The procurement rules should help but open book accounting, independent board members and complete transparency will also be necessary.

The Pentagon has been tightening procurement rules, which will cut into contractors' profits.

The court yesterday did not address the question of whether there had been a violation of procurement rules.

Each authority now has its own procurement rules, and a number of questionable contracting decisions have come to light recently, he said.

It will take years for local authorities to follow public procurement rules.

A further problematic field in some agencies was non-compliance with procurement rules.

It also calls on the Commission to give priority to modernisation of public procurement rules.

Tear up the procurement rules, and give all contracts to British based firms.

However, the bigger contracts are often awarded under more complex procurement rules.

City officials would not comment on their search for new options, saying it must be kept secret under municipal procurement rules.