Copyright © 2013 by United Space Alliance, LLC.

Ethics Briefing

Accepting the Ethical Responsibilities Associated with the Contract Management

Profession –

Are you prepared to handle Ethical Dilemmas?

Copyright © 2013 by United Space Alliance, LLC.

Penny L. White

November 20, 2013

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Ethics Briefing

What is Ethics?

What is the Contract Management Code of Ethics?

• Case Studies / Discussion

How would you Handle these Ethical Dilemmas?

Let’s talk about Ethics!

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Ethics Briefing

What is ethics?

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Ethics Briefing

• “The principles of conduct governing an individual or a group; a guiding philosophy.”

Merriam-Webster

• “A moral principle or set of moral values held by an individual or group.”

World English Dictionary

• “The basic concepts and fundamental principles of decent human conduct. It includes the study of universal values such as essential equality of all men and women, human or natural rights, obedience to the law of land, concern for health and safety and it, increasingly also for the natural environment.”

BusinessDictionary.com

Ethics Defined

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Ethics Briefing

• H.L. Mencken

“Conscience is the inner voice that warns us somebody may be looking.”

• Robert Frost

“You've got to be brave and you've got to be bold. Brave enough to take your chance on your own discrimination - what's right and what's wrong, what's good and what's bad.”

• Robert F. Kennedy

“Moral courage is a more rare commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence.”

• Oprah Winfrey

“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.”

Food for Thought

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Ethics Briefing

What is the Contract Management Code of Ethics?

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Ethics Briefing

Introduction

The Contract Management Code of Ethics

Each member of the contract management profession (“the profession”) accepts the obligation to continuously improve one’s professional knowledge and job performance in the field of contract management, and to abide by the letter and spirit of the ethical standards set forth below.

Each member of the profession shall:

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Ethics Briefing

Standard One

Strive to attain the highest professional standard of job

performance, to exercise diligence in carrying out one's professional duties, and to serve the profession

to the best of one’s ability.

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Ethics Briefing

Standard Two

Conduct oneself in such a manner as to bring credit upon the

profession, as well as to maintain trust and confidence in the

integrity of the contract management process.

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Ethics Briefing

Standard Three

Avoid engagement in any transaction that might conflict or appear to conflict with the proper discharge of one's professional duties by reason of a financial

interest, family relationship, or any other circumstances.

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Ethics Briefing

Standard Four

Comply with all laws and regulations that govern the contract

management process in the jurisdictions in which one conducts

business, including protection of competition-sensitive and

proprietary information from inappropriate disclosure.

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Standard Five

Keep informed of developments in the contract management field,

utilizing both formal training and ad hoc means, to continuously increase knowledge, skill, and

professional competence.

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Ethics Briefing

Standard Six

Share one’s knowledge and experience openly to contribute to

the development of other professionals, improve

performance quality, and enhance public perception of the

profession.

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Ethics Briefing

Standard Seven

Not knowingly influence others to commit any act that would

constitute a violation of this code.

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Ethics Briefing

Standard Summary

The Professional Standards and Ethics Committee of the NCMA Board of Directors has as one of its goals the enhancement of the awareness of and commitment to the Contract Management Code of Ethics.

The members of the committee share suggestions and best practices for how to reinforce this fundamental part of effective acquisition—a strong code of ethics that helps generate conversation around this important topic.

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Ethics Briefing

ETHICAL DILEMMAS… HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND?

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Ethics Briefing

Case Study 1Good Friends: A Case Study in Contracting Ethics and Integrity

Group 1

• Read the Case Study and discuss the questions.

• Continue with Scenario 1 and discuss questions.

• Read and discuss the Case Study conclusion.

Questions:

– What would you do?

– What should the contracting officer report and to whom? Why?

– For Scenario 1, discuss the integrity and ethics issues. - What laws, if any, have been broken? - Discuss how one’s moral compass can be affected by such factors as

one’s relationships with others, financial difficulties, or perceptions that misconduct and improper business practices are tolerated in one’s profession.

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Ethics Briefing

Case Study 1Good Friends: A Case Study in Contracting Ethics and Integrity

Group 2

• Read the Case Study and discuss the questions.

• Continue with Scenarios 2 and 3 and discuss questions.

• Read and discuss the Case Study conclusion.

Questions:

– What would you do?

– What should the contracting officer report and to whom? Why?

– For Scenarios 2 and 3, discuss the integrity and ethics issues. - What laws, if any, have been broken? - Discuss how one’s moral compass can be affected by such factors as

one’s relationships with others, financial difficulties, or perceptions that misconduct and improper business practices are tolerated in one’s profession.

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Ethics Briefing

Case Study 2Mission First: A Case Study in Contracting Ethics and Integrity

Group 3

• Read the Case Study and discuss the questions.

Questions:

– Identify the contracting ethics and integrity issues that are presented in this case.

– Describe WHAT you would do and WHY you would do it.

– Describe WHY it is important for members of the acquisition community to have a shared sense of professional integrity.

- Discuss how one’s moral compass can be affected by such factors as one’s relationships with others, financial difficulties, or perceptions that misconduct and improper business practices are tolerated in one’s profession.

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Ethics Briefing

Case Study 3The Plum Assignment: A Case Study in Contracting Ethics and Integrity

Group 4

• Read the Case Study and discuss.

Questions:

– What ethics and integrity issues are presented in this case?

– Discuss how one’s moral compass can be affected by such factors as one’s relationships with others.

– What lessons learned can be gained for the person in this case study? Compile a list.

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Ethics Briefing

Ending Thoughts

• Yogi Berra

“If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.”

• George Eliot

“Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.”

• Tom Peters

“There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.”

• Elvis Presley

“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody's are the same, but you leave 'em all over everything you do.”

• Albert Einstein

“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.”