[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 4 (Friday, January 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1185-1186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-269]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Best Practices Procurement Manual; Conflicts of Interest Guidance

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments on proposed updates to FTA's 
Best Practices Procurement Manual; Conflicts of Interest.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is developing 
additional guidance on identifying and addressing real and apparent 
conflicts of interest on contracts involving federal financial 
assistance. FTA is seeking input from interested parties on this issue, 
including examples of problems and best practices for avoiding and/or 
dealing with conflicts of interest. Upon consideration of the comments, 
FTA will issue additional guidance on conflicts of interest for 
inclusion in the FTA Best Practices Procurement Manual.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 28, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The draft guidance material is available for public review 
on the

[[Page 1186]]

Internet at http://www.fta.dot.gov/library/procurement/conflicts.html. 
Written comments may be addressed to Lucy T. Jackson, Director, Office 
of Procurement, Federal Transit Administration, TAD-40, Room 9101, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, and shall reference this 
notice. Alternatively, you may send comments electronically to 
[[email protected]].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lucy T. Jackson, Office of 
Procurement, (202) 366-4980, or Donald R. Durkee, Office of Chief 
Counsel, (202) 366-1936.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Responding to requests from transit industry 
representatives, FTA is in the process of developing further guidance 
on handling conflicts of interest on contracts involving federal 
financial assistance. Currently, FTA's Best Practices Procurement 
Manual contains only a brief discussion on conflicts of interest 
issues. Given the importance of this issue, FTA intends to promulgate 
additional guidance. The additional coverage will include further 
discussion of the requirements as established in the FTA Circular 
4220.1D, the FTA Master Agreement, and the Code of Federal Regulations, 
49 CFR parts 18 and 19; definition of terms; examples and scenarios of 
various types of conflicts and remedies or solutions to conflicts. This 
guidance, based on input received from interested parties, will then be 
incorporated into FTA's Best Practices Procurement Manual. To assist in 
this endeavor, FTA has established a web page containing the draft 
guidance along with preliminary definitions and examples that FTA 
believes might be included in the Best Practices Procurement Manual.

    Issued on: December 29, 2000.
Nuria I. Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-269 Filed 1-4-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-01-M