Collection

SSRO Referrals

This collection contains documents related to the SSRO’s consideration of matters referred to it. We encourage the Ministry of Defence and contractors in qualifying contracts to contact us before making any referrals, either by email to referrals@ssro.gov.uk or by telephone to 020 3771 4785.

• From: Single Source Regulations Office
• Published: 25 May 2017
• Last updated: 8 April 2024 — See all updates

See guidance provided by the SSRO. See our guidance on inflation and our note on applying SSRO guidance to costs affected by COVID-19

Accepted Referrals

Unless there are good reasons not to do so, the SSRO will publish the acceptance of a referral on this website setting out a brief summary of the matter referred. In doing so, the SSRO will anonymise the information and protect the confidentiality of the referring parties.

• Accepted referrals
  • 13 November 2023
  • Guidance

Guidance

The SSRO may be asked to give an opinion or make a determination on matters related to the regulatory framework in specific circumstances set out in the Act and Regulations. The SSRO’s guidance documents set out the matters which may be referred and the procedures the SSRO will follow when giving an opinion or making a determination.

• Improving the SSRO’s response to contract-specific queries on the regulatory framework for single source defence contracts
  • 8 April 2024
  • Consultation outcome
• Guidance on the SSRO’s procedures under the Defence Reform Act 2014 and Single Source Contract Regulations 2014
  • 8 April 2024
  • Guidance
• Proposed guidance on requiring the payment of referral-related costs
  • 27 October 2021
  • Consultation outcome
• Consultation on proposed changes to guidance on opinions and determinations
  • 1 April 2019
  • Consultation outcome
• Consultation on proposed referrals guidance on appeals against assessment as a QSC and notices of cessation as a QSC
  • 18 February 2020
  • Consultation outcome

Published opinions

The SSRO’s general approach is to publish summaries or redacted versions of its opinions. Opinions are contract-specific, and care should be taken before applying the conclusions to other circumstances and contracts. All published opinions are listed below (in reverse order of publication).

• SSRO opinion on costs agreed prior to conversion to a qualifying defence contract
  • 15 February 2018
  • Independent report
• SSRO opinion on qualifying contracts related to a pre-regime contract
  • 31 March 2017
  • Independent report
• SSRO opinion on Allowable Costs arising from work undertaken at risk
  • 26 October 2016
  • Independent report
• SSRO opinion on the extent to which specified costs are Allowable Costs and other matters related to the pricing of qualifying contracts
  • 30 November 2015
  • Independent report

Published determinations

The SSRO’s general approach is to publish summaries or redacted versions of its determinations. Determinations are contract-specific, and care should be taken before applying the conclusions to other circumstances and contracts. All published determinations are listed below (in reverse order of publication).

• SSRO determination on the extent to which a contractor’s particular unanticipated costs are allowable costs under a firm-priced qualifying defence contract
  • 13 November 2023
  • Independent report
• SSRO determination on the treatment of Research and Development Expenditure Credit when determining allowable costs under a qualifying defence contract
  • 15 July 2022
  • Independent report
• SSRO determination on the extent to which labour costs in a qualifying defence contract are Allowable
  • 25 January 2019
  • Independent report
• SSRO determination on the extent to which sales and marketing costs in a qualifying defence contract are Allowable and the appropriate cost risk adjustment
  • 16 May 2016
  • Independent report

Referral panel members

Biographies of our external referral panel members

• Referral panel members
  • 20 March 2024
  • Guidance

Published 25 May 2017
Last updated 8 April 2024 + show all updates

1. 8 April 2024

   Consultation outcome published

2. 13 November 2023

   Determination published

3. 15 July 2022

   Updated with Determination published 15 July 2022

4. 27 October 2021

   Consultation outcome on proposed guidance on requiring the payment of referral-related costs added

5. 20 July 2020

   Link to COVID-19 note added

6. 24 February 2020

   List of accepted referrals added

7. 15 February 2018

   Opinion published on 15 February 2018 added

8. 25 May 2017

   First published.