As part of the OMB’s Uniform Guidance, there are new requirements for conflicts of interest within a procurement action and how the University must handle these conflicts. The regulation states: “No employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract.”
UMBC faculty and staff are also subject to the Maryland Public Ethics Law, which includes similar requirements for conflicts of interest. As a result, there will be an increased disclosure of documentation for potential committee members on solicitations. Sole source justifications may require further evidence or statements assuring no financial relationship exists with potential vendors.