The consortium involves London headquartered Babcock, US-based CH2M Hill and URS, which has its headquarters in San Francisco.

BBC: Babcock Dounreay Partnership poised to run nuclear firm

CH2M Hill, a Colorado-based engineering firm, signed a contract to provide city services, which it did until the middle of 2011.

ECONOMIST: Government services

And, in fact, the contracts, held by Bechtel, the Shaw Group, Fluor and CH2M HILL, were not then in the process of being rebid.

NPR: Re-Bid Process for Hurricane Recovery Delayed