Definition
Most Economically Advantageous Tender(MEAT)
The combined quality and price assessment used to select a winner.
Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) is the standard basis on which UK public buyers award contracts, balancing price against quality criteria such as methodology, social value and experience rather than awarding on lowest price alone. Weightings between price and quality are published in the ITT so suppliers know how each element counts.
How MEAT scoring actually works
A buyer decides a weighting split, commonly something like 60% quality and 40% price, though this varies widely by contract type. Quality questions are scored against defined criteria, often using a numbered scale, and price is scored using a formula that compares each bid's price to the lowest or average price submitted.
The overall MEAT score is then a combined weighted total, meaning the cheapest bid does not automatically win and a high-quality bid can be outscored by a much cheaper competitor depending on the formula used.
Common pricing formula pitfalls
Price scoring formulas vary between buyers, and an unusually low bid can sometimes score less than expected under certain formulas, or trigger an abnormally low tender investigation. Suppliers should read the pricing methodology in the instructions to tenderers carefully rather than assuming the lowest price always wins the most price points.
- Check the exact price/quality weighting split
- Understand whether price is scored against lowest bid or average bid
- Check for abnormally low tender clauses
- Model your score against likely competitor pricing where possible
Maximising quality scores under MEAT
Because MEAT rewards quality as well as price, evidencing methodology, social value commitments and relevant experience in detail, and mapping every answer against a compliance matrix, is usually a better route to winning than aggressive discounting alone.
Frequently asked questions
- Does MEAT mean the cheapest bid always wins?
- No. MEAT combines price and quality scores using published weightings, so a more expensive bid with a stronger quality score can beat a cheaper one. The exact balance depends on the weighting split set out in the ITT.
- Is MEAT still used under the Procurement Act 2023?
- The Procurement Act 2023 uses the term 'most advantageous tender' rather than 'most economically advantageous tender', removing the requirement that price or cost always be a factor, but the underlying concept of weighing quality against price remains very similar.
- How do I find the price and quality weightings for a tender?
- Weightings are published in the ITT or associated evaluation methodology document, usually near the start alongside the scoring criteria. If they are not clearly stated, raise it as a clarification question before the submission deadline.
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