Policies and Governance : Conflicts of Interest Policy
POLICY ON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
It is the policy of the NEHRP Consultants Joint Venture to hire the most qualified individuals and organizations to conduct and advise on the technical work that is performed under each task order project administered by the Joint Venture. Participation in one or more roles related to the management and operation of the Joint Venture is not intended to preclude involvement in task order projects, subject to approval by NIST. To avoid real and apparent conflicts of interest, the NEHRP Consultants Joint Venture has adopted the following policy regarding the selection of key participants on task order projects:
NEHRP Consultants Joint Venture Program Committee members, their firms, or the organizations they represent may serve as Technical Consultants or Subcontractors on projects undertaken by the Joint Venture. Joint Venture Program Committee members, their firms, or the organizations they represent shall be chosen by normal selection procedures without prejudice due to their position within the Joint Venture organization. It should be understood that such engagement could create conflicts of interest.
Joint Venture Program Committee members must disclose potential conflicts of interest in advance. Following disclosure, a member of the Program Committee who is being considered as a potential technical consultant, or whose firm or organization they represent is being considered as a potential subcontractor, may participate in the Program Committee meeting until the commencement of final discussion and selection activities. At such time, members shall withdraw from the meeting, and avoid participation in final discussion and selection of participants on projects for which they, their firms, or organizations they represent are being considered or so engaged.
This policy shall extend to cases in which members of the Program Committee are recommending colleagues who are employed by the same for-profit firm, or who represent the same non-profit institution or organization.
