OHCA Policies and Rules

317:10-1-21. Procurement ethics, prohibited conduct

[Revised 09-12-22]

(a) Standard of conduct. The Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act, State Ethics Commission rules, and other state laws contain regulations, prohibitions, and penalties governing procurement ethics. Transactions relating to the public expenditure of funds require the highest degree of public trust and impeccable standards of conduct.

(b) One (1) year prohibition on certain contracts. For one (1) year after the employment termination date of any employee or officer, OHCA is prohibited from entering into a sole source contract, a professional service contract, or a contract for the services of that employee or officer. Refer to 74 O.S. ' 85.42(A). An agency may enter into a sole source contract or a contract for professional services at any time with a person who is a qualified interpreter for the deaf. Reference to 74 O.S. ' 85.42(D).

(c) Supplier gratuities. Employees or officers of the Purchasing and Contracts Development unit, acting within the scope of delegated authority, or any member of their immediate family, under the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act shall not accept any gift, donation, or gratuity for himself or any member of his immediate family from any supplier or prospective supplier of any acquisition covered by the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act. This subsection shall not apply to exceptions to the definition of "anything of value" established in rules promulgated by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

(d) State requirement for one (1) year prohibition on certain state officers' or employees' employment with a supplier. For a period of one (1) year from the date that any contract to privatize is awarded by OHCA, any state officer or employee who exercised discretionary or decision-making authority in awarding a specific contract to privatize is prohibited from becoming an officer or employee of a business organization which is party to that specific contract to privatize. If, within the prohibited period and in violation of state law, any state officer or employee who exercised discretionary or decision-making authority in awarding a specific contract to privatize becomes an officer or employee of a business organization which is party to that specific contract to privatize, then the business organization is prohibited from contracting with OHCA for one (1) year from the date of the violation of state law. Refer to 74 O.S. ' 590.

(e) Agency contract or agreement open for legislative inspection. Upon request, a contract or any other form of agreement made by OHCA will be open for inspection to any member of the Legislature. OHCA will not direct, put in a contract, or in any way disallow a vendor, client, employer or independent contractor, person, or any other entity from contacting or communicating with any member of the Legislature. Refer to 74 O.S. ' 464.1.

(f) Federal requirement for conflict-of-interest safeguards pertaining to any contract for health plan or managed care services. Any contract awarded for health plan or managed care services and subject to 42 C.F.R. Part 438 necessitates state conflict-of-interest safeguards at least as effective as those specified at section 27 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act. Refer to 42 C.F.R. ' 438.58, citing 41 U.S.C. ' 423. In addition to this subsection, OAC 317:10-1-22 describes processes pertaining to the conflict-of-interest safeguards in this section.

(1) The following person(s) shall not, except as provided by law, knowingly disclose a contractor bid or proposal information or source selection information before the award of an OHCA procurement contract to which the information relates:

(A) When such person is:

(i) A present or former employee or officer;

(ii) Acting or has acted for or on behalf of OHCA with respect to a procurement; or

(iii) Advising or has advised OHCA with respect to a procurement; and

(B) By virtue of that office, employment, or relationship has or had access to contractor bid or proposal information or source selection information.

(2) A person shall not, other than as provided by law, knowingly obtain contractor bid or proposal information or source selection information before the award of an OHCA procurement contract to which the information relates.

(3) If an employee or officer who is personally and substantially participating in a procurement under this Section, contacts or is contacted by a procurement bidder regarding possible non-OHCA employment, the employee or officer shall promptly report the contact in writing to the employee's or official's supervisor and to the designated OHCA ethics official (or designee) and either:

(A) Reject the possibility of non-OHCA employment; or

(B) Disqualify himself or herself from further personal and substantial participation in that procurement until such time as OHCA has authorized the employee or official to resume participation in such procurement on the grounds that:

(i) The bidder is no longer a participant in the procurement; or

(ii) All discussions with the bidder regarding possible non-OHCA employment have terminated without an agreement or arrangement for employment.

(4) A former employee or officer shall not accept compensation from a contract-awarded bidder as an employee, officer, director, or consultant of that bidder within a period of one (1) year after such former employee or officer functioned within the scope of employment as:

(A) The procuring contracting officer, the source selection authority, a member of an evaluation committee, or the chief of a financial or technical evaluation team in a procurement in which that contract-awarded bidder was selected for award of a contract in excess of $10,000,000;

(B) A program manager, deputy program manager, or administrative contracting officer for a contract in excess of $10,000,000 awarded to that contract-awarded bidder; or

(i) To award a contract, subcontract, modification of a contract or subcontract, or a task order or delivery order for that contract-awarded bidder valued in excess of $10,000,000;

(ii) To establish overhead or other rates applicable to a contract or contracts for that contract-awarded bidder valued in excess of $10,000,000;

(iii) To approve issuance of a contract payment or payments to that contract-awarded bidder valued in excess of $10,000,000; or

(iv) to pay or settle a claim in excess of $10,000,000 with that contract-awarded bidder.

(5) A former employee or officer who accepts compensation from any division or affiliate of a contract-awarded bidder that does not produce the same or similar products or services as the entity of the contract-awarded bidder that is responsible for the contract does not violate this section.

(6) With regard to any current or former employee or officer or any bidder who violates this subsection (f), OHCA may take any administrative action and pursue any penalty allowed by state or federal law.

(7) Any employee or officer or former employee or officer may request advice from the appropriate designated OHCA ethics official regarding whether the employee or officer or former employee or officer is or would be precluded by subsection (f)(4) of this section from accepting compensation from a particular contractor.

Disclaimer. The OHCA rules found on this Web site are unofficial. The official rules are published by the Oklahoma Secretary of State Office of Administrative Rules as Title 317 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code. To order an official copy of these rules, contact the Office of Administrative Rules at (405) 521-4911.