Book your place on our Defence Single Source Training Workshop (2026) to gain a clear, practical understanding of what a Qualifying Defence Contract/Subcontract (QDC/QSC) is and how it must be priced, costed and reported. We will walk through the major changes introduced in the April 2024 Regulations update and what to look out for as further changes are proposed for 2026. You will leave with a sharper view of the key risks in the regime and how they play out in today’s commercial landscape.
UK single source defence contracts are regulated by law through the Single Source Procurement Framework established by Part 2 of the Defence Reform Act 2014. The framework governs how contracts are costed, what profit is allowed, and how pricing mechanisms work (including alternative methodologies). It also provides the MOD with significant open book access to contractor data. Understanding these rules is essential to protect your margin, demonstrate compliance, and ensure your price will withstand scrutiny making this workshop a timely investment for commercial, finance and programme teams.
Benefits of participation
The workshop will provide you with:
- A practical overview of pricing, negotiating, costing and reporting for single source contracts under the Defence Reform Act framework
- A clear briefing on the latest Regulations and statutory guidance, including the significant April 2024 changes and the direction of travel for proposals expected in 2026
- A decision-making framework you can apply within your organisation to improve consistency in pricing and reporting across teams and programmes.
Workshop content includes
The Regulatory Framework:
- Applicability of the legislation
- The pricing formula, allowable costs and profit calculation
- Pricing contract changes
- Risks of single source amendments to non-QSC/QSCs and converting pre-existing contracts to qualifying contracts
- Records, MOD price investigations and access rights, confidentiality
- Reports and reporting
- SSRO - its powers and responsibilities
- Compliance
- Current issues relating to the Act, Regulations and statutory guidance, and prospective changes
- Treatment of contracts outside the Act.
The Pricing Formula:
- Pricing methodologies including the ‘alternative’ methods
- Review of the latest allowable cost rules
- Review of contract profit rate and adjustments
- Review of cost, contingency and risk estimation requirements and implications for suppliers
- Legislative changes planned by Secretary of State for 2025/6
- Pricing of sub-contracts and changes
- MOD's rights to perform post award audit.
Places are limited and early booking is recommended.
Workshop Leaders
The course is led by Tim Watkins and John Ashley
Tim was a Chartered Accountant who has 20 years' experience in senior finance positions within major UK defence companies. Tim was involved in the industry team working with the MOD and Review Board maintaining the Yellow Book arrangements. Tim now acts as an Industry Technical Advisor on Defence Reform Act/Single Source Contract Regulation (DRA/SSCRs) regime and was involved in the development of the DRA/SSCRs with the MOD. He now provides training and advice either directly to companies or to industry through ADS.
John is a Chartered Accountant with substantial experience in both the private and public sectors. He was a key member of the MOD team established to develop the current single source procurement legislation and to engage with industry during ongoing consultation. Before leaving the MOD, John was the SSAT’s single source legislation compliance lead, advising MOD delivery teams and suppliers on the application of the framework and playing a central role in developing and enacting improvements to the regime.
