Section 36-2-10-210.1-2 - Gifts and Gratuities2.1 ITS recognizes there is a cost for vendors to provide IT hardware, software, and services to government. ITS also recognizes that as the cost for a vendor to do business increases, the cost for government to do business increases. ITS employees strive to lower the cost of doing business wherever possible. 2.2 Acceptance of anything of tangible value from a vendor contributes to the vendor's expenses and unnecessarily presents an opportunity for misinterpretation of the relationship between the vendor and the employee. Therefore, ITS procurement staff members do not accept any offer of a product, service, or favor of tangible value from a vendor. 2.3 ITS procurement staff members refuse gifts and gratuities, including but not limited to, money, credit, loans, discounts not generally available, and entertainment. Some examples of unacceptable gifts and offerings are listed below: * Free tickets to the theater, sports events, or other entertainment venues.
* Paid travel costs or accommodations.
* Gift cards or gift certificates.
2.4 ITS procurement staff members do not accept offers of employment from any awarded vendor within one year of the conclusion of a procurement process in which that vendor and staff member mutually participated. 2.5 ITS procurement staff members do not solicit anything from vendors for any reason. Examples include, but are not limited to: * Purchases by vendors from side businesses in which the staff member is involved
* Donations by vendors for charitable and/or civic events or organizations in which the ITS employee and/or his/her immediate family is involved
* Purchases by vendors from fund raisers in which ITS employees and/or their families are involved
2.6 ITS procurement staff may accept items of nominal value offered by suppliers to a substantial number of their customers for public relations purposes when there could be no perception of monetary value, inappropriate influence, or other ethical breach. Examples might include a t-shirt, pen, notepad, or other inexpensive trinket. 2.7 ITS procurement staff members may sometimes be required to conduct business during meals or to participate in modest hospitality as a courtesy in a business relationship. Staff members will avoid frequent meals with the same vendor and avoid any situation in which he/she might be perceived to have been influenced as a result of accepting or participating in a particular vendor's hospitality. However, any and all vendor contacts with ITS procurement staff and ITS customer staff must be discontinued during any active procurement process in which the vendor is a potential proposer for the customer's project and/or the ITS procurement staff member is involved in the procurement project. 2.8 ITS procurement staff may participate in lunch-and-learn and similar meetings sponsored by vendors. 2.9 ITS procurement staff members may participate in raffles or drawings held by vendors in public forums but will not encourage or initiate a vendor raffle. 36 Miss. Code. R. § 2-10-210.1-2