Potential conflict of interest?
Potential conflict of interest?
(OP)
Greetings.
I am a P.E. and own a small civil consulting business. One of my clients is the city I where I'm located, and I provide engineering design services for various infrastructure project on a hourly rate basis as needed for the city. Recently, I have been asked by the city engineer (who is also a P.E.) to assist in the review of private development plans submitted to the city for review and approval and prepared by other local engineers and surveyors. Since I also perform services for private developers and these other engineers are my direct competitors in some instances, is it a conflict of interest for me to accept these additional duties?
I am a P.E. and own a small civil consulting business. One of my clients is the city I where I'm located, and I provide engineering design services for various infrastructure project on a hourly rate basis as needed for the city. Recently, I have been asked by the city engineer (who is also a P.E.) to assist in the review of private development plans submitted to the city for review and approval and prepared by other local engineers and surveyors. Since I also perform services for private developers and these other engineers are my direct competitors in some instances, is it a conflict of interest for me to accept these additional duties?





RE: Potential conflict of interest?
The only issue might be proprietary information that you might glean from this and use in another competition. However, if such information exists, then you'd be asked to either sign a proprietary rights agreement, or be asked to not review certain portions of the proposal.
TTFN
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RE: Potential conflict of interest?
RE: Potential conflict of interest?
In general, you can't work on both sides of the fence (e.g., design and review) at the same time.
Here's are some examples where there's either a clear case of Conflict of Interest or a potential for one:
1. Doing work for private developer that will be submitted to the city for review. This includes any work that's going to the city, even stuff not going to the office you'll be doing the work.
2. Reviewing work of direct competitor if you're still doing outside work (e.g., If you and Consultant X do other work that is not involved with the city work; they could claim that you're unfairly treating their work that you're reviewing (e.g., asking for unnecessary information, delaying approval)
Working with government typically restricts a lot of work and engineer can perform. A lot of governments have clear ethics rules to prevent Conflict of Interest by pretty much restricting you from doing work outside of the government.
RE: Potential conflict of interest?
Rafiq Bulsara
http://www.srengineersct.com
RE: Potential conflict of interest?
there should not be any conflict for reviewing submittals from your competition, this is also done all the time. However, you should not treat them unfairly but in a professional manner or it will definitely come back to bite you.
RE: Potential conflict of interest?
RE: Potential conflict of interest?
I spent a couple of hours today discussing the situation with the city engineer, and in the end, we agreed to a written policy that would clearly define my role and what I would and would not be responsible for. I feel much more comfortable about the situation at this point.
RE: Potential conflict of interest?
TTFN
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RE: Potential conflict of interest?
RE: Potential conflict of interest?
The idea of a design being "proprietary" is much more applicable to Aerospace than Civil.
I have a friend who flat out took a job with the county, but still does civil design for another PE's firm on the side. What he did, after discussing it with the county, was told his PE friend he could still do side work for him, but not in that same county.
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com
RE: Potential conflict of interest?
Regards
Pat
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RE: Potential conflict of interest?