A supplier offers a gift, or a colleague asks you to skip the quotations

Integrity questions come in two shapes. The direct one: “A supplier offers you a gift; what do you do?” The harder one: a senior colleague, a real deadline, and a request to skip the three quotations “just this once”. The panel scores the same three things in both: do you refuse clearly, do you report it in writing, and do you keep treating everyone equally afterwards. In Somali life a gift feels normal and refusing feels rude; the panel knows that, and wants to hear that you know the policy is stronger than the custom.

1. 1Refuse politely and name the policy: “Thank you, but our policy does not allow staff to accept anything from suppliers.” No debate, no “maybe later”.
2. 2Report it in writing the same day to your manager or the ethics channel, and keep a copy. Reporting protects you: if the supplier later claims you took something, your email is your proof.
3. 3For a colleague's request, say no to the shortcut and yes to the problem: “I cannot skip the quotations, but I can send the RFQ today with a three-day closing date, or draft an emergency waiver for the country director.”
4. 4Keep evaluating that supplier's bids exactly like the others afterwards. Do not punish and do not favour; both are unfair and both show in the file.
5. 5Declare your own conflicts before they are found. If a relative's company bids, say so, step out of the evaluation, and have it written in the minutes.