Sector / Industry
Construction
Contract letting
Examples:
- Compromised staff accept advantages from colluded contractors/ sub-contractors in the course of awarding contracts or works orders.
- Compromised staff accept advantages from colluded suppliers in the course of procuring construction materials.
- Compromised staff leak confidential information (such as tender price information) to competitors for personal gain.
Site and works supervision
Examples:
- Compromised staff accept advantages for turning a blind eye to sub-standard works of contractors.
- Unscrupulous contractors provide contract cars for private use by site supervisory staff in return for favourable treatment in site supervision.
- Inspecting staff engage in improper conduct and practices (e.g. acceptance of frequent / lavish entertainment provided by the contractor) while carrying out inspections outside Hong Kong.
- Site supervisory staff accept advantages for allowing contractors to use building materials not specified in contracts or to tamper with test samples.
Project payment
Examples:
- Compromised staff accept advantages from contractors in return for early processing and release of payments for incomplete works.
- Compromised staff accept rebates from favoured contractors for issuing unnecessary variation orders or over-valued work orders.
Employment or job referrals
Examples:
- Unscrupulous site staff solicit advantages (e.g. ‘introduction fees’) from construction workers who seek appointment or continuous employment.
- Compromised staff solicit rebates for allocating jobs to contractors/sub-contractors.
Conflict of interest
Examples:
- Chairman of the tender assessment panel has financial interest in a particular tenderer.
- Staff responsible for drawing up the specifications of a construction material tender document is a relative of the sole supplier of the material.
- Project clerk of works has financial interest in a sub-contractor employed by the main contractor under his supervision.
- Project architect and site agent of the contractor are close personal friends.
- Supervisory staff over-socialise with contractors e.g. accept frequent / lavish entertainment or engage in high stake gambling.