President Barack Obama on Friday issued a directive to federal agencies describing the acceptable use of stimulus funds, promising to be vigilant with “every dime that we spend— on programs.

“Decisions about how recovery act dollars are spent will be base on the merits,— Obama said during a White House appearance. “They will not be made as a way of doing favors for lobbyists.—

Lobbyists who want to discuss stimulus spending will have to submit their views in writing, and the comments will be posted on the Internet.

The subjects of meetings on the issue between lobbyists and administration officials will also be posted online. Obama noted that he had tapped Vice President Joseph Biden and an inspector general to oversee the spending.

Obama made an example of one program, saying a plan that was submitted to modernize electrical and heating systems in the White House East Wing would be rejected.