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37/3334–6FE Reference Handbook 10.4 · Ethics · Procurement of professional services
1. Hold Paramount Public Safety2. Licensure & Responsible Charge3. Contracts & Conflicts of Interest4. Practice Only in Areas of Competence5. Confidentiality of Client and Employer Information6. Bribes and Gifts7. Reporting Unethical Practice8. Sealing Only Work Under Responsible Charge9. Public Welfare Over Employer Interest10. Truthful Public Statements11. Environmental Stewardship12. Continuing Education / Maintain Competence13. Duty Priority When Interests Conflict14. Expert Witness Duties15. Competitive Bidding for Professional Services16. Intellectual Property and Confidentiality17. Standard of Care and Professional Liability18. Sustainability and Stewardship

Handbook formula

Competitive Bidding for Professional Services

NSPE and Brooks Act (federal A/E) prefer qualifications-based selection: rank firms on competence, then negotiate a fair fee. Price-only bidding for professional engineering can pressure unsafe under-scoping. After award, do not bid-shop subconsultants unethically. Advertising must be truthful.

Qualifications first, fee second
Federal A/E procurement model

Step-by-step solved example

A city wants sealed dollar bids only for a dam's engineering, no SOQ. An NSPE-minded PE should?

  1. 1. Issue

    Price-only selection of engineering for a high-hazard dam invites inadequate investigation.

  2. 2. Response

    Advise the city toward QBS (Brooks-style). If they insist, the PE may decline a price-only proposal that would force unsafe shortcuts — public safety still governs.

Answer: Recommend QBS; do not under-scope a dam to win a price war.

10 practice questions

0/10 correct

1.QBS means

2.Price-only competition for PE design is discouraged because it

3.The Brooks Act applies primarily to

4.After a fair QBS award, bid-shopping the design fee downward by reopening competition is

5.Construction competitive bidding (for contractors) is

6.Advertising 'we are the cheapest PE stamp in the state' is

7.A PE may ethically submit a fee proposal when

8.Under-scoping a geotechnical investigation to win the fee

9.Selection committees should weigh

10.If a public owner is legally required to take low bid for professional services, the PE should