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Unlock bid boosting talent that delivers real impact
If you work in professional services, you will know that strong delivery capability alone doesn’t win bids. It’s how that capability is built, represented, and delivered that makes the difference. With frameworks like G-Cloud, DOS, and major government contracts placing growing emphasis on social value, deploying diverse consultants to create inclusive workforces can be the game-changing differentiator that tilts the scale in your favour.
At Code First Girls, our Recruit-Train-Deploy (RTD) model enables firms to access highly skilled, diverse tech consultants that help you win more bids, reduce delivery risk, and meet client ESG and DEI commitments.
Why deploying diverse consultants helps to win more bids
Diverse consultants do more than just reflect a company’s values – they boost performance, meet client expectations, and directly impact bid success. With the development of AI capabilities and cyber security infrastructure there is a critical and growing need to ensure that teams reflect the wider population. Diversity of thought within tech teams enables better understanding of the end user and a more robust coverage of emerging cyber threats.
According to McKinsey, companies in the top quartile for ethnic and gender diversity are 39% more likely to outperform their peers financially. For professional services, this translates to more innovative thinking, stronger collaboration, and more resilient delivery teams.
- UK government’s Procurement Policy Note (PPN) mandates that all central government departments, executive agencies, and non-departmental public bodies must evaluate social value in their procurement processes, with a minimum of 10% of total bid scoring dedicated to it.
- The private sector is catching up fast, with ESG metrics becoming a core part of procurement scoring.
- Professional services firms are often competing on similar capabilities. Showing real, measurable social impact helps to stand out and win.
While women’s presence in the tech workforce has grown from 26.1% in 2016 to 28.2% in 2024, they still represent less than one-third of the STEM workforce. Hiring diverse consultants helps to bridge the gender gap within the industry, creating quantifiable social value that can be cited directly in bids.
And this impact isn’t limited to bids either. A strong social value proposition helps with employee engagement, talent attraction and corporate social responsibility [CSR] goals.
Navigating the 2025 Social Value Model Update
In February 2025, the government rolled out an updated Social Value Model as part of the Procurement Act 2023, and it’s set to become mandatory for central government contracts from October. For professional services firms bidding into the public sector, this update marks a significant shift in how social value must be evidenced and evaluated in bids.
The refreshed model sharpens the focus on five key priority areas, from boosting skills and promoting equal opportunity to supporting clean growth and safer communities. It also introduces clearer outcomes, scoring criteria, and reporting expectations, making it much easier for buyers to see which suppliers are actually delivering impact.
The 10% minimum weighting for social value in bids is here to stay, but the bar has been raised. It’s no longer enough to talk about values; you need the data, the proof, and a plan that shows real, lasting change. For professional services, that means working with suppliers who can bring measurable impact to your bids and help tell a compelling social value story that wins work.
What to look for in a supplier
When choosing a partner to help deliver on diversity and social value in your bids and programmes, it’s essential to go beyond surface-level commitments. Look for a supplier who is both strategically aligned and operationally excellent. They should understand the nuances of consulting delivery and deliver talent that is diverse, credible, and impactful from day one.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
1. Strategic alignment
The consultants you deploy need to understand your client pressures and delivery models. Can the supplier tailor talent pipelines to your tech stack and project timelines? Are they flexible enough to scale across multiple geographies or workstreams?
Look for suppliers who can embed into your bid process early, helping shape a compelling narrative while mapping talent pipelines to your statement of work.
2. Measurable impact
Procurement teams increasingly expect evidence over aspiration. A strong supplier will provide clear data on:
- Candidate demographics (gender, ethnicity, social mobility, neurodiversity)
- Placement and retention rates
- Outcomes post-placement (promotions, project success, extensions)
Bonus: work with suppliers who can help quantify the social value contribution within your bid response and provide input into reporting frameworks post-award.
3. Candidate quality & job readiness
The quality of training matters – especially in high-pressure delivery environments. Look to deploy diverse consultants who are not only technically trained, but also prepared for agile, client-facing roles with t-shaped skill sets.
This includes:
- Exposure to real-world project tools and scenarios
- Confidence with communication and stakeholder engagement
- Familiarity with working practices like sprints, stand-ups, or data governance frameworks
Job-readiness goes beyond technical skill – it’s about mindset, adaptability, and confidence to succeed in fast-paced delivery environments. This is something our career switchers have un abundance, having transitioned from backgrounds such as accounting, midwifery and law.
4. Post-placement support
Retention is just as important as placement. A standout supplier will offer wraparound support that enables candidates to stay, grow, and thrive in role.
This should include:
- Technical coaching from subject matter experts
- Mentorship from experienced technologists
- Ongoing access to advanced training and certifications
- Community networks and coaching to support progression
This is especially valuable in professional services, where consultants often work in fast-paced environments and need regular touchpoints to stay supported and engaged.
5. Real, measurable diversity
Finally, diversity has to be meaningful and intersectional. Look for a supplier who can demonstrate:
- Representation across multiple dimensions (gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background, neurodiversity, disability)
- A commitment to breaking systemic barriers to tech careers
- Clear reporting on their own DEI outcomes and impact
- An understanding of how to build inclusive teams across businesses, including the challenges diverse groups face and how to best support them in their roles.
You want a supplier who doesn’t just talk about diversity – they’re actively creating it in every cohort they deploy.
Win with purpose: Unlock bid-boosting talent that delivers real impact
In a competitive market where innovation, agility, and social impact are all under the spotlight, partnering with Code First Girls allows you to future-proof your delivery model, strengthen your DEI credentials, and win more work with purpose.
Our Recruit-Train-Deploy model delivers fully trained, diverse, and job-ready tech talent into client projects across software engineering, data, DevOps, and more.
✅ Proven social impact
- 67% of CFG women come from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds.
- The only organisation that deploys women only consultants, with a history of supporting women to enter and thrive in the tech workforce.
- We work directly with Crown Commercial Services, G-Cloud13, G-Cloud14 for Cloud Support Services, CompeteFor/Delta framework, Cyber Security Services 3 DPS, and the PSR for Recruit Train Deploy, and so have robust knowledge of how to evidence our social impact for government bids.
✅ Commitment to building diverse pipelines
- Alternative talent pipelines that enable women from a broad range of backgrounds to transition into tech, bringing soft skills and managerial experience with them.
- National and international presence, enabling women to find work in their local communities and employers to source talent where they need it.
- Free tech education provided to over 200,000 women so far.
✅ Bid-boosting value
- Our candidates enhance your bid narrative with real social impact outcomes.
- We help you speak confidently about DEI, ESG, and workforce development goals.
- Our pipelines of talent are scalable and available across different geographies.
✅ Ongoing support & retention
- 1:1 mentorship and tech coaching with industry experts.
- Career coaching and soft skills workshops.
- Progression pathways through our advanced learning programmes.
Hiring diverse consultants doesn’t just look good in a bid – they make your teams stronger, your outcomes better, and your story more powerful. Let’s unlock a more diverse, inclusive, and skilled workforce together.
GET IN TOUCH WITH CODE FIRST GIRLS
Get in touch with Code First Girls to learn more about how we can help you secure diverse tech talent and support your next bid.
