Conflicts Of Interest Policy & Manual 15

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST POLICY
All members of the NSF staff are expected to adhere to high standards of ethical conduct. This includes civil service employees; visiting scientists, engineers, and educators; and those working at NSF under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA). The success of the NSF in performing its mission depends on the effectiveness and evenhandedness of its decision making processes. If judgments are biased because of conflicting outside interests, the decision making process is compromised. NSF must continually earn the public's confidence in its integrity. To do so, each NSF staff member must endeavor to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Additional information is provided below to guide NSF employees and IPAs and to inform the public concerning potential conflicts of interest.

Conflicts of Interest and Standards of Ethical Conduct - NSF Manual 15

NSF MANUAL 15 summarizes the relevant conflicts statutes and regulations. An NSF staff member who conscientiously follows MANUAL 15 should have no difficulty complying with the various Government conflicts rules. Manual 15 was last revised in October 1997. Since then, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics has issued new regulations affecting advice in the manual regarding acts affecting an employee's financial interest. Manual 15, Part I paragraph 1(a) and Part II §20 (a) and §20 (g).

In addition to Manual 15, three sets of conflicts regulations are especially important in guiding NSF staff:

• Rules of Practice for the National Science Foundation (45 CFR 680)

• Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 CFR 2635)

• Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the National Science Foundation (5 CFR 5301)

If you have any questions about conflicts of interests and NSF, please contact the NSF Office of the General Counsel.

COI Training Information and Schedule

Find out information about COI training, including the dates, times and locations of this year's COI classes.

The materials on this web site do not constitute legal advice. You should consult with an OGC attorney before acting on or convey to someone outside NSF any interpretation of these materials. For details, see our disclaimer.