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Contractor asks supervisor to prepare running bill

Short answer

Refuse politely. Preparing and then certifying the same bill creates a conflict of interest, and the offered payment is effectively a bribe under Nepali law and the engineering code. Tell the contractor to use his own engineer, explain the billing procedure, and report the offer to your superior. Core conduct rules: public safety, competence, honesty, avoiding conflicts, and obeying the law.

In a construction project for which you are the consultant's supervising engineer, the contractor requests you for preparing his running bill of works done, and assuring you to pay a handsome amount for your work, as his engineer recently quit the job. How should you respond? Explain your arguments. Write five most important rule of conduct for a professional engineer considering code of ethics prevalent in Nepal.

Response to the contractor

I should politely but firmly refuse.

Arguments

  1. Conflict of interest. As supervising engineer of the consultant, I check and certify the contractor's bill for the client. If I prepare the bill and then also check it, I would be judging my own work, so there is no independent check, and the client's interest is not protected.
  2. Payment is improper. A "handsome amount" paid secretly by the contractor to the person who certifies his bills is, in substance, a bribe or at least an undisclosed benefit. It would compromise my honesty and independence. The Prevention of Corruption Act 2059 makes such payments offences, and the Nepal Engineering Council code forbids accepting payment from the other party for the same work.
  3. Duty to my employer and the client. My time and services belong to the consulting firm, which is paid by the client. Doing private work for the contractor without permission is a breach of loyalty.
  4. Risk of overbilling. I could be accused of inflating quantities and being part of fraud.

What I may do

  • Tell the contractor to prepare the bill with his own staff or to hire another engineer.
  • Explain without charge the measurement and billing procedure, the format and the documents required by the contract, which is part of normal supervision and is available equally to all.
  • Do joint measurement as per contract and check the bill honestly.
  • Report the offer to my superior, since it was an attempt to influence me.

Five important rules of conduct (Nepal Engineering Council code of conduct)

  1. Public safety first: hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and protect the environment.
  2. Competence: undertake only work for which one is qualified by education and experience, and keep professional skills up to date.
  3. Honesty and integrity: be truthful in reports, estimates and statements; do not take part in bribery, fraud or false certification, nor accept any commission.
  4. Faithful agent, avoid conflict of interest: act for the employer or client faithfully and in confidence; disclose any conflict, and do not accept payment from more than one party for the same service without all parties' consent.
  5. Professional respect and law: obey the laws of Nepal and the Council's rules, maintain the dignity of the profession, and give fair credit to others, without unfair injury to their professional reputation.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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