Conflict of Interest Declaration

A "Supplier" is a service provider, contractor, vendor, or other entity entering into a Purchase Contract for providing goods and/or services under a Purchase Order with UC. It is the policy of the University to keep an employee’s private interests separate from University interests and to safeguard the University and its employees from charges of favoritism.  An employee is prohibited from participating in a decision-making process to award a Supplier offering goods and services to the university if there is a financial conflict of interest.

Important Things to Know Before Getting Started

A Supplier offering to provide or sell  goods or services to the University must complete a Conflict of Interest Declaration Form if that Supplier meets any of the criteria below:

  1. is a current UC employee
  2. is a former UC employee, who has been separated for less than two (2) years (retired, dismissed, separated, or formerly employed) 
  3. is a current UC employee, who owns or controls ten percent (10%) or greater interest in a business that will provide goods or services to the University
  4. is a near relative of a current UC employee (spouse, child, parent, brother, sister, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and step-relatives in the same relationship)
  5. is a near relative of a current UC employee, when that near relative owns or controls ten percent (10%) or greater interest in a business that will provide goods or services to the University.
  6. Any UC employee will be paid by the proposed Supplier/company for the proposed transaction

If you or your firm do not meet the definition of  "Supplier," are not offering to provide or sell  goods or services to the University, and/or do not have any affiliations to the university as described in the A-F list above, STOP!, you do not need to complete a Conflict of Interest Declaration Form. 

Conflict of Interest Declaration Form

ATTENTION: If you are being vendored solely for a travel reimbursement OR if this involves a stipend/honoraria payment, STOP! DO NOT FILL OUT THIS FORM.

Please visit the following Controller's Office websites for more information on:

NOTE: Declared conflicts can take approximately 2 weeks to review once signed by the UC employee, former UC employee, or relative of a UC employee, AND the requesting department's head manager if hiring a current UC Employee. 

Conflict of Interest Policies

Additionally, Suppliers that work with the university must affirm that, to the best of the Supplier’s knowledge, no UC employee who has participated in UC’s decision-making concerning the award of a UC Purchase Order or Agreement has an “economic interest” in the Agreement or Supplier.

Disqualification Rule under the California Political Reform Act
Under the California Political Reform Act, ALL employees (staff and faculty) must disqualify themselves from any University decision involving entities that may affect their personal financial interests. The following are deemed to be economic interests from which conflicts of interest can arise:

  1. Any business in which the employee or immediate family member is a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or holds any position of management;
  2. Any business in which an employee or immediate family member has an investment worth $2,000 or more;
  3. Any real property in which an employee or immediate family member has an interest worth $2,000 or more;
  4. Any source of income worth $500 or more, received or promised 12 months or less before the decision;
  5. Personal finances of the employee or immediate family member if these personal expenses, income, assets or liabilities are likely to go up or down by $500 or more in a 12-month period as a result of the University decision; or,
  6. The employee or immediate family member received or has been promised $590 or more in gifts 12 months or less before the decision is made from any person or organization that may benefit from the University decision. Immediate family members include spouses, registered domestic partners, and dependent children.

Employees whose financial interests require them to disqualify themselves may not participate in any way in the decision, and may not influence any other person with respect to the decision. In the event of a change in these economic interests, Suppliers must provide written notice to UC within thirty (30) days after such change, noting such changes.

Resources:

BFB-BUS-43 Purchases of Goods and Services; Supply Chain Management

UC Compendium Of Conflict Of Interest And Integrity Policies – Guidance

Introduction to the Disqualification Rule