7 Do's and 1 Don't for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

How companies can avoid organizational conflicts of interest? Experts have narrowed down the to-do’s to a few don'ts

·     Do understand the organizational conflicts of interest (OCI) rules and the different categories of OCIs.

·       Do be particularly attuned to “impaired objectivity” OCIs.

·       Do think broadly. OCIs are created at a companywide level, not simply a division or sector level.

·       Do consider the long-range business plan for a particular procurement.

·       Do be aware that winning a small, preliminary award could create conflicts on a massive, future award.

·       Do be aware of the potential restrictions on follow-on contracts that might accompany system engineering and technical assistance work.

·       Do ensure that every proposal considers and, as required, implements an OCI mitigation plan.

·       Do not simply ignore an institutional competitive advantage when preparing a proposal.