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Getting your social value data submission right

Delivering social value is a key part of working with Lancashire County Council. To ensure the impact of your commitments can be accurately recorded, validated and reported, it is essential that social value data submitted through the Social Value Portal (SVP) is accurate, timely and clearly linked to the correct contract.

Common issues

While many suppliers submit high‑quality evidence, we regularly see some common issues that can delay validation or lead to data being rejected, such as:

  • Evidence uploaded outside the correct reporting period

  • Activity recorded against the wrong contract

  • Evidence that does not clearly demonstrate delivery of the committed measure

  • Data entered that does not align with the original social value commitment or TOMs measure

  • Duplicate submissions or evidence reused across multiple contracts

These issues make it difficult to validate delivery and may result in social value outcomes not being counted.

What a good social value submission looks like

 To support validation, your submission should clearly demonstrate that: 

The activity is linked to the correct contract: Only social value activity delivered as part of your LCC contract should be submitted. It's important to check that:

  1. The correct contract reference has been selected in SVP

  2. The activity supports a specific commitment made during procurement

The activity falls within the correct reporting period: Social value must be reported within the agreed monitoring period and not be before the contract. Submissions outside this period may not be validated.

The evidence is clear and verifiable: All submissions must include evidence that:

  • Clearly shows what was delivered

  • Confirms when the activity took place

  • Demonstrates how it meets the relevant TOMs measure

Evidence examples include attendance records, agendas, photographs, completion certificates, case studies or confirmation emails.

The data matches the commitment made: The quantity, type and description of activity submitted must match the original social value commitment. For example, submitting “hours volunteered” against a measure committed as “number of beneficiaries supported” may lead to rejection.

Support is available

There's a range of supporting guidance available on the SVP website, just go to https://www.socialvalueportal.com/bidder to access this information.

If your experiencing difficulties with submitting social value evidence during contract delivery, we strongly encourage you to book a one‑to‑one session with the Social Value Portal at the earliest opportunity. These personalised sessions are to help you provide accurate social value data. Follow this link to select a date and time that suits you.

Getting it right first time helps avoid delays and ensures your social value contribution is accurately captured and recognised.