SSRO Guidance

Contents: The Single Source Regulations Office is an executive non-departmental public body. One of its functions is to issue guidance about the UK's single source procurement framework. The guidance is written in more natural language than the underlying legislation, but the SSRO does not provide guidance on all aspects of the framework.

Pricing guidance

Allowable Costs guidance

The price of a qualifying contract is determined in accordance with the formula: (Contract profit rate × Allowable Costs) + Allowable Costs. This part of the SSRO's guidance covers the Allowable Costs, whose requirements are set out in section 20.

Contract profit rate guidance

The price of a qualifying contract is determined in accordance with the formula: (Contract profit rate × Allowable Costs) + Allowable Costs. This part of the SSRO's guidance covers the contract profit rate, whose requirements are set out in section 17.

Referral outcomes

The SSRO has a duty to issue opinions or legally binding determinations in relation to certain matters referred to it by the Ministry of Defence or contractors in qualifying contracts. The outcomes of those referrals ay be relevant when pricing other contracts

Reporting guidance

Contract reporting guidance

This part of the SSRO's guidance covers the preparation and submission of contract reports whose requirements are set out in Part 5 of the Regulations.

Supplier reporting guidance

This part of the SSRO's guidance covers the preparation and submission of supplier reports whose requirements are set out in Part 6 of the Regulations.

DefCARS functionality

The SSRO's website contains additional guidance about DefCARS functionality that is not reproduced on this website.

Reporting guidance and DefCARS

Referrals guidance

Grounds for referrals

The matters on which the SSRO might hear a referral are scattered throughout the legislation. This part of the SSRO's guidance includes full lists of the statutory grounds for a referral to be made, including summaries of the procedural requirements and time limits.

Referrals procedures

The SSRO issues guidance that explains its referral procedures, including the timeframes and detailed descriptions of each of the various stages in the processes.

Referral procedures for determinations.
Referral procedures for opinions.
Referral procedures for appeals against assessment as a qualifying sub-contract.
Referral procedures for notices of cessation as a qualifying sub-contract
Guidance on requiring the payment of referral-related costs

The guidance is not reproduced on this website.

Guidance on the SSRO’s referrals procedures

Penalties guidance

The SSRO’s penalties guidance is statutory guidance to which the Ministry of Defence must have regard when determining the amount of penalty to issue to contractors for breaching the regulations.