ALBANY -- Gov. David Paterson is ordering state agencies to watch their spending when they choose to give work to a private consultant instead of a state worker.

The executive order only lets agencies use consultants when it's the most efficient or cost-effective option. Unions sought the move to protect the state employees who make up their membership. It's not uncommon for agencies to hire professional consultants, often engineers.

Paterson's executive order creates a task force to track contracts worth more than $1 million per year. Agencies who contract with consultants will have to explain to the task force within 10 days why they didn't use state employees.

The Division of the Budget projects the state will spend more than $800 million on consultants in 2008-2009.