ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS

• Citation: 28 CFR Part 804
• Sections: 5

§ 804.1 Purpose.

By statute, the Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA or Agency) is authorized to accept and use gifts in the form of in-kind contributions of space and hospitality to support offender and defendant programs, and of equipment and vocational training services to educate and train offenders and defendants. The purpose of this part is to:

(a) Inform the public of the procedures to follow when offering a gift;

(b) Establish criteria for accepting and using gifts;

(c) Establish procedures for audit and public inspection of records pertaining to the acceptance and use of gifts; and

(d) Delegate gift acceptance authority to the Director of the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA or Agency).

§ 804.2 Delegation of authority.

The Director of CSOSA hereby delegates to the Director of PSA the authority to accept and use gifts in the form of in-kind contributions of space and hospitality to support defendant programs, and of equipment and vocational training services to educate and train defendants in accordance with the requirements of this part. This delegation of authority may not be further delegated.

§ 804.3 Restrictions.

(a) The Agency is not authorized to accept gifts of money, stock, bonds, personal or real property, or devises or bequests of such items, except as provided in this part.

(b) Agency employees may not solicit any type of gift to the Agency.

§ 804.4 Submission and approval.

(a) Offender programs and equipment and vocational training services. (1) Any person or organization wishing to donate as a gift in-kind contributions of space or hospitality to support offender programs, or equipment or vocational training services to educate and train offenders may submit the following information in writing to the Agency's Ethics Officer in the Office of the General Counsel:

(i) The name of the person or organization offering the gift;

(ii) A description of the gift;

(iii) The estimated value of the gift;

(iv) Any restrictions on the gift placed by the donor; and

(v) A signed statement that the gift is unsolicited.

(2) The Director, after consultation with the Agency's Ethics Officer, shall determine whether to accept or reject the gift.

(3) CSOSA staff shall advise the person offering the gift of the Agency's determination, including, if applicable, the reason for rejection. Reasons for rejecting a gift include findings that:

(i) There is a conflict of interest in accepting the gift;

(ii) Acceptance of the gift is otherwise unlawful or would create the appearance of impropriety;

(iii) Acceptance of the gift would obligate the Agency to an unbudgeted expenditure of funds; or

(iv) Operation of the program, equipment, or vocational training services would not be practicable.

(b) Defendant programs and equipment and vocational training services. (1) Any person or organization wishing to donate as a gift in-kind contributions of space or hospitality to support defendant programs, or equipment or vocational training services to educate and train defendants may submit the following information in writing to the Agency's Ethics Officer in the Office of the General Counsel:

(i) The name of the person or organization offering the gift;

(ii) A description of the gift;

(iii) The estimated value of the gift;

(iv) Any restrictions on the gift placed by the donor; and

(v) A signed statement that the gift is unsolicited.

(2) The General Counsel shall forward the request to PSA's Director with a recommendation whether to accept or reject the gift.

(3) PSA staff shall advise the person offering the gift of the Agency's determination, including the reason for rejection. Reasons for rejecting a gift include findings that:

(i) There is a conflict of interest in accepting the gift;

(ii) Acceptance of the gift is otherwise unlawful or would create the appearance of impropriety;

(iii) Acceptance of the gift would obligate the Agency to an unbudgeted expenditure of funds; or

(iv) Operation of the program, equipment, or vocational training services would not be practicable.

§ 804.5 Audit and public inspection.

(a) Records regarding the acceptance and use of gifts shall be made available for Federal Government audit.

(b) Public inspection of records regarding the acceptance and use of gifts shall be afforded through Freedom of Information Act requests ( see 28 CFR part 802).