MAT - from MEAT to MAT in UK Procurement Evaluation: Understanding the New Public Contract Award Criteria

From MEAT to MAT: A New Era in Public Procurement Evaluation

The UK’s approach to evaluating public contracts is undergoing a fundamental shift. Traditionally, awards were based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), which required cost to be a central part of the decision-making process. However, with the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023, this model has been replaced with a new standard: the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT).

This change is more than just a name update. MAT removes the obligation to include price in every assessment and allows buyers to focus more heavily on quality, social value, and other project-specific outcomes. It’s a step towards greater flexibility, enabling procurement decisions that align more closely with wider government priorities around sustainability, innovation, and community benefit.

In this article, we’ll explore what MAT means in practice, how it differs from MEAT, and what contracting authorities and suppliers need to know to stay compliant and competitive under the new rules.

Understanding MEAT in UK Procurement

MEAT evaluation has shaped UK public procurement practices since its adoption through EU regulations. The framework prioritises both cost and quality factors when awarding contracts.

Definition of MEAT

Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) represents a procurement evaluation method that balances price with quality considerations.

You'll find MEAT focuses on achieving value for money rather than simply selecting the lowest price bid.

The criteria typically include:

• Technical merit
• Quality standards
• Environmental characteristics
• Running costs
• After-sales service
• Delivery timeframes

MEAT vs MAT

MEAT requires contracting authorities to consider price as a mandatory element in tender evaluations. Under MEAT rules, you must include cost as part of your assessment criteria.

MAT gives you more flexibility by allowing the exclusion of price from tender evaluations when appropriate. This marks a significant shift in procurement strategy.

The key differences between MEAT and MAT:

• MEAT always includes price consideration
• MAT makes price optional
• MAT provides greater focus on quality factors
• MAT offers more flexibility in evaluation criteria

Importance of MEAT in Public Procurement

MEAT evaluation helps you ensure transparent and fair competition in public procurement. It creates a structured framework for comparing bids beyond just price.

The system promotes value for money by examining both immediate costs and long-term benefits.

MEAT supports competition by:

• Creating clear evaluation criteria
• Enabling objective comparisons
• Promoting supplier innovation
• Supporting quality improvements

Public Contracts Regulations 2015

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 implemented MEAT in UK law. These regulations set out specific rules for public procurement evaluation.

You must follow detailed assessment criteria when evaluating tenders under these regulations.

The regulations require:

• Clear tender specifications
• Published evaluation criteria
• Fair treatment of all bidders
• Transparent decision-making processes

The rules help ensure consistent application of MEAT principles across public sector procurement.

Factors Influencing MEAT and MAT

The shift from MEAT to MAT in UK procurement practices introduces key changes in how public contracts are awarded. Award criteria now extend beyond pure economic factors to include broader societal benefits and quality considerations.

Quality and Price Consideration

Under MEAT, price played a mandatory role in tender evaluations. You needed to include cost as one of your evaluation factors, even if you wanted to focus mainly on quality.

MAT removes this requirement. You can now evaluate tenders without considering price at all, though this approach needs careful justification.

Quality factors might include:

• Technical merit
• Environmental impact
• Social value
• Innovation potential

Value for Money Evaluation

Value for money takes on new meaning under MAT. Your evaluation can focus on wider government objectives and public benefits rather than just financial considerations.

The new approach requires you to:

• Match tender provisions to project size
• Consider proportionality in requirements
• Balance costs against broader benefits

This creates more flexibility in how you assess value, particularly for complex projects where quality outweighs price considerations.

Weighting of Award Criteria

MAT gives you more freedom in how you weight different criteria. You can now:

• Set quality criteria as the primary factor
• Remove price weighting entirely if justified
• Adjust weightings based on project needs

Your weighting choices must be:

• Clear and transparent
• Proportionate to contract size
• Linked to project objectives

This flexibility helps target specific outcomes while maintaining fair competition.

Strategic Policy Shifts in Procurement

The UK government has made significant changes to public procurement rules, moving from Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) to Most Advantageous Tender (MAT). This shift aims to create a simpler, more flexible system that puts greater emphasis on social value.

Green Paper on Transforming Public Procurement

The Green Paper introduced key proposals to reform procurement practices in the UK following Brexit. It outlined plans to replace the complex EU-derived regulations with a more streamlined approach.

The paper emphasised the need to make procurement more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A key element was the introduction of proportionality requirements, ensuring tender processes match project size.

These reforms aimed to reduce bureaucracy while maintaining transparency and fairness in public spending decisions.

Introduction of the Procurement Bill

The Procurement Bill, published in May 2024, marked a crucial step in implementing the Green Paper's vision. It replaced the MEAT criteria with MAT evaluation methods.

The new legislation gives public buyers more flexibility to consider non-economic factors when awarding contracts. This change helps align procurement with broader government objectives.

The Bill aims to simplify procurement processes and make them more accessible to a wider range of suppliers.

Social Value in Procurement Decisions

Social value has become a central factor in public procurement evaluations. Your tender submissions now need to demonstrate benefits beyond just economic value.

The UK government spends more than £506 billion on procurement annually. This spending power is being used to drive positive social change.

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 provides the foundation for these considerations. MAT evaluation allows buyers to weigh factors like:

• Environmental impact
• Local community benefits
• Job creation
• Skills development

This approach helps create better value for communities while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

Environmental and Social Considerations

The UK's shift from MEAT to MAT expands the evaluation criteria for public procurement, giving greater weight to environmental protection and social benefits. This change helps public organisations create more sustainable and socially responsible purchasing decisions.

Sustainability and Climate Change

Environmental impact now plays an increasingly important role in procurement decisions. Your organisation can focus on reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable practices through supplier selection.

Key areas to consider:

• Carbon footprint reduction targets
• Renewable energy usage
• Waste management practices
• Sustainable materials and packaging
• Supply chain sustainability

Public sector buyers must evaluate how suppliers contribute to the UK's net-zero goals. This includes assessing their environmental management systems and commitment to green initiatives.

Social and Environmental Criteria

Your tender evaluations can now place stronger emphasis on social and environmental factors. These criteria help create broader public value beyond just cost considerations.

Common evaluation factors:

• Local economic growth
• Job creation and skills development
• Community benefits
• Biodiversity protection
• Resource efficiency
• Fair labour practices

The new MAT approach lets you assign higher weightings to these elements when scoring bids. This creates more balanced assessments that reflect both value for money and wider societal impact.

The Social Value Model

The Social Value Model provides a structured framework for measuring social benefits in procurement. You can use this to evaluate suppliers' contributions to community wellbeing and environmental protection.

The model focuses on:

• Health and wellbeing improvements
• Skills and employment opportunities
• Fighting climate change
• Equal opportunity and diversity
• Support for SMEs and VCSEs

Your organisation can adapt these themes to match local priorities while maintaining transparent scoring methods. This helps create fair comparisons between different suppliers' social value offerings.

Stakeholder Implications in Procurement

The move from MEAT to MAT affects various groups in the procurement process through new evaluation criteria, competitive procedures, and contract requirements.

Suppliers and SMEs

The new MAT approach creates opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to compete more effectively in public tenders. You'll find specific provisions for proportionality that match tender requirements to project size.

Your business costs for participating in tenders should decrease with simplified procedures. The evaluation process now considers factors beyond just economic value.

SMEs benefit from more balanced scoring methods that give proper weight to specialised capabilities and local market knowledge.

Subject Matter of the Contract

Your contract specifications need clear definition under MAT guidelines. The criteria must align with the actual requirements of the project.

Quality measures receive proper consideration alongside cost factors. You must ensure the evaluation model reflects the true value of all contract elements.

The subject matter determines how you structure the tender evaluation. Each aspect requires specific weighting based on its importance to project success.

Competitive Tendering Procedures

Your tender design must support fair competition while delivering value. The MAT framework allows for more flexible evaluation approaches.

You need to create precise scoring models that reflect both cost and quality elements. Testing these models before implementation helps prevent skewed results.

The competitive process requires careful balancing of stakeholder priorities. Your evaluation criteria must be transparent and justifiable to all participants.

Different stakeholders often have competing interests in the tender process. Your role involves managing these varied expectations while maintaining procurement integrity.

Regulatory Framework and Compliance

The UK's procurement regulations align with international trade commitments while establishing new domestic frameworks through the Procurement Act 2023. Legal requirements now emphasise broader value considerations beyond pure economics.

World Trade Organisation and GPA

The UK maintains independent membership in the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) after Brexit. This international treaty ensures British companies can bid for public contracts in other member countries, while giving foreign suppliers access to UK public procurement opportunities.

The GPA sets baseline rules for:

• Open and fair competition
• Transparent tender processes
• Non-discrimination between suppliers
• Clear technical specifications

Your procurement processes must comply with both GPA principles and UK-specific regulations to maintain international trade compliance.

UK Procurement Act Development

The Procurement Act 2023 replaces EU-derived rules with a streamlined British framework. The Act introduces the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) criterion, moving away from the previous Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach.

Key changes include:

• Greater flexibility in evaluation criteria
• Enhanced focus on social value
• Simplified procurement procedures
• Stronger transparency requirements

You must ensure your tender evaluations consider wider benefits beyond pure cost, while maintaining proportionality to project size.

Secondary Legislation for Contract Awards

The Act requires detailed secondary legislation to guide practical implementation. These regulations will specify:

• Precise evaluation methodologies
• Required documentation
• Minimum timescales
• Reporting requirements

You need to watch for upcoming statutory instruments that will define specific procedures for different contract types and values. The secondary legislation aims to balance flexibility with clear standards for fair competition.

Your organisation should prepare internal policies to reflect these new requirements once finalised.

Tender Assessment and Methodology

The UK procurement system uses specific criteria to evaluate tenders through cost analysis, quality measurements, and innovation potential. These methods help determine the most advantageous tender for public contracts.

Cost-Effectiveness Approach

Your tender evaluation must focus on value rather than just the lowest price.

The assessment looks at both direct costs and long-term financial impacts.

Consider these key factors:

• Initial purchase price
• Maintenance expenses
• Operating costs
• End-of-life disposal costs

A well-structured cost analysis helps you avoid hidden expenses.

Track all potential costs across the contract lifecycle to make informed decisions.

Best Price-Quality Ratio

Your evaluation needs to balance cost against quality metrics.

The assessment methodology uses weighted scoring to compare different aspects of each bid.

Quality indicators to examine:

• Technical merit
• Service levels
• Delivery timelines
• Past performance

Create a clear scoring matrix with defined criteria.

This helps you assess each tender objectively and fairly.

Innovation in Tenders

Your assessment should reward creative solutions that bring added value.

Look for new approaches that can improve efficiency or reduce costs.

Innovation can appear in:

• Digital technologies
• Sustainable practices
• Process improvements
• Novel materials

Give extra points to proposals that demonstrate fresh thinking.

Remember to verify that innovative solutions are practical and achievable within your budget.

Each tender should show how their innovation links to measurable benefits.

Ask for specific examples and implementation plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

The UK procurement regulations now focus on getting the most advantageous tender while giving flexibility to consider factors beyond price.

What signifies the shift in award criteria from MEAT to MAT within UK procurement?

MAT (Most Advantageous Tender) replaces MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) to show that contracts don't need to focus mainly on price.

The change lets contracting authorities put more weight on quality, social value, and other non-price factors.

You can now exclude price completely from award criteria if it makes sense for your procurement needs.

What stipulations does the Procurement Act 2023 impose on setting award criteria by contracting authorities?

Your award criteria must connect directly to the subject matter of the contract.

The criteria and their weights need to be proportionate to the size and scope of the project.

You must share all criteria with suppliers in the tender documents.

How can award criteria be refined within a competitive flexible procedure under the new regulations?

You can adjust award criteria during the procurement process after talking with suppliers.

Any changes must stay fair and equal for all bidders.

You need to tell all suppliers about changes at the same time.

What are the requirements for an assessment summary under the Procurement Act 2023?

You must explain how you scored each bid against the award criteria.

Your assessment needs to show why the winning bid was the most advantageous.

Keep detailed records of your scoring decisions.

On what basis is the award of a contract determined according to the latest Procurement Act?

The contract goes to the supplier with the Most Advantageous Tender based on your stated criteria.

Your decision must follow the published award criteria and weightings.

Who is entitled to initiate a civil procurement challenge in UK courts?

Any supplier who took part in the procurement can challenge the decision.

Suppliers must show they suffered or risk suffering loss from a breach of procurement rules.

The challenge needs to start within 30 days of when they knew about the problem.