This annual publication includes analysis of all QDCs/QSCs between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2026.
The SSRO was notified of 863 contracts that became QDCs/QSCs by 31 March 2026. This analysis is based on 798 contracts with submitted contract reports as at 30 April 2026. These 798 contracts are comprised of 666 QDCs and 132 QSCs. The estimated total contract price of all these QDCs/QSCs is £140.1 billion. The bulletin also includes statistics on the outturn costs and profits of 260 completed contracts.
A number of changes to existing statistics were introduced this year, following discussions with stakeholders on user needs.
Trends and changes
- The total estimated price of the 76 new QDCs/QSCs in 2025/26 was the lowest initial estimated total contract price for any financial year since 2017/18 (contracts in previous years may have been amended, extended or submitted corrected reports, meaning they are now showing higher estimated prices than in their initial year of reporting).
- Five per cent of all QDCs/QSCs (by number) hold 72 per cent of the estimated contract price.
- Firm pricing continues to be the most used pricing method each year, in terms of the number of QDCs/QSCs using each pricing method. The new alternative pricing methods introduced in April 2024 have been used in 26 contracts.
- For new QDCs/QSCs in 2025/26, the average (mean) contract profit rate at the latest time of agreement was 10.75 per cent, an increase of 0.86 percentage points compared to an average of 9.89 per cent in 2024/25 QDCs/QSCs. The range of estimated profit rates for 2025/26 contracts was from 6.4 per cent to 15.4 per cent.
- A third (33 per cent, 260 contracts) of all contracts that became QDCs/QSCs have now completed. Sufficient price information submitted for 248 contracts showed a 5 per cent decrease in the total actual/forecast contract price when compared to the estimated price at the latest time of agreement. This consists of a £1.08 billion reduction in Allowable Costs, and a £68 million increase in profit.
- In 2025/26, there were 18 new QSCs, which is the second highest number of QSCs entered into in any single financial year to date (after 2024/25).
- The number of contract and supplier reports due for submission in 2025/26 increased by 6 per cent overall from 2024/25.
- The timeliness of contract and supplier reports decreased slightly (from 70 in 2024/24 to 66 per cent in 2025/26) and remains below the SSRO’s Key Performance Indicator (KPI) target of 75 per cent.
The analysis reflects the most recently reported contract data. All data is taken from reports submitted by the contractor for each QDC/QSC as indicated in the bulletin. The data may not reflect values at contract completion. The next annual bulletin for 2026/27 will be published in July 2027. An announcement will be made with a specific date nearer the time.
