Background: The Procurement & Contracts division of Business and Financial Services (BFS) fosters and promotes fair and ethical business practices while acting in the best interest of the University of California and the people of the State of California. This includes adhering to a strict code of ethics.

If you are involved in any aspect of purchasing goods and services for UCSD, you are expected to adhere to the Purchasing Code of Ethics:

• First, give consideration to UCSD's mission and Principles of Community.
• Obtain maximum value for each dollar spent.
• Decline personal favors, gifts, and gratuities.
• Grant all competitive suppliers fair and equal consideration.
• Conduct business with potential and current suppliers in an atmosphere of good faith.
• Demand honesty in sales representation.
• Receive consent of originator for use of proprietary ideas and designs.
• Make reasonable effort to obtain equitable settlement of any controversy with a supplier.
• Accord a prompt and courteous response to all who call on legitimate business.
• Foster fair, ethical, and legal business practices.
• Protect the University's interest by ensuring suppliers honor all terms of their contracts.

Maintaining University Contractual information as sensitive Information:

University faculty and staff have access to information about the contracts with suppliers engaged in doing business with UC San Diego. This information, including terms and conditions, pricing and/or sourcing documents must not be shared with any other party except as allowed by the California Public Records Act and the Information Practices Act.

The Office of the President, Purchasing Services ensures that the university policy on ethics is circulated to all campuses. Each department chair/ head must make this policy available to all department business officers and staff having authority to conduct business on behalf of the university. Procurement & Contracts' responsibility is to foster and promote fair and ethical business practices and provide assistance in support of the policy.

Questions? Contact Linda Collins, Director, Procurement & Contracts, (858) 534-3082.