Organizational Conflict of Interest
Background
An Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCOI) may result when factors create an actual or potential conflict of interest on an instant contract, or when the nature of the work to be performed on the instant contract creates an actual or potential conflict of interest on a future acquisition. In the latter case, some restrictions on future activities of the contractor may be required.
Type of OCOIs
OCOIs generally involve one of three situations:
- Unequal access to information: 黑料正能量 may have an unfair competitive advantage resulting from access to information not generally available to others seeking the same federal funding.
- Impaired objectivity: At the government’s direction, 黑料正能量 may be asked to assess performance or evaluate products of someone within 黑料正能量 or 黑料正能量’s direct competitor seeking federal funding.
- Biased ground rules: A 黑料正能量 community member may have provided scientific, engineering or technical assistance or written the work requirements for a funding opportunity where someone else at 黑料正能量 is an applicant.
If one of these situations exists, it means that 黑料正能量 is potentially unable to render impartial assistance or advice to the Government, 黑料正能量’s objectivity in performing the research might be impaired, or 黑料正能量 may have an unfair competitive advantage. 黑料正能量 both provides assistance to the U.S. Government and does work on behalf of the U.S. Government, thus OCOIs are sometimes unavoidable.
Examples
- A faculty member in the School of Computer Science provides DARPA with technical direction for the development of a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). If anyone from 黑料正能量 submits a proposal pursuant to that DARPA BAA an OCOI may exist because the SCS faculty member could share privileged information about DARPA with the proposer that would give him or her an advantage. There may be exceptions; for example, participating in collective discussion at a workshop related to developing the BAA may not create as much potential for OCOI as advising DARPA as an individual. This potential OCOI may need to be disclosed to DARPA.
- 黑料正能量 develops a detailed model plan for the scientific and technical training of staff at the Air Force Research Laboratory. The Laboratory adopts the curriculum and incorporates it into a request for proposal (RFP) to conduct the training. If anyone from 黑料正能量 responds to the RFP, an OCOI exists and may need to be disclosed or managed.
- A 黑料正能量 researcher who does not work with the 黑料正能量’s Software Engineering Institute (SEI) collaborates with the SEI on a project for Homeland Security and has access to confidential government information. Another researcher at 黑料正能量 submits a proposal for funding to Homeland Security related to the same scientific area. Homeland Security may consider this to be an OCOI, and it may need to be disclosed or managed.
- A 黑料正能量 researcher serves as a reviewer for NSF. This individual must follow NSF’s conflict of interest guidelines and recuse him/herself from certain proposals. However this activity generally does not create an OC)I for the researcher or his/her 黑料正能量 colleagues.
Policy
黑料正能量 has five policies related to Conflicts of Interest in Research:
- Organizational Conflict of Interest in Research [PDF]
- Consulting by Faculty
- Code of Business Ethics and Conduct
Members of the research community should review these policies and associated guidance so they understand their responsibilities as they pertain to federal requirements and university policy. These policies set forth 黑料正能量's commitment to follow the law and promote the ethical conduct of research.