DP6

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

DP6

Once WXY Engineers serves as city engineer, should WXY recuse itself from any advisory recommendation that could directly lead to a new design contract for WXY and require an independent party to evaluate that need, or should WXY disclose its financial interest at each new contract cycle and allow City H officials to decide based on that disclosure?

City H New Design Contract Award Process Decision: Whether, once WXY Engineers is appointed city engineer, the city should require WXY to recuse itself from advisory recommendations that could trigger new design contracts for WXY, or whether disclosure of the conflict at each new contract cycle is sufficient to manage the self-referential advisory loop.

Formally recuse WXY from any advisory recommendation as city engineer that could directly identify, scope, or characterize a need for new design work that WXY would be eligible to bid on, and require City H to designate an independent party—such as a separate review committee or an independent engineer—to evaluate whether the identified need is genuine and whether WXY's proposed scope is appropriate before any new contract is awarded.

At each new project cycle where WXY as city engineer identifies a need for additional design services, disclose WXY's financial interest in the potential contract to City H officials before any award discussion, allow City H officials to make the award decision independently based on that disclosure, and document each disclosure in writing as an ongoing condition of the dual-role arrangement's permissibility.

Establish a standing protocol under which any new design contract identified through WXY's city engineer advisory function is automatically subject to competitive solicitation from at least one additional qualified firm, with City H's governing body making the final award decision, thereby preserving WXY's eligibility to compete while ensuring that the informational foundation for the award is not constructed exclusively by an interested party.

Engineer A (WXY Engineers)