General Counsel

National Archives
Ethics Program

The National Archives' ethics program is administered by members of the Office of General Counsel staff. This section of the web site provides information concerning specific elements of our ethics program, including:

  • the financial disclosure process;
  • the approval process for certain kinds of outside employment, business, and professional activities;
  • the regulation of political activities of Federal employees;
  • the process by which the Office of General Counsel makes conflict-of-interest determinations regarding official travel that is reimbursed by non-Federal sources;
  • the statutes and regulations concerning ethical conduct;
  • contact information; and
  • additional ethics resources.

Financial Disclosure

Office of Government Ethics Form 450 Website

  • Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450)
  • Confidential Certificate of No New Interests (Executive Branch) (OGE Optional Form 450-A)
    (Office of Government Ethics Optional Form 450-A)
  • Filling Instructions
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Office of Government Ethics SF-278 Form Website

  • Public Financial Disclosure Report (SF-278)
  • Filling Instructions
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Outside Employment, Business, and Professional Activities

Political Activities of Federal Employees

The following web pages describe restrictions on political activities by Federal employees:

Reimbursed Travel

Conflict of Interest Checklist Authority: 41 C.F.R. § 304-1.5

Standard: "Payment from a non-Federal source shall not be accepted if the authorized agency official determines that acceptance under the circumstances would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of all the facts relevant to a particular case to question the integrity of agency programs or operations."

See the Conflict of Interest Checklist.

Statutes and Regulations Concerning Ethical Conduct

Conflict-of-Interest Statutes (18 U.S.C. §§ 201-09, 216)

Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. pt. 2635)

Procurement Integrity (FAR § 3.104)

Ethics Program Contact Information

E-mail Address: ethics@nara.gov

Office of General Counsel Ethics Contacts

Additional Resources

Office of General Counsel Ethics Library

United States Office of Government Ethics

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