Fair Work First
We apply the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First criteria across all our regulated procurement activities. By integrating these employment standards into our procurement strategy and contract conditions, we ensure that public spending directly supports secure, fair, and high-quality local jobs.
Fair Work First criteria in bids
When bidding for a South Lanarkshire Council contract, suppliers must show evidence of their practical application of the following, set out in the Scottish Government Fair Work First Guidance:
- payment of at least the real living wage
- provide appropriate channels for effective workers’ voice, such as trade union recognition
- investment in workforce development
- no inappropriate use of zero hours contracts
- address workplace inequalities, including pay and employment gaps for disabled people, racialised minorities, women and workers aged over 50
- offer flexible and family friendly working practices for all workers from day one of employment
- oppose the use of fire and rehire practices
The procurement policy approach
We enforce this commitment through specific structural mechanisms during the tendering and contract lifecycle:
- tender evaluation - where relevant and proportionate to the contract, we include dedicated technical and/or quality questions assessing a bidder's deployment of Fair Work First practices. Bidders' responses are evaluated alongside price and quality metrics
- contract monitoring - once a contract is awarded, compliance with Fair Work commitments is routinely reviewed and monitored through ongoing contract management and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
- the Single Procurement Document (SPD) - in stage 1 of council bids (such as large-scale facilities management, construction, or care services), suppliers must self-declare compliance with essential social, environmental, and employment laws before advancing to specific technical evaluations
Support
Small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and third-sector organisations are provided with training on how to draft bid specifications, answer social value questions and fulfil Fair Work criteria to successfully win public contracts through the expert help programme.
If you would like to know more about how Fair Work First responses are specifically scored on the technical matrix, or if you are looking for guidance on the support programmes available to help local suppliers prepare a bid, information on available support can be found through the Supplier Development Programme.