Government Mechanics
Cost-Plus Contract
A federal contract that reimburses a contractor's costs plus a fee, shifting overrun risk to the government.
Also known as: Cost-Reimbursement Contract
- What it is
- A cost-plus contract reimburses a contractor for allowable costs and adds a fee, used when scope or cost is uncertain, as in R&D and complex development. It contrasts with fixed-price contracts that put overrun risk on the contractor. Fee structures vary.
- How it moves markets
- Cost-plus work lowers a contractor's financial risk on hard programs but caps margin upside and draws oversight. The mix of cost-plus versus fixed-price in a backlog shapes margin and risk. Investors read contract type to gauge earnings quality.
- Track record
- Fixed-price development programs have produced large charges at defense primes, making the cost-plus versus fixed-price mix a watched metric.
- Who it affects
- Defense and development primes: LMT, NOC, RTX, BA.
- Related terms
- sole-source-contract, idiq-contract, ndaa
- Common misread
- Cost-plus is lower-margin; assuming a big cost-plus win boosts profitability like a fixed-price deal misreads the economics.
- Watch out for
- Program cost growth and disallowed costs can still pressure fees and reputation.
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