(a) Except as provided in §§ 73.735-502 and 73.735-506, an employee shall not directly or indirectly solicit or accept anything of monetary value, including gifts, gratuities, favors, entertainment or loans from a person who the employee knows, or should know because of the nature of the employee's work:

(1) Has, or is seeking to obtain, contractual or other business or financial relations with the employee's principal operating component, or sub-unit thereof; or with a component of the Department with respect to which the employee has official duties;

(2) Conducts operations or activities that are regulated by the employee's principal operating component, or sub-unit thereof or by a component of the Department with respect to which the employee has official duties; or

(3) Has interests that may be substantially affected by the performance or non-performance of the employee's official duties.

(b) Employees may not designate a person or an organization, including charitable or non-profit organizations, to accept any gift which an employee is prohibited from accepting directly.