Transaction, involving award for woman getting head on a plate (6)
I believe the answer is:
salome
'woman getting head on a plate' is the definition.
(from the Bible story about John the Baptist)
'transaction involving award' is the wordplay.
'transaction' becomes 'sale' (sales are a type of transaction).
'involving' indicates putting letters inside.
'award' becomes 'om' (order of merit**).
'sale' going around 'om' is 'SALOME'.
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for salome that I've seen before include "13 dn for Herod" , "18 [OPERA]" , "She demanded head of John the Baptist" , "Biblical dancer" , "Asked for the head of John the Baptist" .)