What is an unethical practice associated with government procurement?

Using unnecessarily restrictive specifications is considered an unethical practice in government procurement because it can limit competition and unfairly favor certain suppliers or vendors. This practice hinders the ability of a wider range of bidders to participate, which can result in higher costs and less innovation. Such restrictive specifications may be created to suit the needs of a specific vendor rather than to meet the legitimate requirements of the procurement or project. This undermines the integrity of the procurement process, which should aim for transparency, fairness, and equal opportunity for all potential vendors.

In contrast, allowing a diverse range of bidders, promoting fairness in vendor selection, and ensuring open communication with all vendors are key principles of ethical procurement practices. These concepts encourage competition and transparency, enabling the government to achieve the best value while fostering an environment of trust and integrity in the procurement process.