The SSRO is seeking feedback on its new guidance for both contractors and the Ministry of Defence to support flexible, transparent and efficient amendment of the price of single source contracts.
Most UK defence contracts awarded without competition fall under the Single Source Regulatory Framework, which aims to ensure fair pricing and value for money in the absence of a competitive bidding process.
The new guidance explains what steps need to be taken when contracting parties want to make changes to an existing contract in a way that affects its price. An amendment can affect the contract price because:
- the scope of the contract changes;
- new work is added; or
- costs or assumptions used to set the original price need to be updated.
Pricing amendments can be complex, therefore having clear guidance on how to apply the regulations reduces the chance of this being an area which slows the pace of defence procurement and incurring additional costs for parties. This new guidance supports the SSRO’s commitment to continuous improvement and the Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy to improve procurement and making the Regulations more accessible to existing and new entrants to the regime, including SMEs.
We have introduced this additional guidance in response to MOD and industry feedback and the SSRO’s experience of regularly advising on contract amendments. The guidance aims to help contracting parties to navigate and understand the process of pricing contract amendments; answer common questions; and help the parties resolve issues more quickly and easily.
To help users get the most from the guidance, the SSRO has:
- Created a quick start guide highlighting key points and linking to relevant sections of the full guidance.
- Added examples to explain concepts and address common issues.
- Included references and links to other SSRO guidance and the Regulations.
- Improved signposting for where to get more information or help.
The SSRO encourages stakeholders to share their feedback on the proposed guidance. The consultation is open until 09 January 2026 – access it here.