2006 SOCO Advisories

  • Advisory 06-14 December 26, 2006.
    1. New OGE Form 450 Available: Must be Used for Annual Reports Due by February 15, 2007.
    2. Using the AMTRAC Acela or Metroliner Trains.
    3. Working With Contractors.
    4. New Regulations for Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).
    5. Organizational Conflict of Interest Update: GAO Sustains Protest Where Agency Fails to Review Conflicting Interests of Non-Federal Evaluators.
    6. Former Army Director of Contracting Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes and Filing False Federal Income Tax Returns.
  • Advisory 06-13 December 22, 2006.
    1. Application of 18 U.S.C. 205 and 203 to Federal Personnel Working As Contractors in the Federal Workplace (Usually on Terminal Leave or Moonlighting).
    2. Ethics Guide for Consultants and Advisory Committee Members at DoD Updated.
  • Advisory 06-12 September 29, 2006 Combined Federal Campaign Special Edition.

    The annual Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) and the innovative means employed by fundraisers present new questions and challenges to fundraisers and ethics counselors. Here is general guidance on fundraising for CFC as well as guidance on some specific fundraising techniques. Please note that the CFC is an official fundraising program for Federal personnel. Consequently, events authorized for CFC may not be permitted for other organizations.

  • Advisory 06-11 September 11, 2006.
    1. Annual On-line Ethics Training now Available.
    2. New OGE Procedures regarding the OGE Form 450 and JER Implementation.
    3. Distribution of Campaign Stickers on Federal Property by Federal Employee Results in his Retirement.
    4. Informal Digests of OGE opinions now available on SOCO web site.
  • Advisory 06-10 August 16, 2006.
    1. OGE Releases Conflict of Interest Prosecution Survey.
    2. OGE Publishes Report on the Ethical Implications of Emergency Response.
    3. OGE Issues Guidance on Working with Contractors.
    4. OGE Applies Standards of Conduct Regulation to Personnel Detailed to the Government under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act.
    5. OPM Issues Final Rule on Standards of Conduct (Including Gambling).
    6. DoD Conference Costs Get Congressional Visibility.
    7. GAO Finds That State Department Fails to Substantiate Premium Class Travel.
  • Advisory 06-09 July 19, 2006.
    1. DoD Publishes New Rule of Commercial Solicitations on DoD Installations.
    2. Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure Updated.
    3. OGE Publishes 2005 Opinions.
    4. OGE to Hold Training in Seattle, September 12-14.
    5. Former DHS Official Agrees to Pay $10,000 to Reimburse Official Travel Expenses.
  • Advisory 06-08 July 7, 2006.
    1. Guidance to help determine "participation" for purposes of 18 U.S.C. §208.
    2. Politics and Government email: "If you can't do the time, don't send that line."
    3. Secretary of Defense issues 2006 Policy on Civilian Employees' Participation in Political Activities.
    4. Government Employees can not "moonlight" for Contractors in the Government Workplace.
  • Advisory 06-07 June 9, 2006.
    1. Robert I. Cusick confirmed as the new Director of the Office of Government Ethics.
    2. Can a Government Employee be bought with Microwave Popcorn?
    3. Contractor Employee Convicted For Accepting Gifts From Vendors.
    4. New 450 form and change of filing deadline date.
  • Advisory 06-06 May 12, 2006.  RESCINDED
    1. Prohibition on Soliciting Speaking Engagements.
    2. 18 U.S.C. 207(1) Restricts Former Detailed Private Sector Employees from Activities Related to Contracts with that Agency.
    3. Falsifying Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) Gets Employee Indicted.
    4. Formalizing and Tracking Post-Government Employment Advice.
  • Advisory 06-05 March 31, 2006 Special Edition: JER Change (Gifts to Wounded Service Members).

    Change 6 to DoD 5500.7-R, Joint Ethics Regulation (JER), adding a new section 3-400, is on our website. It implements section 8127 of the 2006 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, P.L. No. 108-148.

  • Advisory 06-04 March 17, 2006.
    1. Sample Letter of Warning Available on the Website.
    2. Update to SOCO's Post Government Employment Handout.
    3. Beware of Appearances.
  • Advisory 06-03 February 24, 2006.
    1. FY 2006 DoD Appropriations and Authorizations Acts Contain Several Ethics-Related Provisions.
    2. GAO Volleys Its Conference Fee Restriction Back into Congress' Court.
    3. Model Disqualification Letter.
    4. DoD Challenges Contractors to Incorporate Ethics.
    5. "Contractor on Terminal Leave" Redux.
  • Advisory 06-02 February 15, 2006.
    1. Working on Terminal Leave.
    2. Congress Scrutinizes Federal Participation at Conferences.
    3. Limiting Use of the DoD $25K Contractor List.
    4. AFMC LO/JAF - Ethics Website Moves.
    5. Newest Personnel Additions to DoD SOCO.
  • Advisory 06-01 January 26, 2006.
    1. OLC Issues Opinion on Conflicts of Interest.
    2. New salary triggers.
    3. Agency reviews.
    4. Best practice: Use your organization's contractor list to review for conflicts of interest.
    5. Lavish Medicare conferences attract Congressional attention