Ethics

Panel on Contracting Integrity

On February 16, 2007, the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology & Logistics) (USD(AT&L)) established the Panel on Contracting Integrity in accordance with the requirements of Section 813 of the Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense Authorization Act. Although the statute provides a sunset date of 2009 for the Panel, the Department intends to continue the Panel as a matter of policy. Read More …

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Cultural Changes & Checks and Balances

This ethics site is provided by DPAP to emphasize the importance of ethics and integrity to the Department of Defense. This site also provides many resources for the acquisition community on ethics and acquisition integrity issues, including publications, and memoranda from the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense (AT&L). This site also provides links to the Standards of Conduct office web site and other ethics related websites in the Department.

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Ethics is a critical part of our core values

Ethics is a critical part of DoDs core values. We, as the DoD community, must emphasize the importance of ethics and integrity in everyday decision making at all levels. Ethical lapses should never be tolerated by anyone in the Department. We must be vigilant and sustain an ethical culture to pass on to those that follow in our footsteps. The vast majority of the Department's workforce has the highest commitment to integrity and ethics. As long as we take ethics and integrity to heart in every day decision making in the Department, from the top-down, we will protect the health of our acquisition process and the integrity of our decisions.

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AT&L's Actions Taken

The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD(AT&L)) has taken aggressive action to implement improvements in the oversight of key acquisition leaders in order to ensure the integrity of our acquisition processes. Read More …

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DoD Inspector General Investigations

An internal study of eight contracts performed by a Multi-Service/Agency Team was referred to the DoD Inspector General via a memorandum signed by the Acting Under Secretary of Defense. The study pertained to certain acquisition decisions made between the years of 1993 and 2002.

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AT&L Memorandums

Memorandums on Ethics and Integrity from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics.

Document Name Date     Description
Dissemination of Recommendations from Acquisition Integrity Analysis Aug 01, 2006 The USD(AT&L) completed a review of senior acquisition executives' acquisition policies ensuring separation of functions for oversight, source selection, contract negotiations and contract awards and directs six best practices to be implemented. These include prohibiting senior leaders from performing multiple roles in source selection for any one major weapon system or major service acquisition.
Top 100 Defense companies and Trade Associations receive letters re: Ethics from AT&L Jan 05, 2006 USD(AT&L) calls on the leadership of the 100 Top Defense Companies and Trade Associations to take every opportunity to articulate the Department's shared expectation of high integrity and ethical conduct, and to speak out frequently on the importance of ethical behavior as part of their values.
Unusual Practices Oct 12, 2005 The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (USD (AT&L)) asks all members of the Department's acquisition, technology, and logistics workforce to be vigilant and question unusual practices and organizational structures within their area of responsibility.
Acquisition Integrity and Ethics Sep 26, 2005 The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics affirms his personal commitment to integrity in acquisition, encourages leaders in the community of acquisition professionals to continually reviewing processes and procedures, examining decision-making, and promote a transparent, ethical culture.
Ethics and Integrity Sep 7, 2005 The Secretary of Defense stresses to all members of the Department the importance of placing ethics at the forefront of our vision and values.
Acquisition Ethics and Integrity Mar 22, 2005 The Acting USD(AT&L) notifies Key Leaders in the Acquisition Workforce of the preliminary findings of the Defense Science Board task force study on Management Oversight in Acquisition Organizations. The study recommended immediate changes to processes and oversight and long-term, enduring changes in cultivating leadership and people.
Acquisition Integrity Mar 1, 2005 USD(AT&L) directs review of the oversight, source selection, and contract negotiation and contract award policy of the Military Departments and Other Defense Agencies to ensure authority for these decisions does not reside in one person.
Ethics and Integrity Mar 1, 2005 The Acting USD(AT&L) informs the Acquisition Workforce of his Three Part Plan taken in response to the Darleen Druyun and Michael Sears sentences.
Institution of Annual 360 degree Leader Review Feb 25, 2005 The Acting USD(AT&L) requests recommendations on how to implement an annual 360 degree leader review system for oversight of Key Leaders in the acquisition community.
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Ethical Dilemmas - You're The Judge

These Defense AT&L Magazine columns feature cases that center on an ethical dilemma and invite you to be the judge. Some of the cases involve agencies outside DoD, but the issues they present are equally applicable to the defense acquisition community.

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This page last updated: December 15, 2008
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