Guideline: It is improper for public officials to influence the award of contracts or to perform other acts related to their office in a way that benefits themselves  Even the appearance of such impropriety should be avoided
Application: Greenville' s mayor acted improperly in urging the award of the city' s street maintenance contract to a company owned and operated by one of the mayor' s relatives, whose business would have been in serious financial trouble had it not been awarded the contract
Awarding a contract to a financially troubled business should be regarded as taking excessive risk.