Awards Issues

May you accept an award from your host organization? Well, by now you can guess that the answer is...maybe.

You may accept a bona fide award with an aggregate market value of $200 or less given for meritorious public service or achievement by a person who does not have interests that may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of your official duties, or by an association or other organization the majority of whose members do not have such interests.

Awards valued in excess of $200 and awards of cash or investment interests or an honorary degree from an institution of higher education may be accepted upon a written determination by an agency ethics official that the award is made as part of an established program of recognition. (See 5 C.F.R. 2635.204(d) for more information...here's a link)

Now, the reason for awards even being an issue is that there is another criminal law (18 U.S.C. 209) that prohibits you from accepting compensation from any organization other than the Government for your official duties. So, generally, you probably can't accept an award from your host organization for doing your IPA work. Check with an ethics official to be sure.