Question

Sally works as a junior analyst for a medium-sized IT consulting firm. Her manager, Bob, has asked her to draft a response to an RFP from a large company that is seeking IT consulting services in connection with a new accounting system.

As Sally worked on the RFP, she noticed a specific question about her firm’s recent experience on this type of system. To the best of her knowledge, the firm has only worked on one other accounting project in the last three years. When Bob saw Sally’s draft response, he was upset about the way she answered the question. “You don’t have to be quite that candid,” he said. “Even though we only had one formal project, we do have several people who worked on accounting systems before they came here.”

“Yes,” Sally replied, “But that isn’t what the question is asking.” As he left her office, Bob’s final comment was, “If we want that job, we’ll have to come up with a better answer.” Thinking about it, Sally isn’t comfortable with anything but a straight answer. Is this an ethical question? What are Sally’s options?

Answer 1

As per the situation, Sally is an employee and works as a junior analyst for a medium-sized IT consulting firm. RFP is a large company that is seeking IT consulting services in connection with a new accounting system. Now, Bob, Sally's manager has asked her to draft a response to RFP about a possible project opportunity. There is a specific question in the response which Sally has doubts about which asks to mention her firm’s recent experience on the type of system RFP works on. Sally's form has only one such other accounting project in the last three years, which is nothing recent and thus is a problem in the response. Even as Bob tells here to respond positively, as they have several people who worked on accounting systems before they came here. But the question asks about the firm's experience and not the employee's experience. The manager has thus warned Sally to come up with a better answer and response to the RFP if she needs the job.
Yes, this is an ethical question and an ethical situation. Sally was correct to ethically reply the right answer on the right question without any manipulation to the RFP. Manipulating results would not be a good idea and it may tarnish the company's image and the relationships it holds with other companies. Thus, it is better to be true and honest and come up with a straight answer rather than hiding things and falsifying the response. Thus, what Sally can do is:
a) Give the correct response ignoring her manager's advice and sending it to RFP
b) Discuss with the manager to come up with some other methods to make RFP understand the capability of the firm rather than falsifying response
c) Go to the higher management within the firm and ask them to make the decision
d) Never perform anything that hurts ethics.
Sally's response should be clear and straight and true and honest. She can add more about the past experiences of the company in a true and honest response to RFP. She has to prove the capability of the firm not by falsifying response but by coming up with a correct and efficient response, having confidence on the firm's workforce and needs to make RFP understand that they can trust them with their work.