United States Department of Agriculture
Research, Education, and Economics
ARS * CSREES * ERS * NASS
Policies and Procedures
Title: | Reporting Bribery or Attempted Bribery of USDA Employees |
Number: | 461.3 |
Date: | September 25, 1998 |
Originating Office: | Human Resources Division, Employee Relations Branch, AFM/ARS |
This Replaces: | 461.3 dated 1/21/92 |
Distribution: | All REE Employees |
This P&P provides procedures for reporting information regarding bribery or attempted bribery of any USDA employee. |
1. Introduction
2. Policy
3. Authorities
4. Procedures
5. Summary of Responsibilities
6. Glossary
Exhibit 1
Bribery attempts are often very subtle and are preceded by attempts to do small favors for or give gifts to an employee. Bribery is a violation of the law. Solicitation or acceptance of a bribe by a Federal employee is a serious breach of the public trust.
REE managers, supervisors, and employees are required to fully cooperate with the USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG), or other law enforcement agency, in the reporting of, and during the investigation of, any bribery or attempted bribery of USDA employees.
Any employee who is offered a bribe, or who believes that a bribe was offered to, solicited by, or accepted by another employee will immediately report that information directly to the appropriate OIG Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC) handling the geographic area where the bribe was solicited (see Exhibit 1). This includes situations where an outright offer was not made, but it is suspected that the employee is being felt out, or an offer of a bribe could reasonably be inferred. The OIG contact shall not be made through supervisory channels.
Bribery reports may also be made to the OIG Bribery Line (202-720-7257), which is operational 24 hours a day. (This phone number is also to be used by employees working in foreign countries.) The caller will be instructed to follow the instructions on the recorder, to leave a message, and enter a telephone number. An OIG Special Agent will be notified of the caller's message via pager, and will return the phone call.
The caller will be instructed by OIG on what action to take and should carefully follow the instructions of the OIG Special Agent in order to avoid jeopardizing a potential investigation. The caller is expected to provide full cooperation to OIG in bribery and any other investigative matters.
NOTE: Due to the urgency of the notification and because there may be instances where the caller's line management are subjects of the allegation, employees must seek OIG guidance before notifying an agency official. The caller should seek OIG advice regarding which agency managers, if any, should be notified.
All employees:
Bribery. Includes the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of anything of value to influence an official act of an employee.
OIG. Office of Inspector General.
SAC. Special Agent-In-Charge, USDA, OIG.
/s/
W. G. HORNER
Deputy Administrator
Administrative and Financial Management
Exhibit 1
USDA OIG Regional Offices
The following Regional Offices perform investigative operations in the territorial
areas indicated. Each Regional Office is headed by a Special Agent-In-Charge who reports
to the Inspector General, USDA.
Address | Territory |
Joseph J. Yarrish 26 Federal Plaza, Room 1409 New York, New York 10278-0004 (212) 264-8400 |
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Virgin Islands |
Brian L. Haaser 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Stop 5300 Beltsville, Maryland 20705-5300 (301) 504-2000 |
NORTHEAST REGION Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia |
Greg A. Shubert 401 W. Peachtree NW, Suite 2329 Atlanta, Georgia 30365-3520 (404) 730-3170 |
SOUTHEAST REGION Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee |
Constant B. Chevalier 111 North Canal Street, Suite 1130 Chicago, Illinois 60606-7295 (312) 353-1358 |
MIDWEST REGION Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin |
Jeffrey H. Thomas 101 South Main Street, Room 311 Temple, Texas 76501 (817) 298-1351 |
SOUTHWEST REGION Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas |
(Vacant) 9435 Holmes Road, Room 210 Kansas City, Missouri 64131-2975 (816) 926-7606 |
GREAT PLAINS REGION Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming |
David F. Dickson 600 Harrison Street, Suite 225 San Francisco, California 94107-1370 (415) 744-2887 |
WESTERN REGION Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Territory of Guam, Trust Territories of the Pacific, and Washington |