Tiger Mate - Im not ex-forces, just a taxpayer. There were quite a few ex-military guys on the project, many from the Signals - unfortunately, I think due to their background in accepting what they felt was an order\instruction from higher up the chain would accept it without any query. eg I installed a duct system around an army camp for DiiC - all compliant with JSP480. Along comes F and I get the same site. I am somewhat bemused to find the new design has a new twin duct section alongside the one I put in 16months earlier. Its the best part of 3/4 mile long with numerous pits all for...... ONE DiiF cable. I queried this with the ex-military guy who was the customer PM explaining that this was an unecassary waste of money and the system installed was still complient and had capacity. I was somewhat taken aback as the ex-major seemed to think I was some poor squaddy of his. After his tirade of how I should not dare to challange the design and accept his and the designers (again ex-Mil) "orders".
Pleased to say in this case I had the last laugh (its different in the civy world) as at the pre-start meeting I queeried the lavish waste of money on this duct system, the Budget Holder soon got involved and the new duct sytem was removed. However there were hundreds of incidents like this all over the UK. It seemed to us that EDS went out of their way to over design and over manage what they had to put in and if they could scrap perfectly good C stuff and replace it they would. It wasnt a surprise that F ran out of money.
Lastly my company also operates the 'use the Hotel Desk' to book rooms for you, we have exactly the same gripes. As you have discovered they always seem to charge you more than what you could book it for (if you have the time and your not involved in multile bookings) however what you may not be aware of is that they also neoitiate a 'discount' for themselves as well! Double bubble!