If I can return to the main subject, on 18th September 2002 PROSPECT (the Trades Union representing most MoD project mangers at AbbeyWood) formally notified members that the Chief of Defence Procurement (which is, after all, what we're talking about) had formally ruled;
1. The saving of 30% on a project (while delivering 10 months ahead of schedule, to a better specification) is so common in the MoD that it deserves no special mention in an annual report, nor is the method of achieving these savings worthy of being reported to more senior management to learn lessons.
2. Staff may be instructed to falsely state a requirement is “fair and reasonable”, thereby wasting public funds and committing fraud.
When asked, MoD declined to speculate how many staffs had achieved the above.