Which FAR part deals with organizational conflict of interest?

FAR Part 9 addresses organizational conflicts of interest (OCI). This part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation is specifically designed to identify and mitigate situations where a contractor's ability to render unbiased and impartial advice might be compromised due to other interests or relationships.

Understanding OCI is crucial in government contracting as it ensures fairness in the procurement process. FAR Part 9 lays out the requirements for determining whether a conflict exists and stipulates how to mitigate those conflicts if they are found. This helps to maintain the integrity of the procurement system by preventing situations where the contractor might have an unfair competitive advantage or be influenced by other relationships that could affect their performance.

The other parts mentioned do not focus on OCIs. For instance, FAR Part 8 deals with required sources of supply; Part 12 pertains to commercial item acquisitions; and Part 14 relates to sealed bidding processes. None of these address the complex issues surrounding organizational conflicts of interest to the extent and detail that FAR Part 9 does.