DP3

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

DP3

Should Engineer A recuse himself and WXY from advising City H on whether to hire a consulting city engineer versus a full-time city engineer, or may Engineer A provide that advisory input after disclosing WXY's direct financial interest in the consulting-firm outcome?

Engineer A must decide whether to advise City H on the threshold structural question of whether to hire a consulting firm as city engineer versus a full-time city engineer, given that WXY Engineers is itself a candidate for the consulting role and stands to benefit financially from the consulting-firm outcome. This decision point addresses the non-self-serving advisory obligation and the self-interest advisory non-distortion duty, determining whether Engineer A must recuse from advising on the structural question or may advise with disclosure.

Engineer A declines to offer any advisory recommendation to City H on whether to hire a consulting city engineer versus a full-time city engineer, discloses WXY's direct financial interest in the consulting-firm outcome, and allows City H officials to reach that threshold decision independently before any discussion of WXY's potential appointment begins.

Engineer A discloses WXY's direct financial interest in the consulting-firm outcome to City H officials before offering any advisory input, then provides his professional assessment of the consulting-firm model's merits for City H — on the grounds that full disclosure satisfies II.4.a and that Engineer A's unique familiarity with City H's engineering needs makes his perspective genuinely valuable to the city's decision.

Engineer A discloses WXY's financial interest and limits his advisory input to factual information about how consulting city engineer arrangements have functioned in comparable small municipalities — drawing on BER precedent and industry practice — without offering a recommendation on which model City H should choose, leaving the normative judgment entirely to City H officials.

Engineer