Business Ethics/Ethical Conduct

Ethical business standards shall govern all procurement transactions. Purchasing decisions will be made on reasonable assessments of quality, service, competitive pricing and technical qualifications. Relationships with vendors will be maintained on a professional basis. Vendors doing business with the University will be held to standards promoting sound and ethical business practices.

No employee, officer, or agent of Fordham University shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract, where to their knowledge, an arrangement exists concerning prospective employment with them or their immediate family or partners, or an organization with whom they are negotiating or have an arrangement concerning prospective employment.

No employee, officer, or agent of Fordham University’s Purchasing Department shall solicit or accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from either current or potential contractors and vendors.

  • Administrative Employees of the Purchasing Department are required to sign a Conflict of Interest Statement as provided by the Office of Legal Counsel and Internal Audit on an annual basis.

    University members should use good judgment, professional commitment, and ethics to protect themselves and the university from potential conflicts of interest when purchasing. Conflicts of interest occur when university members are in a position to influence a decision, either on policy or regarding acquisitions where they might directly or indirectly receive material benefit or give improper advantage to associates, including subsidiaries of the university or other suppliers.

  • In order to protect the integrity of the purchasing and bidding process, quotations should NOT be revealed to competing vendors or any other unauthorized person.

    University members may have access to confidential, proprietary, or private information including, but not limited to, student records, employee records, university business information, personally identifiable information, intellectual property, and other information subject to contractual or legal obligations of confidentiality. All university members must follow all applicable legal, contractual, and policy restrictions on the use, disclosure, and safeguarding of such information.

  • In order to protect the University’s exemption from sales tax:

    Purchases for personal use by employees are not made through the Purchasing Department.

    Note: “Employee Purchase” programs are available for appliances, electronics, and bottled water. Contact the Purchasing Department for details. All personal purchases are required to pay sales tax.

Purchasing Manual Topics