Fears have been raised that thousands of Moray businesses are missing out on massive windfalls due to a lack of support to help them bid for public contracts.
The region boasts more than 3,000 small and medium-sized enterprises.
Now it has emerged that less than 600 firms in the area are registered to be able tender for work as part of multi-million pound public-sector contracts.
Calls have been made to press for extra support from the Scottish Government’s supplier development programme (SDP) to entice companies to sign up.
However, senior representatives at Moray Council say everything is being done to show firms the benefits of bidding for contracts and they cannot be “forced” to apply.
The authority currently is currently only an associate member of the SDP with full membership unlocking one-to-one and one-to-many support.
But planning and economic development manager Gordon Sutherland believes the extra £5,000 annual cost will deliver little benefit due to the programme comprising only “two or three people in the Central Belt”.
Buckie councillor Sonya Warren has argued fresh insight may lead to benefits.
She said: “There are about 2,500 businesses not on the procurement website. Maybe the people from the Central Belt will have some more insight into businesses that people here don’t know about.
“There is a big gap. This is not just about Moray Council either. There is the NHS, police and fire and rescue, a whole lot of work in the public sector that firms can procure into.
“If we’re looking at 2,500 businesses then maybe we should try something else.”
Moray Council is about to embark on construction of a new primary school in Elgin and a replacement for Lossiemouth High School.
Meanwhile, extra health facilities are expected to be built as part of huge housing projects in Elgin.
John Cowe, chairman of Moray Council’s economic development and infrastructure committee, insists the authority’s procurement team is doing a “fantastic job” encouraging firms to bid for work.
He said: “Ultimately we want to see local companies get this work rather than having to go outwith the area.
“But I would have to say there has been an element of resistance from local businesses to actually register. I know local businesses can often do the job better and cheaper but they won’t register and we can’t force them to.”