This clause has not been authorized for official release. We recommend deferring to the text of the clause in your RFP or contract.
(a) Purpose. This clause seeks to ensure that the contractor (1) does not obtain an unfair competitive advantage over other parties by virtue of its performance of this contract, and (2) is not biased because of its current or planned interests (financial, contractual, organizational or otherwise) that relate to the work under this contract.
(b) Scope. The restrictions described herein shall apply to performance or participation by the contractor (as defined in paragraph (d)(7)) in the activities covered by this clause.
(1) The restrictions set forth in paragraph (e) apply to supplies, services, and other performance rendered with respect to the suppliers and/or equipment listed in Attachment 9. The contract will specify to which suppliers and/or equipment subparagraph (f) restrictions apply.
(2) The financial, contractual, organizational and other interests of contractor personnel performing work under this contract shall be deemed to be the interests of the contractor for the purposes of determining the existence of an Organizational Conflict of Interest. Any subcontractor that performs any work relative to this contract shall be subject to this clause. The contractor agrees to place in each subcontract affected by these provisions the necessary language contained in this clause.
(c) Waiver. Any request for waiver of the provisions of this clause shall be submitted in writing to the Procuring Contracting Officer. The request for waiver shall set forth all relevant factors including proposed contractual safeguards or job procedures to mitigate conflicting roles that might produce an Organizational Conflict of Interest. No waiver shall be granted by the Government with respect to prohibitions pursuant to access to proprietary data.
(d) Definitions. For purposes of application of this clause only, the following definitions are applicable:
(1) "System" includes system, major component, subassembly or subsystem, project, or item.
(2) "Nondevelopmental items" as defined in FAR 2.101.
(3) "Systems Engineering" (SE) includes, but is not limited to, the activities in FAR 9.505-1(b).
(4) "Technical direction" (TD) includes, but is not limited to, the activities in FAR 9.505-1(b).
(5) "Advisory and Assistance Services" (AAS) as defined in FAR 2.101.
(6) "Consultant services" as defined in FAR 31.205-33(a).
(7) "Contractor", for the purposes of this clause, means the firm signing this contract, its subsidiaries and affiliates, joint ventures involving the firm, any entity with which the firm may hereafter merge or affiliate, and any other successor or assignee of the firm.
(8) "Affiliates" means officers or employees of the prime contractor and first tier subcontractors involved in the program and technical decision-making process concerning this contract.
(9) "Interest" means organizational or financial interest.
(10) "Weapons system supplier" means any prime contractor or first tier subcontractor engaged in, or having a known prospective interest in the development, production or analysis of any of the weapon systems, as well as any major component or subassembly of such system.
(e) Contracting restrictions.
[ ] (1) To the extent the contractor provides systems engineering and/or technical direction for a system or commodity but does not have overall contractual responsibility for the development, the integration, assembly and checkout (IAC) or the production of the system, the contractor shall not (i) be awarded a contract to supply the system or any of its major components or (ii) be a subcontractor or consultant to a supplier of the system or of its major components. The contractor agrees that it will not supply to the Department of Defense (either as a prime contractor or as a subcontractor) or act as consultant to a supplier of, any system, subsystem, or major component utilized for or in connection with any item or other matter that is (directly or indirectly) the subject of the systems engineering and/or technical direction or other services performed under this contract for a period of [Insert the period of prohibition] after the date of completion of the contract. (FAR 9.505-1(a))
[ ] (2) To the extent the contractor prepares and furnishes complete specifications covering nondevelopmental items to be used in a competitive acquisition, the contractor shall not be allowed to furnish these items either as a prime contractor or subcontractor. This rule applies to the initial production contract, for such items plus a specified time period or event. The contractor agrees to prepare complete specifications covering non-developmental items to be used in competitive acquisitions, and the contractor agrees not to be a supplier to the Department of Defense, subcontract supplier, or a consultant to a supplier of any system or subsystem for which complete specifications were prepared hereunder. The prohibition relative to being a supplier, a subcontract supplier, or a consultant to a supplier of these systems of their subsystems extends for a period of [Insert the period of prohibition] after the terms of this contract. (FAR 9.505-2(a)(1))
[ ] (3) To the extent the contractor prepares or assists in preparing a statement of work to be used in competitively acquiring a system or services or provides material leading directly, predictably and without delay to such a work statement, the contractor may not supply the system, major components thereof or the services unless the contractor is the sole source, or a participant in the design or development work, or more than one contractor has been involved in preparation of the work statement. The contractor agrees to prepare, support the preparation of or provide material leading directly, predictably and without delay to a work statement to be used in competitive acquisitions, and the contractor agrees not to be a supplier or consultant to a supplier of any services, systems or subsystems for which the contractor participated in preparing the work statement. The prohibition relative to being a supplier, a subcontract supplier, or a consultant to a supplier of any services, systems or subsystems extends for a period of three (3) years after the terms of this contract. (FAR 9.505-2(b)(1))
[ ] (4) To the extent work to be performed under this contract requires evaluation of offers for products or services, a contract will not be awarded to a contractor that will evaluate its own offers for products or services, or those of a competitor, without proper safeguards to ensure objectivity to protect the Government's interests. Contractor agrees to the terms and conditions set forth in the Statement of Work that are established to ensure objectivity to protect the Government's interests. (FAR 9.505-3)
[ ] (5) To the extent work to be performed under this contract requires access to proprietary data of other companies, the contractor must enter into agreements with such other companies which set forth procedures deemed adequate by those companies (i) to protect such data from unauthorized use or disclosure so long as it remains proprietary and (ii) to refrain from using the information for any other purpose other than that for which it was furnished. Evidence of such agreement(s) must be made available to the Procuring Contracting Officer upon request. The contractor shall restrict access to proprietary information to the minimum number of employees necessary for performance of this contract. Further, the contractor agrees that it will not utilize proprietary data obtained from such other companies in preparing proposals (solicited or unsolicited) to perform additional services or studies for the United States Government. The contractor agrees to execute agreements with companies furnishing proprietary data in connection with work performed under this contract, obligating the contractor to protect such data from unauthorized use or disclosure so long as such data remains proprietary, and to furnish copies of such agreement to the Contracting Officer. Contractor further agrees that such proprietary data shall not be used in performing for the Department of Defense additional work in the same field as work performed under this contract if such additional work is procured competitively. (FAR 9.505-4)
[ ] (6) Preparation of Statements of Work or Specifications. If the contractor under this contract assists substantially in the preparation of a statement of work or specifications, the contractor shall be ineligible to perform or participate in any capacity in any contractual effort (solicited or unsolicited) that is based on such statement of work or specifications. The contractor shall not incorporate its products or services in such statement of work or specifications unless so directed in writing by the Contracting Officer, in which case the restrictions in this subparagraph shall not apply. Contractor agrees that it will not supply to the Department of Defense (either as a prime contractor or as a subcontractor) or act as consultant to a supplier of, any system, subsystem or major component utilized for or in connection with any item or work statement prepared or other services performed or materials delivered under this contract, and is procured on a competitive basis, by the Department of Defense within three (3) years after completion of work under this contract. The provisions of this clause shall not apply to any system, subsystem, or major component for which the contractor is the sole source of supply or which it participated in designing or developing. (FAR 9.505-4(b))
[ ] (7) Advisory and Assistance Services (AAS). If the contractor provides AAS services as defined in paragraph (d) of this clause, it shall be ineligible thereafter to participate in any capacity in Government contractual efforts (solicited or unsolicited) which stem directly from such work, and the contractor agrees not to perform similar work for prospective offerors with respect to any such contractual efforts. Furthermore, unless so directed in writing by the Contracting Officer, the contractor shall not perform any such work under this contract on any of its products or services, or the products or services of another firm for which the contractor performs similar work. Nothing in this subparagraph shall preclude the contractor from competing for follow-on contracts for AAS.
(f) Remedies. In the event the contractor fails to comply with the provisions of this clause, such noncompliance shall be deemed a material breach of the provisions of this contract. If such noncompliance is the result of conflicting financial interest involving contractor personnel performing work under this contract, the Government may require the contractor to remove such personnel from performance of work under this contract. Further, the Government may elect to exercise its right to terminate for default in the event of such noncompliance. Nothing herein shall prevent the Government from electing any other appropriate remedies afforded by other provisions of this contract, or statute or regulation.
(g) Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. The contractor recognizes that during the term of this contract, conditions may change which may give rise to the appearance of a new conflict of interest. In such an event, the contractor shall disclose to the Government information concerning the new conflict of interest. The contractor shall provide, as a minimum, the following information:
(1) A description of the new conflict of interest (e.g., additional weapons systems supplier(s), corporate restructuring, new first-tier subcontractor(s), new contract) and identity of parties involved;
(2) A description of the work to be performed;
(3) The dollar amount;
(4) The period of performance; and
(5) A description of the contractor's internal controls and planned actions, to avoid any potential organizational conflict of interest.
(End of clause)
Any subcontractor that performs any work relative to this contract shall be subject to this clause. The contractor agrees to place in each subcontract affected by these provisions the necessary language contained in this clause.