DP6

DecisionPoint
http://proethica.org/ontology/cases#DecisionPoint

DP6

Should Engineer A decline to expand into facilities design and construction services out of professional honor and public welfare obligations, or proceed with the expansion in response to the financial pressure and commercial opportunity framed by the CD-ROM solicitation?

Engineer A must decide whether to preserve the honor and reputation of the engineering profession by declining to offer facilities design services without the requisite competence, or whether the commercial opportunity and financial pressure invoked by the CD-ROM solicitation justify expanding services into an unfamiliar domain. This decision implicates Engineer A's professional character obligations and the broader public welfare mission of professional engineering licensure.

Decline to offer facilities design and construction services, recognizing that the financial pressure invoked by the solicitation cannot override the categorical obligation to practice only within demonstrated areas of competence, and that accepting out-of-competence work damages the profession's honor and the public trust that professional licensure is designed to protect.

Proceed with offering facilities design and construction services, accepting the solicitation's premise that financial necessity justifies expanding into unfamiliar domains when a software tool is available to provide technical support, and treating the general PE license as sufficient professional authorization for the expanded service offering.

Treat the commercial opportunity as a legitimate motivation to pursue genuine competence development — through continuing education, mentorship, hiring qualified personnel, or establishing subconsultant relationships — before offering facilities design services, ensuring that competence acquisition precedes rather than follows the service offering.

Engineer