Conflict of interest
COI / COI · Conflict of interest declaration
A conflict of interest exists when a person's private interests or relationships could improperly influence a procurement decision, or appear to do so.
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Simply put
What it means in ordinary work
It is a situation where personal and work interests overlap. Declaring and managing it protects the individual and the decision.
Why it matters
Undisclosed conflicts undermine fairness and can lead to fraud, legal challenge and reputational harm. A clear process encourages early disclosure.
A hypothetical in practice
A hypothetical evaluation panel member has a close relative working for a bidder. The member declares the relationship, leaves the evaluation and receives no confidential bid information.
Common pitfalls
A conflict can be perceived as well as actual. The appearance of bias still needs management.
A declaration without a management action is not enough. Record the mitigation and decision.
Regional lens
How this lands where you work
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As-of date for date-sensitive regional content: 5 November 2026. Read the review policy.