WAC 196-09-130   Board member limitations -- Contract selection.  (1) When a member of the board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors (Board) is beneficially interested, directly or indirectly, in a contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant that may be made by, through, or is under the supervision of the board in whole or in part, or when the member accepts, directly or indirectly, any compensation, gratuity, or reward from any other person beneficially interested in such contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant, the member must:

     (a) Exclude him or herself from the board discussion regarding the specific contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant;

     (b) Exclude him or herself from the board vote on the specific contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant; and

     (c) Refrain from attempting to influence the remaining board members in their discussion and vote regarding the specific contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant.

     (2) The prohibition against discussion set forth in sections (a) and (c) may not prohibit the member of the board from using his or her general expertise to educate and provide general information on the subject area to the other members.

     (3) Under subsection (1), "any other person" has a beneficial interest in a contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant when the other person bids or otherwise seeks to be awarded the contract, sale, lease, purchase or grant.


EXAMPLE:

     The board is composed of licensed professional engineers (PE) and professional land surveyors (PLS). A licensed PE member of the board is employed by a company, which conducts forensic evaluations for the purpose of determining whether an engineering design was properly performed. The board is in the process of selecting a contractor to conduct an evaluation of said engineering design for the board's use during disciplinary activities. The company that employs the PE member of the board has responded to the board's RFP.

     The PE member of the board may use his general expertise regarding the performance of forensic evaluations to educate the board as to the general elements of such review. The member is prohibited from participating in the board's discussion, decision and vote for selecting a contractor.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.43.035. 06-22-032, § 196-09-130, filed 10/25/06, effective 11/25/06.]