Helen is a FEMA employee. Her friend is working on a proposal for a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Question

Question: Helen is a FEMA employee. Her friend is working on a proposal for a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contract bid solicitation related to pandemic influenza. During a social event, Helen mentions some facts to her friend that are contained in internal, nonpublic agency information about a recent pandemic influenza exercise that might help her friend’s in putting together a technical proposal for the bi Is this a violation of ethics rules?

Options:

1.  No, because the documents were not provided to Helen’s friend.
2.  Yes, Helen cannot reveal internal, nonpublic information to her friend.
3.  No, because the proposal is being submitted to HHS rather than FEMA.
4.  Yes, because Helen should not be associated with anyone who provides contractual services to the Federal agencies.

Answer 1

2. Yes, Helen cannot reveal internal, nonpublic information to her friend.

Helen is a FEMA employee. Her friend is working on a proposal for a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contract bid solicitation related to pandemic influenza.

During a social event, Helen mentions some facts to her friend that are contained in internal, nonpublic agency information about a recent pandemic influenza exercise that might help her friend’s in putting together a technical proposal for the bid.

Yes, this is violation of ethics rules. Helen cannot reveal internal, nonpublic information to her friend.