You might think that the United States Office of Government Ethics would be overly serious and lack a sense of humor. You would be wrong. Check out the poem at the end of their Reminder about Holiday Gifts & Fundraising (.pdf) The holiday season – a time for good cheer! For egg nog, for parties, … Read more »
Category: Government Contracting
New Mexico Regulates the Use of Placement Agents
New Mexico, like New York and California is regulating the use of placement agents. The state has adopted the New York Model and banned any future investments with money managers who employ third-party placement agents. They have also instituted enhanced disclosure requirements. The New Mexico State Investment Council policy will preclude any investments being made … Read more »
California Regulates Use of Placement Agents
California has followed the lead of New York and started regulating the use of placement agents. California’s law requires placement agents to disclose contributions and gifts made to state and local pension and retirement board members, as well as information about the placement agent’s compensation, the services provided, and any lobbying or regulatory registrations. The … Read more »
Opportunities Exist to Improve DOD’s Oversight of Contractor Ethics Programs
The Government Accounting Office released a report on the compliance and ethics programs of 57 government contractors each with yearly contracts over $500 million: Defense Contracting Integrity: Opportunities Exist to Improve DOD’s Oversight of Contractor Ethics Programs The report’s survey was conducted in September 2008, before the new Federal Acquisition Regulations were put in place … Read more »
SIGTARP Quarterly Report
Congress was smart enough to not let loose the billions of TARP funds without some oversight. The Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) was established by Section 121 of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act as amended by the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program Act … Read more »
California’s Pay-to-Play Laws
California requires disclosure of gifts to officials at public agencies. The disclosure is made using Form 801 (.pdf). This form is for use by all state and local government agencies to disclose payments made to the agency when the payments provide a personal benefit to an official of the agency. Examples may include travel, meals … Read more »
Colorado’s Pay-to-Play Law
The Colorado voters passed Amendment 54 in the November, 2008 elections, which amends the Colorado Consitution to limit campaign contributions: Text of the Proposed Initiative (.pdf) and Text of the Constitutional Amendment (.pdf). The consitutional amendment carries a presumption of impropriety between contributions to political campaigns and the award of sole source government contracts. Read more »
West Virginia’s Pay-to-Play Law
West Virgina addresses pay-to-play abuse by limiting campaign contributions during the negotiation and performance of the contract. West Viginia Code §3-8-12(d) provides: (d) Except as provided in section eight of this article, no person entering into any contract with the State or its subdivisions, or any department or agency of the State, either for rendition … Read more »
Kentucky’s Pay-to-Play Law
Kentucky places limitation on campaign contributors who get no-bid contracts from the state. K.R.S. §121.056(2) provides: No person who has contributed more than the maximum legal contribution established by KRS 121.150 in any one (1) election to a slate of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor that is elected to office or any entity in … Read more »
Chart of Pay to Play Restrictions
Public Citizen has published a chart of the restrictions on campaign contributions from government contractors (.pdf) Read more »