HQ_C-2-0037_OCI_Clause.pdf

HQ C-2-0037 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST (NAVSEA) (JUL 2000)

(a) "Organizational Conflict of Interest" means that because of other activities or relationships with other persons, a person is unable or potentially unable to render impartial assistance or advice to the Government, or the person's objectivity in performing the contract work is or might be otherwise impaired, or a person has an unfair competitive advantage. "Person" as used herein includes Corporations, Partnerships, Joint Ventures, and other business enterprises.

(b) The Contractor warrants that to the best of its knowledge and belief, and except as otherwise set forth in the contract, the Contractor does not have any organizational conflict of interest(s) as defined in paragraph (a).

(c) It is recognized that the effort to be performed by the Contractor under this contract may create a potential organizational conflict of interest on the instant contract or on a future acquisition. In order to avoid this potential conflict of interest, and at the same time to avoid prejudicing the best interest of the Government, the right of the Contractor to participate in future procurement of equipment and/or services that are the subject of any work under this contract shall be limited as described below in accordance with the requirements of FAR 9.5.

(d) (1) The Contractor agrees that it shall not release, disclose, or use in any way that would permit or result in disclosure to any party outside the Government any information provided to the Contractor by the Government during or as a result of performance of this contract. Such information includes, but is not limited to, information submitted to the Government on a confidential basis by other persons. Further, the prohibition against release of Government provided information extends to cover such information whether or not in its original form, e.g., where the information has been included in Contractor generated work or where it is discernible from materials incorporating or based upon such information. This prohibition shall not expire after a given period of time.

(2) The Contractor agrees that it shall not release, disclose, or use in any way that would permit or result in disclosure to any party outside the Government any information generated or derived during or as a result of performance of this contract. This prohibition shall expire after a period of three years after completion of performance of this contract.

(3) The prohibitions contained in subparagraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) shall apply with equal force to any affiliate of the Contractor, any subcontractor, consultant, or employee of the Contractor, any joint venture involving the Contractor, any entity into or with which it may merge or affiliate, or any successor or assign of the Contractor.

The terms of paragraph (f) of this Special Contract Requirement relating to notification shall apply to any release of information in contravention of this paragraph (d).

(e) The Contractor further agrees that, during the performance of this contract and for a period of three years after completion of performance of this contract, the Contractor, any affiliate of the Contractor, any subcontractor, consultant, or employee of the Contractor, any joint venture involving the Contractor, any entity into or with which it may subsequently merge or affiliate, or any other successor or assign of the Contractor, shall not furnish to the United States Government, either as a prime contractor or as a subcontractor, or as a consultant to a prime contractor or subcontractor, any system, component or services which is the subject of the work to be performed under this contract. This exclusion does not apply to any recompetition for those systems, components or services furnished pursuant to this contract. As provided in FAR 9.505-2, if the Government procures the system, component, or services on the basis of work statements growing out of the effort performed under this contract, from a source other than the contractor, subcontractor, affiliate, or assign of either, during the course of performance of this contract or before the three year period following completion of this contract has lapsed, the Contractor may, with the authorization of the cognizant Contracting Officer, participate in a subsequent procurement for the same system, component, or service. In other words, the Contractor may be authorized to compete for procurement(s) for systems, components or services subsequent to an intervening procurement.

(f) The Contractor agrees that, if after award, it discovers an actual or potential organizational conflict of interest, it shall make immediate and full disclosure in writing to the Contracting Officer. The notification shall include a description of the actual or potential organizational conflict of interest, a description of the action which the Contractor has taken or proposes to take to avoid, mitigate, or neutralize the conflict, and any other relevant information that would assist the Contracting Officer in making a determination on this matter. Notwithstanding this notification, the Government may terminate the contract for the convenience of the Government if determined to be in the best interest of the Government.

(g) Notwithstanding paragraph (f) above, if the Contractor was aware, or should have been aware, of an organizational conflict of interest prior to the award of this contract or becomes, or should become, aware of an organizational conflict of interest after award of this contract and does not make an immediate and full disclosure in writing to the Contracting Officer, the Government may terminate this contract for default.

(h) If the Contractor takes any action prohibited by this requirement or fails to take action required by this requirement, the Government may terminate this contract for default.

(i) The Contracting Officer's decision as to the existence or nonexistence of an actual or potential organizational conflict of interest shall be final.

(j) Nothing in this requirement is intended to prohibit or preclude the Contractor from marketing or selling to the United States Government its product lines in existence on the effective date of this contract; nor, shall this requirement preclude the Contractor from participating in any research and development or delivering any design development model or prototype of any such equipment. Additionally, sale of catalog or standard commercial items are exempt from this requirement.

(k) The Contractor shall promptly notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, if it has been tasked to evaluate or advise the Government concerning its own products or activities or those of a competitor in order to ensure proper safeguards exist to guarantee objectivity and to protect the Government's interest.

(l) The Contractor shall include this requirement in subcontracts of any tier which involve access to information or situations/conditions covered by the preceding paragraphs, substituting "subcontractor" for "contractor" where appropriate.

(m) The rights and remedies described herein shall not be exclusive and are in addition to other rights and remedies provided by law or elsewhere included in this contract.

(n) Compliance with this requirement is a material requirement of this contract.