Abstract
The leverage of social value through the procurement process can (in theory) be a differentiator when set in the context of ongoing UK public sector austerity and cost cutting. This paper presents interim results of a longitudinal research study commenced in 2015 investigating West Midlands Fire Service (WFMS) embarking on a social value roll-out measuring the current and future social value of the organisation, measuring the leveraged social value procurement bidders offered, investigating the impact of the social value delivered by the winning bidder in a pilot 'learning excellence' tender and developing digital GIS mapping of WMFS' third sector collaborations and impact in the community synthesising the theoretical framework of social impact theory with WMFS high impact data and hyperlocality mapping.
A diachronic analysis of the incidence of conditions will highlight WMFS as a 'Force for Good' allowing it to articulate their lifetime value creation for Commissioners delivering social value both internally and in the procurement process. The chosen quantitative methodology for social value assessment for this study is the Social Earnings Ratio (S/E Ratio) which is an officially recognised social impact metric translating sentiment into financial value and is compliant with EU Social Value procurement regulations and the Social Value Act 2012.