DP3

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

DP3

What level of formal documentation must Engineer A create regarding the receipt, chain of custody, and return of Firm B's late submittal, and does the four-hour retention by the city manager's administrative assistant create additional documentation obligations beyond a standard rejection record?

Engineer A's obligation to create a formal, contemporaneous documentation record of the full chain of custody of Firm B's envelope — including the city manager's office receipt time, the administrative assistant's identity, the basis for rejection, the fact that the envelope was returned unopened, and communication to Firm B — so that the procurement record is transparent, defensible, and consistent with equal treatment of all competing firms.

Create a comprehensive contemporaneous written record documenting the full chain of custody — including the city manager's office receipt timestamp, the administrative assistant's identity and role, the basis for rejection, the unopened return, and written notification to Firm B — and consult City X's legal counsel about how to communicate the chain of custody accurately while managing the city's legal position

Create a standard rejection record documenting the deadline non-compliance and the return of the envelope unopened, without separately documenting the administrative assistant's four-hour retention on the grounds that the city manager's office conduct is an internal administrative matter outside the scope of the QBS procurement record

Document the rejection and return of the envelope, then proactively notify all 13 other pre-submittal firms in writing that one SOQ was received after the deadline and at the wrong location and was returned unopened, treating broad notification as the transparency mechanism that satisfies the equal treatment obligation

Engineer A - Public Procurement Administrator