Contracting Officer Integrity in Business

Contracting Officer

Integrity in business negotiations: Government contracting

Because questionable ethics have attracted such attention in the business and mainstream media, it is vital to remain above ethical reproach in one's own transactions. The memory of Enron, WorldCom and other accounting scandals, the lack of transparency that resulted in the recent economic fiscal crisis, and other recent scandals small and large have increased the level of tension and suspicion in every facet of business life. Even the appearance of impropriety must be avoided, as well as technical violations of the law. And in-depth knowledge is essential of government regulations, of in-house ethical guidelines and generally accepted professional ethical ethics within one's field.

In the case of government officials, a betrayal of ethics does not merely affect the individuals involved in the transaction, but also the public's view of the ethics of their government. An ethical scandal can make the public believe that their government 'doesn't work.' A government official is supposed to be a public servant, and serve the public in all of his or her actions. A betrayal of ethics by the government official is a betrayal of the people's trust, and can undermine confidence in the integrity of government, not simply commerce in general. According to the law, part 1.602-1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), "No contract shall be entered into unless the contracting officer ensures that all requirements of law, executive orders, regulations, and all other applicable procedures, including clearances and approvals, have been met" (Government contracting personnel: Understanding roles played, 2011, ONVIA).

Another negative effect of government corruption the anger generated when citizens perceive that tax money is being ill-spent. Take, for example, a government official who accepts a bribe from a contractor to accept the contractor's bid, even if the bid is neither the best nor the most affordable offer available. The government official has a legal as well as an ethical responsibility to put the interests of the public first, as a public servant. To fail to do so will result in greater cost to the taxpayer, and perhaps even an inferior product. This type of waste takes money away from other, more worthy public projects as well, including aid to the poor.

Government contracting officers have unique responsibilities and special, additional privileges as a result of their duties: "Of all government personnel, only a Contracting Officer has the authority to enter the government into a binding contract. He or she will be the one to sign the final contract agreement, and only a Contracting Officer has the power to change the terms of the contract" (Government contracting personnel: Understanding roles played, 2011, ONVIA). The contracting officer is thus acting on behalf of the entire government, and has unique powers invested in him or her for his or her work. With added responsibilities come added ethical obligations.