If your office is certifying the proposal and providing assurances on
lobbying then you do not want to be put in the position of constantly
distinguishyng between general public relations support of your
institution (soft lobbying) and more substantial cultivation of
support which might involve hospitality, entertainment and the
transfer of something of reportable value (hard lobbying). If
sponsored projects does not lobby it does not have aconflict of
interest in making the assurance or documenting the cases were a
lobby effort is supported by the institution.