McMASTER UNIVERSITY

Complete Policy Title: CONFIDENTIALITY
Policy Number (if applicable): P-130
Approved by: COG
Date of Most Recent Approval: October, 1996
Revision Date(s):
Position Responsible for Developing
and Maintaining the Policy:		 Director, Purchasing Resources
Contact Department:PURCHASING RESOURCES
DISCLAIMER: If there is a discrepancy between this electronic policy and the written copy held by the Policy owner, the written copy prevails.
POLICY:

  1. PURPOSE

    To identify the confidential nature of purchasing and purchasing-related transactions.

  2. SCOPE

    This policy applies to all McMaster University Employees.

  3. GENERAL

    It is recognised that most of the transactions relating to Purchasing are of a confidential nature--especially with regard to our suppliers.

    It is considered unethical as well as damaging to the University's position to allow University proprietary information about one supplier's quotation to pass to another supplier. This possibility is discussed in this manual under Supplier Relations, where the passage of information of this type is prohibited. There are, however, other less direct methods which should be considered. Overheard telephone calls, documents on desks during supplier interviews, and conversations between Purchasing Officers within hearing of suppliers in other offices are some examples. An awareness of this sort of situation should be created so that it may be avoided.

    Passage of pricing informtion from an employee of the University to an employee of a competitor is not only unethical, but is likely to be in violation of one or more of the various antitrust laws and should be scrupulously avoided.

    All files within the Purchasing Resouces Department are to be maintained in an up-to-date and confidential manner. Access to these files and any other documentation found within the department shall be restricted to those authorised by the Director, Purchasing Resouces.

The electronic copy of this policy is maintained by CIS