AIC Construction Ethics & Professional Practice 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the AIC Code of Ethics, what is a constructor's primary professional obligation when a conflict arises between client interests and public safety?
- Prioritize the client's financial interests
- Prioritize public safety above client interests (Correct answer)
- Defer to the project engineer's judgment
- Follow whichever course minimizes project delays
Correct answer: Prioritize public safety above client interests
The AIC Code of Ethics mandates that constructors place public safety, health, and welfare above all other considerations, including client interests.
Question 2: Which of the following best defines 'conflict of interest' in construction professional practice?
- A dispute between two subcontractors on a project
- A situation where a constructor's personal interests could improperly influence professional judgment (Correct answer)
- Disagreement between the owner and the design team
- A scheduling conflict between two concurrent projects
Correct answer: A situation where a constructor's personal interests could improperly influence professional judgment
A conflict of interest occurs when a constructor has personal, financial, or other interests that could compromise or appear to compromise their professional judgment.
Question 3: A subcontractor offers a project manager tickets to a major sporting event during contract negotiations. Under ethical guidelines, the project manager should:
- Accept the tickets if their value is below $100
- Accept the tickets as a routine business courtesy
- Decline the gift to avoid any appearance of impropriety (Correct answer)
- Accept but disclose the gift to senior management only after award
Correct answer: Decline the gift to avoid any appearance of impropriety
Ethical guidelines require constructors to avoid gifts or gratuities that could influence, or appear to influence, procurement decisions.
Question 4: What is the ethical obligation of a constructor who discovers that a competitor obtained a contract through bribery of a public official?
- Ignore it to avoid involvement in a competitor's affairs
- Report the misconduct to the appropriate authorities (Correct answer)
- Use the information to renegotiate their own contract terms
- Inform only the project owner and take no further action
Correct answer: Report the misconduct to the appropriate authorities
Ethical professional practice requires constructors to report known illegal conduct, including bribery, to the appropriate authorities.
Question 5: Which principle underlies the concept of 'responsible bidding' in construction ethics?
- Always submitting the lowest possible bid to win work
- Bidding only on projects for which the constructor is qualified and can perform competently (Correct answer)
- Partnering with other firms to coordinate bid prices
- Submitting multiple bids under different company names
Correct answer: Bidding only on projects for which the constructor is qualified and can perform competently
Responsible bidding requires that constructors only compete for work they have the qualifications, capacity, and resources to perform successfully.
Question 6: The AIC defines 'professional competence' in construction as requiring:
- Holding a bachelor's degree in construction management
- Maintaining the skills and knowledge necessary to perform contracted services at an acceptable standard (Correct answer)
- Passing the AIC certification exam once and maintaining membership
- Completing at least 500 hours of field work annually
Correct answer: Maintaining the skills and knowledge necessary to perform contracted services at an acceptable standard
Professional competence requires ongoing maintenance of the skills, knowledge, and judgment necessary to deliver construction services to an acceptable standard.
Question 7: When a constructor becomes aware that a project's structural design may be deficient, the most ethically appropriate first step is to:
- Proceed with construction and document the concern in a daily log
- Immediately notify the engineer of record and the owner in writing (Correct answer)
- Stop all work and contact the local building department directly
- Consult legal counsel before taking any action
Correct answer: Immediately notify the engineer of record and the owner in writing
Promptly notifying the engineer of record and owner in writing ensures the design professional can evaluate and resolve the concern before it becomes a safety hazard.
AIC Construction Ethics & Professional Practice 1
According to the AIC Code of Ethics, what is a constructor's primary professional obligation when a conflict arises between client interests and public safety?