Considerations When a Request for Approval Is Submitted

There are a number of criteria governing concurrent employment and professional engagements. For example, employees generally may not:

  • Sacrifice, hamper, or impede their normal duties at SLAC.
  • Perform work for the outside entity on SLAC work time or using Stanford, SLAC, and/or DOE resources or property (including, for example, SLAC email, computers, network, copiers, phones, etc.).
  • Serve as a principal investigator (PI) or any other participant (compensated or uncompensated) in a proposal to DOE that is submitted by the outside entity.
  • Perform work at SLAC that overlaps with work the employee performs for the outside entity. To the extent the employee performs technical work at SLAC and for the outside entity, the employee shall not perform similar technical work without prior written approval of SLAC.
  • Perform duties at SLAC that involve them in any way with the outside entity. For example, the employee may not enter into a Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA) with the outside entity on behalf of SLAC. As another example, the employee may not recommend the outside entity as a vendor/supplier for SLAC or Stanford, or direct SLAC/Stanford procurements to the outside entity.
  • Advise the outside entity on a proposal for which SLAC and/or Stanford qualifies or a proposal for which the employee is also advising DOE. 
  • Perform work on behalf of both SLAC/Stanford and the outside entity pursuant to a proposal or other collaboration between SLAC/Stanford and the entity.
  • Use their position at SLAC to provide an unfair competitive advantage to the outside entity, such as:
    • advising the outside entity regarding preparation of a bid, offer, or unsolicited proposal to SLAC,
    • using work performed as a SLAC employee for the benefit of the outside entity, or
    • sharing non-published information generated at SLAC with the outside entity.
  • Participate in a Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Program of a Foreign Country of Risk, or in a Foreign Government or Entity Sponsored or Affiliated Activity of a Foreign Country of Risk (for more information, please see DOE Definition of a Foreign Country of Risk and Attachment 1 - DOE Order 486.1A  (SLAC login required). DOE Order 486.1A Frequently Asked Questions also contains good information.
  • Work for another DOE national laboratory (this is generally impermissible consulting; the work should be done through an MPO/Memorandum Purchase Order to SLAC).
  • Appear to subject DOE or SLAC to public criticism or embarrassment. 

Additional considerations include (but are not limited to):

  • Avoidance of unfair competitive advantage for the outside firm/entity;
  • Separation of SLAC and private interests;
  • Protection of information not yet in the public domain;
  • Non-competition with SLAC projects (e.g., no conflict between the scope of work for the entity and current or future SLAC research activities; the work for the entity is not work that SLAC could be performing; etc.); and
  • Prohibition against the use of SLAC facilities, equipment, or work time for any purpose other than official SLAC business.

The Checklist for Review of Proposed Outside Activity can be used to help assess a proposed outside activity.

Please email conflictsofinterest@slac.stanford.edu with any questions.