FAO Procurement
 

Vendor Sanctions

As part of an Organization-wide effort to ensure integrity in its procurement activities, as of January 2014, FAO has introduced a Vendor Sanctions policy to which all suppliers are subject. FAO observes the UN Supplier Code of Conduct and strictly enforces a zero tolerance policy regarding fraud in all its manifestations. Any bidders, vendors, or implementing partners, as well as their agents, that following an investigation are determined to have been involved with Sanctionable Actions by the FAO Vendor Sanctions Committee ("VSC"), will be sanctioned by the Organization.
 
Sanctionable Actions include:

  • Corruption, which means the offering, giving, receiving or soliciting, directly or indirectly, of anything of value whether tangible or intangible to improperly influence the actions of another party;
  • Fraud, which means any act or omission, including misrepresentation that knowingly or recklessly misleads, or attempts to mislead, a party to obtain a financial and/or other benefit and/or to avoid an obligation;
  • Collusion, which means an arrangement between two or more parties designed to achieve an improper purpose, including influencing improperly the actions of another party;
  • Coercion, which means impairing or harming, or threatening to impair or harm, directly or indirectly, any party or the property of the party to influence improperly the actions of a party;
  • Unethical practice, which means any practice contrary to the conflict of interest, gifts and hospitality or post-employment FAO policy, as well as any provisions or other published requirements of doing business with the Organization, including the UN Supplier Code of Conduct; and
  • Obstruction, which means acts or omissions by a Third Party that may prevent or hinder the work of Investigation Unit of the Office of the Inspector General.

The VSC will consider allegations made against a bidder, vendor or implementing partner doing business with FAO, and will provide that entity a reasonable period of time to respond to the allegations and to present explanations and evidence. Sanctions proceedings will be guided by the FAO Vendor Sanctions Procedures.

If you are named a Third Party respondent in a sanctions proceeding, please click here for an overview of your responsibilities.

Sanctions range from censure to permanent debarment. Debarred bidders, vendors or implementing partners may not have any type of business relationship with FAO. The Organization shares information on sanctioned vendors through the common procurement portal for the United Nations System, UN Global Marketplace. FAO Sanctions are separate from any actions that may be taken by any government or international organization under applicable laws.