Vendor / Supplier Code of Conduct

All USF vendor/suppliers must meet the following minimum requirements in order to do business with USF. USF is committed to conducting its procurement transactions business in an ethical, legal and socially responsible manner. USF expects its vendors/suppliers to share this commitment and, therefore, has established a Vendor/Supplier Code of Conduct.

Monitoring & Compliance

All vendors/suppliers to USF must conduct audits and inspections to insure their compliance with the Vendor/Supplier Code of Conduct and applicable legal requirements. If a vendor/supplier identifies areas of non-compliance, the vendor/supplier agrees to notify Purchasing & Ancillary Services (PaAS) as to its plans to remedy any such non-compliance. USF or its representatives may engage in monitoring activities to confirm Vendor/Supplier's compliance to this Vendor/Supplier Code of Conduct, including on-site inspections of facilities, use of questionnaires, review of publicly available information, or other measures necessary to assess supplier's performance. Any vendor/supplier or USF employee that becomes aware of violations of this policy is obligated to notify PaAS. Based on the assessment of information made available to the USF, USF reserves the right (in addition to all other legal and contractual rights) to disqualify any potential vendor/supplier or terminate any relationship with any current vendor/supplier found to be in violation of this Vendor/Supplier Code of Conduct without liability to USF.

A. Unauthorized Solicitations

Vendors/suppliers of USF are to comply with the following guidelines relating to access to University facilities, offices, departments, and employees. No vendor/supplier shall use the USF's computer system, including its electronic mail system and Internet site, for the purpose of sending unsolicited electronic mail messages to the community. Vendors/Suppliers are not permitted to use USF’s intramural mail system for unauthorized solicitation to employees. Vendors/Suppliers must receive prior written authorization from the Executive Director of PaAS for on-site campus visits or to hold on-campus trade shows, exhibits, or product demonstrations.

B. Compliance with Laws, Regulations and Published Standards

All vendors/suppliers to USF must comply with all applicable laws, codes or regulations of the countries, states and localities in which they operate. This includes, but is not limited to, laws and regulations relating to environmental, occupational health and safety, and labor practices. In addition, USF vendors/suppliers must require their suppliers (including temporary labor agencies) to do the same.

C. Environmental Practices

All vendor/suppliers to the USF shall comply with all environmental laws and regulations applicable to their operations worldwide. Such compliance shall include, among other things, the following items:

  • Obtaining and maintaining environmental permits and timely filing of required reports
  • Proper handling and disposition of hazardous materials
  • Monitoring, controlling and treating discharges generated from operations

D. Occupational Health and Safety Practices

All vendors/suppliers to USF are expected to provide their employees with a safe and healthy working environment in order to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, linked with, or occurring in the course of work or as a result of the operation of the supplier. Vendors/Suppliers shall, among other things, provide:

  • Occupational health and safety training
  • A system for injury and illness reporting
  • Medical treatment and/or compensation to injured/ill workers arising as a result of working for supplier
  • Machine safeguarding and other protective measures to prevent injuries/illnesses to workers
  • Clean and safe facilities

E. Labor Practices

All vendors/suppliers to USF are expected to adopt sound labor practices and treat their workers fairly in accordance with local laws and regulations. In addition, vendors/suppliers must comply with the following standards:

  • Freely Chosen Employment – Vendors/Suppliers shall not use any forced labor, whether in the form of prison labor, indentured labor, bonded labor or otherwise.
  • No Child Labor – Vendors/Suppliers shall comply with local minimum working age laws and requirements and not employ child labor.
  • Minimum Wages – Vendors/Suppliers shall provide wages for regular and overtime work and benefits that meet or exceed legal requirements.
  • Working Hours – Vendors/Suppliers shall not require workers to work more than the maximum hours of daily labor set by local laws.
  • No Harsh, Inhumane Treatment or Abuse – Vendors/Suppliers shall treat each employee with dignity and respect. In no event shall vendor/supplier's workers be subject to threats of violence, physical punishment, confinement or other form of physical, sexual, psychological or verbal harassment or abuse.
  • No Discrimination – Vendors/Suppliers shall not discriminate in its employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, physical disability, national origin, creed or any other basis prohibited by law.
  • Freedom of Association – Vendors/Suppliers shall recognize and respect the rights of its workers to organize in labor unions in accordance with local labor laws and established practices.

F. Ethical Business Practices

All vendors/suppliers to USF are expected to conduct their businesses in accordance with the highest standards of ethical behavior and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Vendors/Suppliers are expected to conform to these requirements in each of the following areas:

  • Fair Trade Practices – Vendors/Suppliers shall not engage in collusive bidding, price fixing, price discrimination or other unfair trade practices in violation of antitrust laws.
  • Bribery, Kickbacks and Fraud - No funds or assets of the vendor/supplier shall be paid, loaned or otherwise disbursed as bribes, "kickbacks", or other payments designed to influence or compromise the conduct of USF.
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - While laws and customs vary throughout the world, all suppliers must comply with foreign legal requirements and United States laws that apply to foreign operations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act generally makes it unlawful to give anything of value to foreign government officials, foreign political parties, party officials, or candidates for public office for the purposes of obtaining or retaining business.
  • Intellectual Property Rights – Vendors/Suppliers shall respect the intellectual property rights of others, especially USF, its affiliates and business partners. Vendors/Suppliers shall take appropriate steps to safeguard and maintain confidential and proprietary information of USF and shall use such information only for the purposes specified for use by USF. Vendors/Suppliers shall observe and respect all USF patents, trademarks and copyrights and comply with all requirements as to their use as established by USF. Vendors/Suppliers shall not transmit confidential or proprietary information of USF via the Internet unless such information is encrypted in accordance with minimum standards established by USF.

G. Export Sanctions and Terrorist Activities

All vendors/suppliers to USF must abide by all economic sanctions or trade embargoes that the United States has adopted, whether they apply to foreign countries, political organizations or particular foreign individuals and entities. Vendors/Suppliers should not directly or indirectly engage in or support any terrorist activity. Neither vendors/suppliers nor any of their affiliates, nor any officer or director of the vendor/supplier or any of its affiliates, should be included on any lists of terrorists or terrorist organizations compiled by the United States government or any other national or international body, including but not limited to: (i) the U.S. Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals List, (ii) the U.S. State Department's Terrorist Exclusion List, (iii) the United Nations List Pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1390 (2002) and Paragraphs 4(B) or Resolution 1267(1999) and 8(C) of Resolution 1333 (2000), and (iv) the European Union List Implementing Article (2)(3) of Regulation (EC) No. 2580/2001 on Specific Restrictive Measures Directed Against Certain Persons and Entities with a View to Combating Terrorism.