Award Criteria
The factors a contracting authority uses to evaluate bids and decide who wins, stated in the tender documents before submission.
Definition
Award criteria are the published factors a contracting authority will use to score and rank bids in a procurement. They typically combine quality elements (methodology, relevant experience, social value, environmental impact) with price, weighted to reflect contract priorities. The criteria and weightings must be set out clearly in the Invitation to Tender so all bidders know what they are being evaluated on. The Procurement Act 2023 replaces the historical MEAT formulation with a best-value test, but the basic shape of weighted quality and price criteria continues in practice.
How it works in practice
A typical UK public sector tender publishes award criteria such as 60 percent quality and 40 percent price, with quality further broken down into method statement, relevant experience, social value, and risk management. Each sub-criterion has its own weighting and scoring scale. The most common scoring scales are 0 to 5 or 0 to 10 with descriptors at each level explaining what evidence justifies what mark. Suppliers should pay close attention to how scores convert to weighted points: a small quality lift in a high-weighted sub-criterion can outweigh a large quality lift in a low-weighted one. Price scoring methods vary: some authorities use a linear formula where the lowest price gets full marks and others receive proportionate marks, while others cap the price-quality ratio so wildly low bids do not dominate. Social value is increasingly carved out as a distinct sub-criterion, typically 10 percent weighting under PPN 002 for central government service contracts. Bidders should read the evaluation methodology in full before pricing the bid so they can shape the response to maximise scored evidence rather than narrate generic capability.
Common questions
Can a contracting authority change the award criteria after publication?
No. Once the Contract Notice and Invitation to Tender are published the criteria and weightings are fixed. Authorities may issue minor clarifications but cannot materially change the criteria without restarting the procurement. Material changes after bid submission would be grounds for a successful procurement challenge.
What is the difference between selection criteria and award criteria?
Selection criteria filter who is eligible to bid (financial standing, relevant experience, exclusion grounds) and are usually assessed via a Selection Questionnaire before tender. Award criteria score the substance of the bid and determine the winner. The two stages cannot overlap: an element used at selection cannot be re-scored at award.
How does the Procurement Act 2023 change award criteria?
The new Act replaces the MEAT framing with a best-value test but the practical evaluation methodology continues largely unchanged: weighted quality and price criteria, published in advance, scored against descriptors. The Act puts greater emphasis on procurement objectives including value for money, public benefit, transparency, and integrity, which authorities increasingly cite in their criteria rationale.
How are tie-breakers handled when bids score the same?
Authorities should publish their tie-break methodology in the Invitation to Tender. Common approaches include re-scoring the highest weighted sub-criterion, applying a published deciding criterion such as social value, or running a short additional evaluation. Authorities cannot invent a tie-break mechanism after bids are received without exposing the award to challenge.