Dear Abi, Help! I am a professional service provider. I suspect team members in the HR Directorate in a client firm are sharing my proposal ideas and getting kickbacks from “friendly” firms. What should I do?

Dear Abi,

Help! I am a professional service provider. I suspect team members in the HR Directorate in a client firm are sharing my proposal ideas and getting kickbacks from “friendly” firms. What should I do?

I am self-employed and run a management consultancy practice. I have worked hard to build my reputation and have a number of clients with whom I have long relationships and repeat business, some quite long term.

In one such client firm, a locally listed multinational, I was recently invited to propose my services by a manager in the HR directorate. Although I have worked for this directorate before and know the Director quite well, there had been a recent series of proposals I had developed which I lost; I was told I was too expensive. I was reluctant to propose as my workload was heavy. The manager implored me to propose, that my fee would not be an issue as this work was important, urgent and serious, and that they were really stuck and the proposal would be uncompetitive. I was even encouraged to change my other client commitments to free up a time window they needed for the work.

I submitted a comprehensive proposal with quite a bit of detail about how to address the issues at hand. I got no reply, and after chasing for a couple of weeks, I finally got an offhand email telling me they were not going ahead with the work; I was too expensive.

I suspect the manager has either used my ideas herself or has given my proposal to another friendly firm who will use my ideas, and possibly provide kickback to the manager. I feel like I was duped and am very annoyed at having my time wasted.

As I know the Director quite well and I know she respects my work, I feel I should let her know the games I suspect her manager is up to. I have written an email describing the background and circumstances and my suspicions and have asked to meet her.  But I have not yet pressed send. What would you advise me to do?

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Ijeoma K.

Dear Ijeoma K,

Thank you for sending your dilemma for advice.

It does seem like an unfortunate incident even though not the first time that you have lost a bid on the basis that your bid was high. 

You have no proof, but suspect that there is foul play.  However, you know the Director well. 

Since you are dealing with a multinational, I will assume that it has a whistle blowing policy/ procedure for anyone to report suspected or actual wrong doing.   If this is the case, it is worth following the procedure and blowing the whistle with as much information as possible to enable the responsible officer investigate the matter.   Note that depending on the process you may be required to provide any evidence you may have to substantiate the complaint.  As you have no real evidence, this may not lead anywhere.

If you are certain that the Director is not part of the ‘clique’, it is worthwhile making a complaint to her directly by email (for the record), explaining your suspicions.  The downside is that if she is part of the clique you will no longer be invited to bid.  This may also be an upside since you do not wish for your ideas facts and figures to be “stolen” .  While this process may not yield much, it should put the director “on enquiry” if not within the clique, and perhaps he/she will be more vigilant going forward.

For what it is worth, you would have done the right thing by reporting your suspicions.  In the meantime, I suggest that you do not  make  any further proposals…..

I hope this helps you!

Best regards,

Abi

What would you tell Ijeoma K. to do? Have you had similar experiences?

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