Web extra: Panel readies its ethics Rx

The Acquisition Advisory Panel met twice this summer and issued recommendations on the appropriate role of contractors working at federal agencies. The panel recommended:

• Allowing government employees to direct a contractor's employees on the substance of the work but maintaining rules that forbid the government from taking part in contractor supervisory activities such as hiring, leave approval and performance ratings.


• Developing standard clauses on organizational conflicts of interest for inclusion in solicitations and contracts.


• Giving contractors the same annual ethics training that federal workers receive so contractors can better understand why the rules about paying for meals or accepting gifts are different for government employees than for contractors.


• Having the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council work with the Defense Acquisition University and the Federal Acquisition Institute to provide training to help procurement employees identify conflicts of interest, including organizational and personal conflicts.


• Asking the FAR Council to develop additional guidance on contractors' use of other contractors' proprietary.