Conflict of Interest Policy

As a MOHT staff or a representative of an MOHT project, we each have an obligation to act in the best interest of MOHT. We seek to avoid situations where there may be real or perceived conflicts of interest, which may arise when a member’s personal interests conflict with those of MOHT. This Policy is a subsidiary document governed by MOHT Procurement Manual. It aims to protect both MOHT and you from any appearance of impropriety arising from issues related to conflict of interest.

Under this Policy, you are required to declare any conflict of interest with any vendor that has participated in the MOHT Request for Quotation (RFQ), or MOHT Request for Proposal (RFP), or MOHT Tender that you are sourcing or evaluating or negotiating. This will apply to your role in the RFQ or RFP or Tender as the Purchasing Officer, or as a member of the Evaluation/Negotiation Committee.

For the purpose of such declarations, “interest” is understood as any financial or personal interests (whether actual or perceived) with the participating vendors that might influence your judgement and actions as a Purchasing Officer, or as a member of the Evaluation/Negotiation Committee. Financial interests are in the form of shareholding, partnerships or investments or financial support to any participating vendor. Personal interests include the involvement of self or an immediate family member in any of the participating vendors’ operation either as a shareholder, employee or person(s) of managerial positions. For the avoidance of doubt, shareholding in public listed companies shall be exempted from this declaration.

In addition, you shall declare any sponsorship, gift, favour from any participating vendor, in any capacity, within or outside MOHT in the past 12 months – and with the understanding that these favours, gifts, sponsorship are deemed as conflict of interest.

If there is potential conflict of interest declared, the Approving Authority shall determine in writing to you on the next steps on a case-by-case basis.

As the Purchasing Officer, or as a member of the Evaluation/ Negotiation committee, you must not do the following during the Proposal Evaluation until the formal announcement of the award:

• Communicate with the participating vendors directly. All communications with the participating vendors should be via the designated email; or

• Receive any gratuity, gifts or hospitality or any form of inducement from the participating vendors; or

• Meet with any participating vendor in relation to the RFQ/RFP/Tender exercise, unless conducted as part of the procurement process and conducted in a formal meeting or discussion.

All declarations related to conflict of interest shall be made via MOHT’s online form, and not by other means, at https://www.for.sg/mohtcoi ↗ (opens in new tab)