(a) Gratuities. It is a breach of ethical standards for a person to offer, give, or agree to give an employee or former employee, or for an employee or former employee to solicit, demand, accept, or agree to accept from another person, a gratuity or an offer of employment in connection with a decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, preparation of any part of a purchase request, influencing the content of a specification or procurement standard, rendering of advice, investigation, auditing, or in any other advisory capacity in a proceeding or application, request for ruling, determination, claim, or controversy, or other particular matter, pertaining to a contract or subcontract and any solicitation or proposal therefor.
(b) Kickbacks. It is a breach of ethical standards for a payment, gratuity, or offer of employment to be made by or on behalf of a subcontractor under a contract to the prime contractor or higher tier subcontractor, or a person associated therewith, as an inducement for the award of a subcontract or order.