Los Alamos National Laboratory respects employee rights to voluntarily participate in the political process and encourages employees to foster active responsible citizenship. Such activities may include civic projects, participating in public-issue campaigns, and making personal political contributions. Employees are to engage in personal political activities on their own time and using their own resources. It is also important that employees make it clear that their personal views and actions are not those of Triad.
Lobbying activity covers a broad range of formal and informal contacts and communications at the Federal, state, and local government level. Triad is subject to prohibitions on using appropriated funds to conduct any lobbying activities, and Triad and its subcontractors are prohibited from charging the government for the costs of influencing or attempting to influence any elected or government official in connection with contract, grant, or cooperative agreement actions.
Laboratory staff may have routine interactions with federal agencies unrelated to a specific solicitation or funding opportunity. When it is not related to a specific solicitation, it is permissible to have discussions regarding the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the Laboratory’s products or services, or the terms and conditions of sale, and technical discussions and other activities regarding the application or adaptation of Triad’s products or services. If conducted prior to a formal solicitation, it is acceptable to provide unsolicited information necessary for an agency to make an informed decision about the initiation of a contract action and to have technical discussions regarding the preparation of an unsolicited proposal prior to submission.
Summary of Policy
Los Alamos National Laboratory neither encourages nor discourages employee discussion of political beliefs or participation in political activities. A Laboratory worker, who communicates with an elected official on Laboratory time using Laboratory resources, must clear such communication in advance with his or her Associate Laboratory Director and Communications and External Affairs-Division Office (CEA-DO). P725, Political Activities and Interactions with Elected Officials, describes political activities that are allowed and prohibited for Triad employees.
Do the Right Thing
- Gain appropriate approvals for communicating with elected officials when using Laboratory time and resources.
- Report any activity that violates Laboratory policy regarding political activities.
- Avoid the appearance of representing the Laboratory when communicating with elected officials without prior authorization.
- Do not lobby or engage in campaigning activities on Laboratory-operated property or in any Laboratory-occupied building.
- Do not use Laboratory equipment and/or resources including photographs, tapes, duplication services, mail services, and bulletin boards for political purposes.
Common Questions
Employees may discuss political views within the guidelines of P721-1, Respectful Workplace and Prohibition Against Harassment.
Employees are prohibited from campaigning. This includes:
- engaging in any overt display or demonstration on Laboratory property that has the effect of political campaigning, including wearing campaign buttons, hats, shirts, or other apparel on Laboratory-owned or Laboratory-leased property for such purposes.
- displaying or parking a campaign mobile on Laboratory property. A campaign mobile is any vehicle that has been modified with the intention to convert the vehicle into a mobile campaign advertisement including the display of a large campaign sign or billboard or vehicles covered by a graphic vehicle wrap. A traditional bumper sticker would not meet the definition of a campaign mobile.
No. You may not use Laboratory resources, including laptops and software, to create material for a political campaign.
You should delete the email. It is out of your control if messages are inadvertently sent to your Laboratory email. However, you cannot forward those messages using government resources.
The Laboratory neither encourages nor discourages donations to campaigns. However, restrictions on campaign donations do not apply to Triad employees acting in their personal capacity.