§ 73.735-708 - Administrative approval of certain outside activities.

§ 73.735-708 Administrative approval of certain outside activities.

(a) Scope. As specified in § 73.735-704 through 707, an employee is required to obtain advance administrative approval to engage in the following outside activities:

(1) Certain writing or editing activities;

(2) Certain types of teaching and lecturing;

(3) All professional and consultative services;

(4) Any other outside activity for which the head of a principal operating component or the head of a sub-unit of a principal operating component imposes internal requirements for administrative approval; and

(5) Certain office-holding activities in professional societies.

(b) Requests for Administrative Approval. An employee seeking to engage in any of the activities for which advance approval is required shall make a written request for administrative approval a reasonable time before beginning the activity. (See § 73.735-202(e)(1)). This request should be directed to the employee's supervisor who will forward it to the official authorized to approve outside work requests for the employee's component. The request should include the following information:

(1) Employee's name, position title, grade or rank;

(2) Nature of the activity, fully describing the specific duties or services for which approval is requested;

(3) Name and business of person or organization for which work will be done, or statement that work will be self-employment. If self-employment, employee must state whether activity will be conducted alone or with partners;

(4) Place where work will be performed;

(5) Estimated total time to be devoted to activity. If on a continuing basis, indicate estimated time per year and the anticipated termination date;

(6) Whether services can be performed entirely outside of usual duty hours. If not, the estimated number of hours absent from work should be indicated;

(7) Method or basis of compensation if any (e.g., fee, per diem, per annum, or other).

(8) Where an employee seeks approval to provide consultative or professional services to organizations including governments which have been awarded or may apply for a Federal grant or contract, the request shall also include full details on any aspect of the professional and consultative services which could relate in any way, either directly or indirectly, to grant applications, contract proposals, program reports, and other material which are designed to become the subject of dealings between the grantee or contractor and the Government. (See § 73.735-704(a)(2))

(c) The Department Ethics Counselor will review and approve outside work requests for Executive level officers, non-career executives, deputy ethics counselors, and Schedule C employees in the Office of the Secretary.

(d) Granting Approval of Certain Activities. The approving official shall review each request submitted under paragraph (b) of this section, and appraise each request on the basis of the standards of this part and all other applicable laws, regulations or internal rules of the principal operating component or sub-unit thereof. He or she should consult with a deputy ethics counselor or the Department Ethics Counselor in all cases that raise a difficult or novel question of law or fact. The approving official shall approve or disapprove each request and communicate his or her decision in writing to the employee.