§2103 Actions Required of Procurement Officers When Contacted Regarding Non-federal Employment

Summary

If a government worker who is directly involved in a contract worth more than the simplified acquisition threshold talks with or is contacted by a bidder about a possible non‑Federal job, the worker must quickly write a report about the contact to their supervisor and to the agency ethics official. The worker must then either refuse the job talk or step away from working on that contract until the agency says it is OK to return. The agency can allow return only if the bidder is no longer trying to win the contract or the job talks ended with no job arranged. The agency must keep each report for at least 2 years and must make the reports public on request, except for parts that are exempt under section 552(b)(1) of title 5. A worker who knowingly fails to follow these rules, and a bidder who talks with a worker knowing the worker did not follow these rules, can face penalties and administrative action.