(a) Waiver of OCIs. The need for a waiver of any OCI in connection with the award or continuation of specific contracts may be identified either by the contracting officer for the Board or other Board employee or by a written request filed by an offeror or contractor with the contracting officer. The request may be combined with the certificate or disclosure required under §§ 1706.6 or 1706.7, or with additional statements filed under § 1706.7 regarding matters raised in the certificate or disclosure. The contracting officer shall review all of the relevant facts brought to his attention and shall bring the matter to the General Manager, who shall make a written recommendation to the Chairman of the Board regarding whether a waiver should be granted for a contract award or for continuation of an existing contract.

(b) Criteria for Waiver of OCIs. (1) The Chairman is authorized to waive any OCI (and the corresponding provision of § 1706.5 where applicable) upon a determination that awarding or extending the particular contract, or not terminating the particular contract, would be in the best interests of the Government. Issuance of a waiver shall ordinarily be limited to those situations in which:

(i) The work to be performed under contract is vital to the Board program;

(ii) The work cannot be satisfactorily performed except by a contractor or offeror whose interests give rise to a question of OCI; and

(iii) Contractual and/or technical review and supervision methods can be employed by the Board to mitigate the conflict.

(2) The Chairman is also authorized to waive any OCI (and the corresponding provision of § 1706.5 where applicable), without regard to the foregoing factors, if the Chairman determines, notwithstanding the existence of the OCI, that it is in best interests of the Government to award or extend the particular contract, or not to terminate it, without compliance with § 1706.8(b)(1).

(c) Waiver of Rules or Procedures. The Chairman is also authorized to waive any rules or procedures contained in this part upon a determination that application of the rules or procedures in a particular situation would not be in the best interests of the Government. Any request for such a waiver must be in writing and shall describe the basis for the waiver.

(d) Office of General Counsel. Waivers of OCIs or of any rule or procedure contained in this part shall be made after consultation with the Office of General Counsel.

(e) Federal Register. Except as otherwise provided in § 1706.8(c), notice of each waiver granted under this section shall be published in the Federal Register with an explanation of the basis for the waiver. In the discretion of the Board, notices of instances of avoidance of OCIs may also be published in the Federal Register.