26.8.1 The commercially sensitive aspects of Contracts differ greatly from sector to sector, depending on the maturity of the market. What may be commercially sensitive in one context may not be in another and sensitivity may also decline over time.
26.8.2 For example, for standard contracts, the only commercially sensitive information may be the financial provisions (e.g. the price and the priced elements of the payment mechanism). Certain signed contracts have been lodged in the House of Commons library with only the money values blanked out and the Central IT Unit released copies of certain contracts on the same basis.
26.8.3 Contractors are usually keen to ensure that proprietary information and details of pricing are kept confidential, so that their competitors cannot obtain any commercial advantage over them, for example, in any future competition. Financiers are likely to want to ensure sensitive details of the financing (such as the pricing) are kept confidential from rivals and future borrowers and both of these interests are legitimate.
26.8.4 In some sectors, such as defence, the Authority may wish to keep certain contract details confidential to avoid prejudicing national security or other public interests. Other sectors may have their own particular sensitivities and certain information may need to be treated as confidential to avoid third party interference in the smooth running of the Contract.