Being the senior-most IAS officer, you are in line to be promoted as Chief Secretary after the incumbent retires in the next two months. Currently, you are heading the Public Works Department (PWD) and a road construction project worth crores has been opened for tender. A company X belonging to the son-in-law of the incumbent Chief Minister has also applied for the same. The director in charge of the screening process, a young IAS officer, has reported that company Y and the state PSU have submitted the best bids. Both you and the director are facing political pressure to favour the company X. The young IAS officer may be demoralised if you give in to the pressure. But if you don't give in then he may be transferred and your chances of promotion may also suffer. In light of the situation, answer the following: (a) Discuss the ethical issues faced by you in the given case. (b) What are the options available to you? Which of these options will you choose? Justify your stand with logical arguments.

(i) conflict of interest personal welfare and promotion vs public interest and efficiency of use of public funds.

(ii) Bending to pressures will erode morale of young IAS, weaken ethical commitment to the service ; erosion of values.

(iii) Political pressure and repercussion

(iv) Chances that even if I stand up, transfer will take place and some other incumbent official would favour X

(v) Upholding sanctity of public procurement procedures

(vi) Quality of infrastructure as bids of company X are not best ones.

(vii) Essentially a case of collusive corruption as personal benefits at the expense of society

(b) Options available :-

(i) Concede to demands of the CM and favour company X pros → personal welfare cons → sanctity of office, self-guilt collusive corruption misuse of public funds

(ii) Stand up to the CM and uphold fair tendering pros → public fund use efficiency fair procurement cons → promotion cancel transfer of young official other officials may be put in place and favour company X

I would choose option (ii)

Course of Action

→ stand up to political pressure • inform about quality issues and better bids from other companies

→ Uphold fair procurement process To institutionalise the integrity of government procurement I would adopt following measures:- • Use e- procurement • Open tendering and inviting multiple bids • Use of reverse auctioning for high value projects

• Dedicated quality control department to check bids for quality and • bids should be anonymously evaluated on quality to remove any bias encrypted code may be used enplace of names. This would ensure that even if other official is brought in process is upheld → Gracefully accept denial of promotion as being a public servant the goal is to public welfare and not self preservation.

What do I achieve?

(i) lead by example for young IAS entrants.

• upholding professional ethics
• creating good work culture
• preventing corruption

(ii) Not let public service become a tool of political sycophancy.

(iii) Uphold trust of companies and bidders in government procurement

• they would innovate, improve their bids and contribute in nation building
• collusive corruption would push the companies into bribe giving instead of improving

(iv) Efficient use of public funds (v) Quality of public infrastructure. (vi) self-satisfaction as conscience preserved