Chevvron
You are indeed correct, but might have been more than 15 years. I wasn't involved but do recall a few questions being raised over MoD's Approved Contractor's scheme, and whether it had been implemented. There was a lot of 'appoint a prime who doesn't actually do anything, except sub the work to Joe Bloggs down the road' going on. I know that in 1994 I was the subject of a political overrule, with a major programme (£hundredsM) being handed to a company, who weren't approved, and who hadn't (been allowed to) bid. Westland and Boscombe ended up doing the difficult work. Just so happened Minister for Defence Procurement had a 'Joe Bloggs' in his constituency, but I'm sure this wasn't a factor.