increased emphasis on social value, transparency, and AI-driven evaluation, organisations must adapt if they want to stay competitive.

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🚨 Key Trends Impacting Providers

Here’s what’s changing — and what you need to know to stay ahead:

• Transparency and Simplicity: The new regulations aim to make procurement more open and accessible — but this also means more scrutiny of your submissions.
• AI in Evaluation: More commissioners are using AI to assist with initial scoring — favouring clear, structured, evidence-led responses over narrative waffle.
• Social Value is Non-Negotiable: With NHS and LA tenders routinely weighting social value at 10% or more, your evidence must go beyond policy statements to practical impact.
• Focus on Outcomes: Commissioners are looking for providers who can deliver measurable results — not just outputs, but meaningful improvements for people supported.

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💡 How to Respond Proactively

To stay ahead, review and update:

• Your bid library — are method statements current, clear, and aligned with commissioning priorities?
• Your approach to social value — does it reflect Net Zero, community impact, and workforce wellbeing?
• Your policies — are they ready for submission and aligned with CQC’s new framework?
• Your bid process — does your team understand the shift towards AI-readable, evidence-based bids?

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📥 Support Available

If you want to strengthen your bid success in 2025, Impact Guru Ltd offers:

• Bid reviews and feedback
• Editable, CQC-aligned method statements
• Strategy support for improving win rates

👉 Visit our Bid Strategy & Training Page

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Written by Mike Harrison, Founder of Impact Guru Ltd — specialists in bid writing and strategy for social care providers

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Visit impact-guru.co.uk to browse strategies, method statements, or get in touch about tender support.