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Division of Purchase and Property

Nov.15.2011

Notice To Vendors: State Employee Receipt of Gifts and Event Attendance

As the holiday season approaches, it is important to remind our many valued vendors about the State Uniform Ethics Code provisions that prohibit State employees from accepting any gift, favor, service or other thing of value related in any way to their public duties. In addition, State rules prohibit vendors from offering gifts to State employees. While we certainly value the relationships that we have established with our vendors, please understand, as public agencies, we simply cannot accept any gifts.

Accordingly, any gift offered to or received by an employee or his/her spouse, immediate family member, partner or associate must be immediately reported by the employee and remitted to the agency’s Ethics Liaison Officer. These gifts will be returned to the giver or donated to an approved charitable organization if the item is perishable or if the return is not practical.

Ethics rules also prohibit employees from accepting invitations to attend social events or functions, including holiday parties, sponsored by interested parties. As a result, employees are required to decline such invitations.

The State Ethics Commission Rules define an "Interested Party" as:

1. Any person, or employee, representative or agent thereof, who is or may reasonably be anticipated to be subject to the regulatory, licensing or supervisory authority of the State official's agency;
2. Any supplier, or employee, representative or agent thereof;
3. Any organization that advocates or represents the positions of its members to the State official's agency; or
4. Any organization a majority of whose members are as described in paragraphs 1 through 3 above.

We ask that all vendors please respect these rules and refrain from sending any gifts or inviting State employees and officers to any social functions.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation. We wish you a happy holiday season

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Division of Purchase & Property
Procurement Bureau
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Trenton, NJ 08625-0230
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