CONFLICTOFINTERESTDISCLOSURE STATEMENT
Conflict of Interest QuestionnaireForm CIQmustbefilledoutelectronicallywiththeTexasEthicsCommission’sonlinefilingapplication,printedout,signed,andattachedtoproposalinthe response-Section TAB A
Houston-Galveston Area CouncilisrequiredtocomplywithTexasLocalGovernmentCodeChapter176,DisclosureofCertainRelationshipswithLocalGovernmentOfficers.HouseBill23significantlychangedChapter 176aswellasthe required disclosuresandthecorresponding forms.As ofSeptember1,2015,anyvendorwhodoesbusinesswithH-GACorwhoseekstodobusinesswithH-GACmustfilloutthenewConflictof InterestQuestionnaire (CIQ)whetheror notaconflict of interest exists.Aconflict ofinterestexists inthefollowingsituations:
1)IfthevendorhasanemploymentorotherbusinessrelationshipwithalocalgovernmentofficerofH-GACorafamilymemberoftheofficer,asdescribedbysection176.003(a)(2)(A)oftheTexasLocalGovernmentCode;or
2)IfthevendorhasgivenalocalgovernmentofficerofH-GAC,orafamily memberoftheofficer,oneormoregiftswiththeaggregatevalueof$100,excludinganygiftacceptedbytheofficerorafamilymemberoftheofficerifthegiftis:(a)apoliticalcontributionasdefinedbyTitle15oftheElectionCode;or(b)agiftoffoodacceptedasaguest;or
3)IfthevendorhasafamilyrelationshipwithalocalgovernmentofficerofH-GAC.
“Vendor”meansapersonwhoentersorseekstoenterintoacontractwithalocalgovernmentalentity.Thetermincludesanagentofavendor.Thetermincludesanofficeroremployeeofastateagencywhenthatindividualisactinginaprivatecapacitytoenterintoacontract.ThetermdoesnotincludeastateagencyexceptforTexasCorrectionalIndustries.TexasLocalGovernmentCode176.001(7).
“Businessrelationship”meansaconnectionbetweentwoormorepartiesbasedoncommercialactivityofoneoftheparties.Thetermdoesnotincludeaconnectionbasedon:(A)atransactionthatissubjecttorateorfeeregulationbyafederal,state,orlocalgovernmentalentityoranagencyofafederal,state,orlocalgovernmentalentity;(B)atransactionconductedatapriceandsubjecttotermsavailabletothepublic;or
(C)apurchaseorleaseofgoodsorservicesfromapersonthatischarteredbyastateorfederalagencyandthatissubjecttoregularexaminationby,andreportingto,thatagency.TexasLocalGovernmentCode
176.001(3).
“Familyrelationship”meansarelationshipbetweenapersonandanotherpersonwithinthethirddegreebyconsanguinityortheseconddegreebyaffinity,asthosetermsaredefinedbySubchapterB,Chapter573,GovernmentCode.TexasLocalGovernmentCode176.001(2-a).
“Localgovernmentofficer”means: (A)amemberofthegoverningbodyofalocalgovernmentalentity;
(B)adirector,superintendent,administrator,president,orotherpersondesignatedastheexecutiveofficerofalocalgovernmentalentity;or(C)anagentofalocalgovernmentalentitywhoexercisesdiscretionintheplanning,recommending,selecting,orcontractingofavendor.TexasLocalGovernmentCode176.001(4).
Ifnoconflictofinterestexists,youmustfilloutBox1andtypeN/AonBox3oftheCIQform,signanddateit.
Intheeventofchangedcircumstances,anupdatedCIQ mustbefiledwithinseven(7)businessdaysafterthevendorbecomesawarethataconflictofinterestexists.
CERTIFICATEOFINTERESTEDPARTIES – FORM1295
CertificateofInterestedPartiesForm1295mustbefilledoutelectronicallywiththeTexasEthicsCommission’sonlinefilingapplication,printedout,signed,notarized,andattachedtoproposalinthe response- Section TAB A
H-GACisrequiredtocomplywithHouseBill1295,whichamendedtheTexasGovernmentCodebyaddingSection2252.908,DisclosureofInterestedParties.Section2252.908prohibitsH-GACfromenteringintoacontractresultingfromthisRFPwithabusinessentityunlessthebusinessentitysubmitsaDisclosureofInterestedParties(Form1295)toH-GACatthetimebusinessentitysubmitsthesignedcontract.TheTexasEthicsCommissionhasadoptedrulesrequiringthebusinessentitytofileForm1295electronicallywiththeTexasEthicsCommission.Thefollowingdefinitionsapply:
(1)“BusinessEntity”meansanentityrecognizedbylawthroughwhichbusinessisconducted,includingasoleproprietorship,partnership,orcorporation.TEX.GOV’TCODE§2252.908(1).
(2)“InterestedParty”meansaperson:
a)whohasacontrollinginterestinabusinessentitywithwhomH-GACcontracts;or
b)whoactivelyparticipatesinfacilitatingthecontractornegotiatingthetermsofthecontract,includingabroker,intermediary,adviser,orattorneyforthebusinessentity.TEX.GOV’T CODE§2252.908(3).
(3)“Controllinginterest”means:
a)anownershipinterestorparticipatinginterestinabusinessentityby virtueofunits,percentage,shares,stock,orotherwisethatexceeds10percent;
b)membershipontheboardofdirectorsorothergoverningbodyofabusinessentityofwhichtheboardorothergoverningbodyiscomposedofnotmorethan10members;or
c)serviceasanofficerofabusinessentitythathasfourorfewerofficers,orserviceasoneofthefourofficersmosthighlycompensatedbyabusinessentitythathasmorethanfourofficers.
Subsection(c)doesnotapplytoanofficerofapubliclyheldbusinessentityoritswhollyownedsubsidiaries.TEX.ETHICSCOMM.RULE46.3(c).
(4)“Intermediary”meansapersonwhoactivelyparticipatesinthefacilitationofthecontractornegotiatingthecontract,includingabroker,adviser,attorney,orrepresentativeoforagentforthebusinessentitywho:
a)receivescompensationfromthebusinessentityfortheperson’sparticipation;
b)communicatesdirectlywiththegovernmentalentityorstateagencyonbehalfofthebusinessentityregardingthecontract;and
c)isnotanemployeeofthebusinessentity.TEX.ETHICSCOMM.RULE46.3(e).
Asa“businessentity,”allvendorsmust:
(1)completeForm1295electronicallywiththeTexasEthicsCommissionusingtheonlinefilingapplication,whichcanbefoundat
-AllvendorsmustcompleteForm1295,evenifnointerestedpartiesexist
-InSection2,insert“Houston-Galveston Area Council”
-InSection3,inserttheH-GACRFP#forthisproposal
(2)printacopyofthecompletedform(makesurethatithasacomputer-generatedcertificationnumberin the“OfficeUseOnly”box)
(3)haveanauthorizedagentofthebusinessentitysigntheform
(4)notarizetheform
(5)submitthecompleted,signed,notarizedForm1295,withthecertificationoffiling,byattachingthe
formtoyourproposalin SectionTAB A
H-GACmustacknowledgethereceiptofthefiledForm1295bynotifyingtheTexasEthicsCommissionofthereceiptofthefiledForm 1295nolaterthanthe30thdayafterreceiptbyH-GAC.AfterH-GACacknowledgestheForm1295,theTexasEthicsCommissionwillpostthecompletedForm1295toitswebsitewithsevenbusinessdaysafterreceivingnoticefromH-GAC.