As stewards of tax-payer funding, it is our obligation to do business in the most cost effective way, which a sole-source arrangement like this would fly in the face of. I agree that, legal issues aside, this is highly unethical.

Paula McCauley-Shelton, B.A.

Grants Manager

UAMS Department of Pediatrics

Grants Administration MS 512-1

501-364-2368 Phone

501-364-4656 Fax

xxxxxx@uams.edu

*NEW*  We've Moved! The Pediatric Grants Administration group is now located on the 3rd floor of the ACHRI Building.

-----Original Message-----
From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of Gina Betcher
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 11:08 AM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] conflict of interest?

Seems unintentionally unethical but it is most definitely. However
purchase of a kind of equipment is allowed, priced, in a budget.
Source of sale is not.
-----Original Message-----
From: "Nadler, Elsa" <xxxxxx@UTNET.UTOLEDO.EDU>
To:  <xxxxxx@hrinet.org>

Sent: 3/12/2010 11:54:52 AM
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] conflict of interest?

If you are truly under no obligation, it is probably OK, although
somewhat shady. If there is any kind of prior agreement, or even a
suggestion of one, I would consider it highly unethical, not just a
conflict of interest.

Elsa Nadler
419.383.6967

________________________________

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On
Behalf Of Maldve Regina
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 11:41 AM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: [RESADM-L] conflict of interest?

Oh Wise Ones,

Our college was approached by a for-profit organization in regards
to a
HRSA program announcement: ARRA-Equipment to enhance training for
health
professionals-health careers opportunity program.  The company is a
provider of video conferencing systems and we have purchased
products
from them in the past.  This company reached out to our learning
resources center staff and offered to provide grant writing
assistance
if they were interested in submitting a proposal for this
application.
Conveniently, they would benefit from this collaboration, given that
we
could purchase the equipment from them.  My question, is this a
conflict
of interest for a for-profit entity to solicit grant awards from
universities, offer grant writing services (presumably at no cost)
provided they are the supplier of equipment.  Obviously, we would be

under no obligation to purchase their product; wink, wink. nudge,
nudge.

Thanks for your insight.

Reg

Regina Maldve, Ph.D., CRA
Sr. Grants and Contracts Specialist
Office of the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
The University of Texas at Austin
College of Pharmacy
(512) 232-7511

Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It
takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the
opposite
direction.
~Albert Einstein

======================================================================

Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
via
our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
======================================================================

======================================================================

 Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
 subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are
available
 via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv
Lists")
======================================================================

======================================================================
 Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
 subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
 via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
======================================================================

======================================================================
 Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
 subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
 via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
======================================================================