tationalSociely olProfession aI Engineersa

C*de $f Ethics.fnt Ewgineers

FreambleEngineering is an impotani and learned profession. As membss of thisprofession, engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of honestyand integrity. Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life forall people. Accordingly. the serrices provided by engineers require hcnesty,imparliality, faimess, and erluity, and must bs dedicated to the protection of thepublie health, safety, and welfare. Engineers mmt pafom unds' a stancl-ard cfprofessional bohavior that roquires adherence to the highest principles of ethicalconduct.

I. Fundamental CanonsEnginew, in the fulfilimmt of their professional duties, shall:

1. Hold paramount tha safety, health, and welfare ofthe public.2- Peribrm sen,ices only in areas of their competace.3. Issue public statements only in an ob.iective ard truthful manner.4. Act for each employer or climl as faithful agmts or truGes.5. Aroid deceplir e rcls.6. Canduct ttrernsel,:es honorably, responsibly, ethically, and

lawfully so as tc enhance the hoaor, reputation. and usefullessofthe prof'ession.

II. Rules of Practice1. Engineers shall

ofthe public.hold paramount the safety, irealth, and welfare

r. if

jq{ rylll4he-r authodryjs tnb. Engineem shall approve only those mgineering dcculnents that are

in conformifi, with applicable standards,:. lrngrreri:.l::ill ri,i t,.crl ir;i; li;:t;:-,:rr irii;:lrii()n \\i1h(,Lli tll.

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-rcst1ss4_ba]3w.-srllj!-c9 de-_d. Engineers sha11 not permit the use of their name or associate in

bminess ventures with any person or fm that they believe isengaged in fraudulent or dishonest enterprise.

e. Engineers shall not aid or abet the unlawful practice ofengineeringby a person cr frm.

f. Eaginem having knowledge ofany alleged violation ofthis Codeshall report thereon to apprapriate professicnal bodies and, whenrelevanl- also 1o public authorities, anrl coopaate with the prcperauthorities in furnishing such hfomation or assistance as may berequired.

Engineers shall perform seruices only in the areas of theircompetence.

a. Engineem shal1 undertake assigments oniy when qualified byeducatica or expaiace in the specific technical {ields involved.

b. Engiaeers shall not affix tleir signatures to any plals or docummtsdeaiing with subject matter in which they lack competence, nor toany plan or docummt not prepared unrla their ciirection andcontrol.

c. Engineers fiay aceept assigammts and assume responsibili[, forcoordination of an entile pmject and sign and seal the engineeringdocumats for the atire praject, u'ovided that each techniealsegment is signed and sealed only by the qualified enginem whoprepared the segment.

Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective andtruthful mannel.a. Engineers sha1l be *blective aa<i iruthfui in professional reports,

statemtrtrs, or testimony. They shal1 iaclude all relevant andpertinent information in sueh reports, statemilts, or testimony,which should bear &e date indicating when it was curent.

b. Eogltee* may express publicly technieal opinioas [tat ate foandedupon klowledge of tlre facts and competence in the subject matter.

c. Engineere shall issue no statmffits, criticisms, 01 arguments ontechnical matters that are inspired or paid for b1, iataested parties,unless they have prefaced their commmts by explicitly idmtiflingthe interested parties on whose behalf they are speaking, and byrevealing the existence ofany interest the engheers may have in thematters.

4. Engineers shall act for each employer or client as faitlrful agents ortrustetr.a. Engineors shal1 disclose al1 known or potential corflicts of intaest

that could irfluence or appear to idlumce their judgment or thequaliry of Lheir seruices.

b. Engineers sl,rall not accept compensation, financiai or othwise,tiom more than one pxrty fot seruices on the same project, or fbrswices perl:ining to the same project, unless the circumstances arefully disclosed and agreed to by all interested padies.

c. Engineers shall not solicit or acrept financial or other valuablecoasideratiorq Ci'ertly or indhectiy, from outside agents incomection with thE *,ork for which they are responsible-

d. Engineers in public swice as members, advisors, or mployeesof a govermental or quasi-govemmental body ar department shallnot participate in decisions with respect to seruica soiiciled orprovided bv them or thdr organizations in private or publicenginering practice.

e. Engineers shali not solicit ot accept a contract from a governmentalbody cn xhich a principal or cfficer oftheir organization setres as

ammba.5. Engineers shall avoid deceptive acts.

a. Engineos sha11 not falsif, their qualificatioar or permitmisrepresentalion of their or their associates' qualifications. Theysha11 not misrepreseflt or exaggerate theil responsibility in or for thesubject matter of pricr assigments. Brochures or otherpresentations incident to the solicitation of employment sha1l notmisrepresent pertinent facts colceming employem, employees,associates, joint venturets, or past accomplishments.

b. Engineers shall not offer, give, soliei! or receive, either direcily orindirectly, any contribution to in{lumce the alvard of a contlact bypublic authori{, or which may be remoaably construed by thepublic as having the effat or intmt of influeneing the awarding of acontract. They shal1 no1 offsr any gill or ctha' valuableconsideration in order to secure work Thoy sha11 not palr a

comission, ptrcentage, or brokerage fee ia order to secure work,except to a bona fide employee or bona fide established comercialor marketing agencies rotained by them.

III. Professional Obligation s1- Engineers shall be guided in aii their reialioris

-oy the highet standards

of honesrl and intcgrity.a. _Engircem shall e*ggwlqtie-".-tlrqrl-9rr"{q_-gr.1!.-Llel!-SS1_ 3}!!t1_r-L_

. alter the facts.b. Ei@- -h"11 advi-<e their clients or mploye:s when they beliwe

a project will not be succ€6sfu1.c. Engineers shall not accept outside mployment to the detriment of

their regular v-ork or interest. Before accepting any outsidemgineering employment, they will notify the* employas.

d. Engineec shall not attempt to attuact an enginea from anotheremployer by false or misleading pretenses.

e. Engineers shall not promote their own interest at tis expense ofthodignity and integrity ofthe profession.

specifications tiat are not in conformity with appiicable eagineeringstandards. If the climt or employer insists on such unprofessionalconrluct, they shall notif,, the proper authorities and s,ithdraw fromfurther swice on the pro,ject.Engineers arc encouaged t* extend public knowledge andappreciation of enginering and its achievements,Engineem are mcouraged tc adhere to the pri:rciples cf sutainabledevelopmentl in order to protect lhe environmmt for futuregenerations.

Engineen shal1 at all tirnes strive to serve the pcblic ietaest.a. Engineers are elcouraged to particioate in civic affairs; carcer

c.

d.

3. Engilem shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceives the public.a. Engineers shall avoid the use of statements containing a material

misrepresmtation of fact or omitting a material fact.b. Consstent rvith tha foregoing, engiaeers may advertise for

recruitment of pers cnnol.c. Comistent with the foregorng, engireers may prepare articles for

the lay or technical press, but such articles shall not imply eredit tothe author for work performed by others.

4. Engineers shail not disclose, without consent, confidential iaformationconceming the buiness affairs or tehnical processes of any present orfomm client or mployer, or public body on which they serue.a. Engineers shall no! without the consent of all interested parties,

promote or arange for new employment or practice in comectionwith a specihc pioject for wiiich tle engineer iras gained particularand specialized kaowledge.

b. Engineers shall not, without the consent of all interested padies,participale in or represant an advasary ilterest il comection with a

specific project or proeeding ir which the engheer has gainedparticular specialized kaowiedge ca behalf of a forma climt oremployer.

5. Engineers sha11 not be irfluenced in their professicnal duties bycon{licting inier ests

"

a. Engineers shall not accept financial or oihq consida'ations,including f'ree engineering designs, from material or equipmentsuppliers for specifying their product.

tr. Enginoers shall not accept commissions or allowances, directly orindirectly, from contractors or other parties deafing with clients orernploy*s of the engineer in comection with work for which theengineer is respoasible.

6. Engineas shall not alternpt to obtain employmanl or advancemelt crprofessional ilgagemffits by mtrutlrfully criticizing other enginers,or by ctha improper or questionable methods.a. Engineer: shall not request, propose, or arcept a eommission on a

contingent basis under circumstanees in which their judgment maybe compromised. : I

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work only to the extent comistmt with policies of the mploya andin accordance with ethical coroiderations. v

c. Engineers sha11 nol without consent, use equipmen! supplies,laboratory, or cffrce facilities of an employer to canl on outsideprivate practice.

7. Enginem shall not attempt to injure, maliciously or falsely, directlyor indirectly, the professicnal reputation, prospects, practiee, oremployment of other engineers. Engineers who believe others areguilty ofunethical or illegal practice shal1 present saeh infoimationto the proper authority for action.

a. Engineers in private practice shall not review the work of anotherengineer for the same clier! except with the knowledge of such

engineer, or unless the comection of such engineer with the workhas been terminated.

b- Engineers in gcverrrmental, industrial, or educational employ are

r.tiJled ta review and evaluate the wcrk of otha engineers when so

required by their employment duties.c. Engineer: in sals or industrial employ are entitled to make

engineering comparisons of represmted products with products ofotha supplirs.

8. Engineers shall accept personal responsibility for their professionalactivities, providod, howwo, that engineffi may seek indemifieationfor services arising out of their practice for other than gross

negligence, where the engineer's interests cannot othemise beprotected.a. Engineers sha11 confom with state registratiol laws il the practice

of engineering.b. Engineers shall not use association with a naaergineer, a

corporation, or painership as a "cloalC'for unethical acts.

1420 Kmg StreetAlemdria, \ i ginia 2231 4 -2'l 9 4

7 03 / 684 -280Q . F ax:'1 03 / 83 6- 481 5

pubticarim date as r",I# ?lli i1*., . *olicatim #1 102

Copyright @ Nationai Society of Professional Engineers. Att rights reserved.

9. Engineem sha11 give credit for engineering work to those to whomcredit is due, and will recognize the proprietary intaests of othas.a. Enginem shall, whm*a possible, narne the pflson or persons

who may be individually responsible for designs, inventions,writings, or other accomplishments.

b. Enginems using designs supplied by a climt recognizs that thedesigns remain the property of the client and mav not be duplicatedby the engineer for oflrers without express pemission.

c. Enginea's, before undertaking wolk for others in comection wi'rhwhich the engineer may make improvenents, plans, designs,invations, or other records that may justify copyrights or patents,should enter into a positive agreement regarding ownership.

d. Enginem' designs, data, records, and notes refming exclusively toan enployer's uork arE tlre mploya's property. The omployershould indemnif, the agineer for use of the fufomation for anypurpose other than the orighal pupose.

e. Engineers shall continue their professional developmmt tlroughouttheir careers and should keep current in their specialty fields byengaging in professional practice, participating ia continuingeducation courses, reading in the techaical literature, and afiendingprofessimal meetings and seminars.

Footnote 1 "Susta;nable dweloprnenf is the challenge of mreting humanneeds for natural resources, industrial products, mergy, food,transporLation, shelter, and effeetive waste management whileconswiag and protectmg environmental qualiQ atd the naturalrgsource base essential for future development.

As Revised Jtoly 2001

'By order of the United States District Court for the District of Cclumbia,fomer Setion 1i(c) of the NSPE Crde of Ethics prohibiting competitivebidding, and all policy statements, opinions, rulings or other guidelinesirf.erprdttng its scope, have been rescinded as unlawfully interfering with thelega1 right of engineers, protected under the antitrust laws. to provide priceilf,crrnztion ta prclpeclive cierrts; accrxdi*91.1- r,othing cor;tilaed il the NSPECode of Ethics, poiicy statements, opinions, rulings or other guideiines prohibitsthe submission of price quotatiom or competitive bids for engineering sewicesat any time or in any amount."

St*sement by NSPE Execwtilry CommitteeLr orrler lo correct misunderstandings which have been indicated in someirotances since the issuance of the Suprome Court decision and the entry of theFhal Judgmm! it is noted that in its decision of Aprll 25, 1978, the SupremeCoud of ths United States declarEd: '?he Shaman Act does not requilecompetitive bidding."

It is firther noted that as made clear in the Supreme Court decision:1. Engineen and fims may individually refme to bid for mgieeaing swices.2. Clients are not required to seek bids for engineering seruices.3. Federal, state, and local laws governing procedures to procure mgineuing

senrices are not affected, and remain in full force and effect.4- State societies and local chaptem are free to actively and aggressively seek

legislation for professicaal selection and negotiation procedures by publicagmcies.

5. State registration board rules of professional mnducl including rulesprohibiting competitive biddiag for mgiaeering swice, re not affected andremaia in fui1 force and effect. State registraticn boards with authori{ toadopt rules of professional conduct may adopt ru1es goveming gceedures toobtain engineering seruices.

6. A,s noted by the Supreme Court, 'hothing in the judgment prevents NSPE andits rnmbers ftom attempting to influence govermental action. . ."

Note: In regard to the question of application of the Code to corporations iris-a-vis real perrcns, buiness fom or 4?e should not negate norinlluence confomance of hdividuals to the Code. The Code deals with professional senices, which seroices m*st be perfomed by realpersom. Real persoro in tum establigh and implement policies within business structues. The Ccde is clearly witten to apply to the Engneer,cd it is incmbent m members of NSIE to endeavor io live up to its provisions. This applies to all pertinent sections of the Code.

National Soeiety ofP rol essi o n al E n g i n eers @