Scottish procurement: policy manual

Conflicts of interest in procurement

Staff are legally required to act with honesty and integrity, and must not abuse their position for personal gain, to further their own personal interests or the interests of others (e.g. family and friends). Staff also have a duty to ensure that no appearance of bias or misuse of position is given, or can be inferred through their conduct.

Any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest (e.g. owning shares in a supplier, or family / friends being employed by a supplier) which arise in the course of a procurement must be declared. For procurements subject to the Scottish public procurement regulations this is a legal consideration. Procurement Officers and DPOs must also take appropriate measures to prevent, identify, and remedy conflicts of interest arising in the course of all other procurement procedures (i.e. those below the GPA threshold) so as to avoid any distortion of competition and to ensure equal treatment of all bidders.