Published 16 June 2026 by eSourcingData
MEAT, the most economically advantageous tender, and its successor concept, the most advantageous tender under the Procurement Act 2023, describe how UK public buyers award contracts on best value rather than lowest price. Understanding how the criteria and weightings work is essential to shaping a bid that scores.
Public buyers do not simply pick the cheapest bid. Under the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) approach, they weigh quality and price together to identify the best overall value. This is why a strong quality submission can beat a lower-priced competitor.
The Procurement Act 2023 reframes this as the most advantageous tender (MAT). The core principle is the same: award is based on a balanced assessment of what represents the best deal for the buyer, not price alone, using published criteria and weightings.
Buyers must publish their award criteria and how they are weighted. Typically this splits into quality and price, with quality broken down into sub-criteria such as approach, experience, social value and risk management, each carrying its own weight.
The weightings tell you where the marks are. A tender weighted heavily toward quality rewards a strong, evidenced technical response, while a price-weighted tender puts more emphasis on cost. Reading the weightings first tells you exactly where to invest your effort.
Quality answers are usually marked against a scale, where higher scores require you to fully address the requirement with clear, credible evidence. Each score is then multiplied by the criterion's weight and combined with your price score to produce a total.
Price is normally scored relative to other bids, often with the lowest compliant price receiving full marks and others scored proportionally. Because quality and price are combined, you can win without being the cheapest if your quality is strong enough to close the gap.
Understanding the model changes how you write. Instead of trying to be cheapest, aim to maximise your weighted score. Put your strongest effort into the highest-weighted quality criteria and evidence every claim, because that is where the marks concentrate.
It also means quality and price are not separate exercises. A compelling quality submission earns headroom on price, and a lean price can offset a competitive quality score. Bidding well under a most-advantageous-tender model means optimising both together.
Every tender publishes its own criteria, weightings and marking scheme, and they vary. Never assume a standard split. Read the specific ITT to confirm exactly how this contract will be evaluated before you decide how to shape your response.
If anything about the criteria or scoring is unclear, use the clarification process to ask. Understanding precisely how you will be judged is the foundation of a competitive bid, and it is information the buyer is required to make available.
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Try BidWriter freeWhat does MEAT stand for?
MEAT stands for the most economically advantageous tender, the approach where public buyers award contracts on the best balance of quality and price rather than simply the lowest price.
What is the most advantageous tender under the Procurement Act 2023?
The Procurement Act 2023 uses the term most advantageous tender (MAT). It keeps the principle of awarding on best overall value against published criteria and weightings rather than price alone.
How are quality and price combined?
Each quality answer is scored, multiplied by its weighting and combined with a price score. Because they are combined, a strong quality submission can outweigh a slightly higher price.
Do all tenders use the same weightings?
No. Weightings, criteria and marking schemes vary by tender. Always read the specific ITT to see exactly how the contract will be evaluated before shaping your response.
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