No conflict of interest or appearance of conflict of interest will be allowed.

(a) Description. A conflict of interest occurs in a situation in which a person or entity has a competing, or the appearance of a competing, personal, professional, or financial interest that makes it difficult for the person or entity to act impartially. For purposes of this subpart, interactions among the following individuals constitute a conflict of interest or appearance of a conflict of interest:

(1) Applicant Board, employees, consultants, and contractors.

(2) Recipient Board, employees, consultants, and contractors.

(3) Center Board, employees, consultants, and contractors.

(4) Subrecipients and their employees, consultants, and contractors.

(5) Immediate family members of those listed in paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section.

(b) Written disclosure. Recipients must comply with 2 CFR 400.2(b), which requires written disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest and maintaining written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the performance of its employees in the selection, award, and administration of Federal Awards.

(c) Assistance to employees, relatives, and associates. The Agency will process any requests for assistance under this subpart in accordance with 7 CFR part 1900, subpart D.

(d) Member/delegate clause. No member of or delegate to Congress shall receive any share or part of this grant or any benefit that may arise therefrom; but this provision shall not be construed to bar, as a contractor under the grant, a publicly held corporation whose ownership might include a member of Congress.