Ethics & Conflict of Interest Policy
The Center for Federal Accountability audits the State. Therefore, we cannot be funded by the State. Our independence is our only currency.
1. Financial Independence
To maintain absolute objectivity, the CFA adheres to a strict "Zero-Funding" mandate regarding the United States Government.
- No Federal Grants: We do not apply for, nor will we accept, discretionary grants from any federal agency.
- No Direct Contracts: The CFA does not bid on federal contracts. We are not a government contractor.
- No Lobbying: We do not engage in lobbying activities. We provide data; we do not trade influence.
Why this matters: We cannot be "defunded" in retaliation for a critical report, because we were never funded by them in the first place.
2. The "Ethical Firewall" (Corporate Services)
The CFA operates a Corporate Services division that provides pre-audit assessments to private vendors. To prevent "pay-to-play" accusations, we maintain a strict firewall between our Revenue and Editorial divisions.
The Iron Rule
Hiring the CFA for a private assessment does not guarantee a passing grade on our public dashboards.
Separation of Data
Our Editorial Board does not have access to the client list of our Corporate Services division. Public investigations are triggered solely by data signals, not client status.
3. Researcher Standards
Our staff often identify "Material Weaknesses" in publicly traded government contractors before the market knows.
- The "No Equity" Rule: CFA researchers and editors are prohibited from holding individual stock or equity positions in the specific government contractors they investigate.
- The "Revolving Door" Ban: We do not hire active-duty federal employees. Former federal employees must undergo a 12-month "cooling off" period before auditing their former agency.
4. Corrections & Retractions
We do not remove findings because they are embarrassing. We only remove findings that are proven factually incorrect by verifiable artifacts.
The Standard of Proof: If an Agency or Vendor claims a finding is an error, they must provide the specific artifact (e.g., the signed ATO letter, the Federal Register URL) that contradicts our data. If the evidence validates their claim, we will issue a correction and update the Scorecard immediately.