UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
v.
INTER-TEL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.,
a corporation,
Defendant.
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CASE NO.: CR-04-399-CRB
SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF
PROBATION
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The defendant, Inter-Tel Technologies, Inc. ("Inter-Tel" or "defendant"),
a corporation organized under the laws of Arizona with its principal
place of business in Tempe, Arizona, has sold and installed telecommunications
equipment, including PBXs (Private Branch Exchange). It also provided
maintenance and other services as needed for the equipment it supplied.
The defendant offered and sold the products and services to schools
within the United States pursuant to a program operated under the auspices
of the Federal Communications Commission (the "FCC") and administered
by the Universal Services Administrative Company ("USAC"). The program,
commonly referred to as the E-Rate Program, was created by Congress
to permit schools and libraries to acquire the needed technology to
access and utilize the internet. The defendant became the subject of
a grand jury investigation arising out of doing business related to
the E-Rate Program. After having cooperated in the investigation and
seeking a mutually agreeable settlement of all claims related thereto,
the defendant has entered into a Plea Agreement with the United States
in which the defendant pleaded guilty to a two-count felony information
charging the defendant with mail fraud and aiding and abetting in violation
of 18 U.S.C. § 1341 and 2, and conspiracy to suppress and eliminate
competition in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. §
1, by conspiring with others to frustrate the public bidding process
under the E-Rate Program and submitting false and misleading information
to the Schools and Library Division of USAC ("LD") in order to receive
funding for products and services not authorized under the E-Rate Program.
To address the issues raised in the Plea Agreement concerning its conduct,
and having determined that the following conditions will constitute
reasonable and necessary steps to avoid the re-occurrence of the conduct
which was the subject of the Plea Agreement, the defendant agrees, and
the Court hereby imposes the following as a special condition of probation
for the entire three year term of probation, In so doing, the Court
is not in any way limiting the authority of any agency of the United
States to take any action permitted by law or regulation.
- Within sixty (60) days of acceptance of the Plea Agreement by the
Court, the defendant shall formally adopt a comprehensive Anti-Fraud
and Antitrust Compliance Policy (the "Compliance Policy") and shall
provide copies of said policy to the Probation Officer, FCC Enforcement
Bureau and the FCC-OIG. At a minimum, the Compliance Policy will address
the following:
- Creating an internal structure requiring high level management
oversight of all government and public entity business;
- Creating an internal system of monitoring and audits to include
steps to be taken if any employee suspects that any bid, proposal
or other company conduct is not in accordance with the company's
Compliance Policy and/or applicable law;
- Ensuring that there are at least annual reports to the FCC
Enforcement Bureau and FCC-OIG of Compliance Policy activities;
- Educating and training all responsible employees about their
obligations, including government procurement law, regulations
and procedures; criminal and civil penalties for mail fraud, wire
fraud, false statements, obstruction of justice, and false claims
and other related conduct; and the requirements for adherence
to the antitrust laws; and
- Ensuring that there are regular reports to the CEO and Board
of Directors.
- Within sixty (60) days of acceptance of the Plea Agreement by the
Court, the defendant shall designate an officer of the defendant to
be the Compliance Officer (the "Compliance Officer") responsible for
the enforcement of the Anti-Fraud and Antitrust Compliance Policy.
This shall include:
- Creating and overseeing internal policies and procedures to
ensure that all company activities involving government sponsored
or funded programs or any other business with any public entities
is conducted in accordance with applicable law.
- Ensuring that either the Compliance Officer personally or someone
under his/her direct supervision is an experienced contract manager
knowledgeable about governmental laws and regulations relating
to public sector procurement;
- Requiring the Compliance Officer and those under his/her direct
supervision to oversee the enforcement of the Anti-Fraud and Antitrust
Compliance Policy as it applies to all company activities involving
government sponsored or funded programs or any other business
with any public entities;
- Creating and overseeing an ongoing mandatory education and
training program for all officers, directors, sales, technical
staff and other employees directly involved in the preparation
of bid and related contractual materials for any government sponsored
or funded programs >or any other business with any public entities
in order to apprise them of - all governmental laws and regulations
relating to public sector procurement and the requirements of
the Compliance Policy; and
- The Compliance Officer shall ensure and certify under penalty
of perjury that all affected individuals have received such training
on at least a yearly basis and shall provide the certification
to the Probation Officer, FCC Enforcement Bureau and FCC-OIG.
- The Compliance Officer shall be the central point of contact for
(a) documenting and distributing E-Rate program requirements throughout
the company; (b) monitoring changes in the E-Rate rules and regulations
to ensure the documentation and distribution of such changes; (c)
ensuring that all employees who are involved with the E-Rate program
receive training; and (d) arranging monthly meetings with key company
executives to ensure consistent implementation of the E-Rate rules
and regulations across the company.
- The Compliance Officer's salary and other compensation, as well
as the salary and other compensation of any employees under the Compliance
Officer's supervision, shall be independent of any contracts or other
government sponsored or funded programs or other public entity business;
- The Compliance Officer shall create and oversee an internal auditing
program in which all public sector contracts shall be audited to ensure
compliance with the Compliance Program to include that bids, prices
and design specifications are appropriate and that there are no hidden
terms, side agreements or other undisclosed arrangements, and that
all bids and pricing have been done in accordance with all applicable
laws and procedures.
- The Compliance Officer shall create, oversee and promote an internal
voicemail or email hotline system in which all employees are encouraged
to report, on an anonymous basis, any believed violation of law by
any officer or employee.
- The Compliance Officer and the defendant's General Counsel shall
be responsible for monitoring the internal hotline system and undertaking
all reasonable and necessary investigations arising from any reported
matter(s).
- The General Counsel and the Compliance Officer shall, on at least
a quarterly basis, report to the defendant's CEO and Audit Committee
as to the enforcement of the Compliance Policy and the various measures
called for herein including the status of any anonymous complaints
or reports received from any employees.
- On at least an annual basis, the Compliance Officer shall make a
report to the full Board of Directors as to the status of the Compliance
Policy and the various measures called for herein.
- On at least an annual basis, the Compliance Officer shall make a
report to the Probation Officer, FCC Enforcement Bureau and FCC-OIG
as to the status of the Compliance Policy and the various measures
called for herein.
- Within sixty (60) days of acceptance of the Plea Agreement by the
Court:
- The Compliance Officer shall prepare and distribute a written
training program to be used in formal training of Inter-Tel employees
involved in the E-Rate Program, including employees involved in
accounting, finance, sales, marketing, and installations. Among
other things, this training program shall cover the following subject
matters: the application process, competitive bidding, eligible
services, service provider role and responsibilities, discounts,
service substitutions and equipment transfers, billing SLD for services,
document retention requirements, and risks of non-compliance. Within
120 days of acceptance of the Plea Agreement by the court, all employees
who are involved in the E-Rate Program must certify their completion
of the training program. All future employees involved with the
E-Rate program shall receive such training and shall certify completion
of the training program within 14 days of the date on which such
individuals are appointed or hired to such positions. These employee
certifications must be collected and maintained by the Compliance
Officer for a period of 5 years.
- The Compliance Officer shall establish an E-Rate Code of Conduct
("Code"), which will conform to this Corporate Compliance Plan and
which shall be signed by all employees involved with the E-Rate
program. All subject employees shall reaffirm annually, in writing
that they have reviewed, fully understand, and will adhere to the
Code.
- The Compliance Officer shall inform all employees involved with
the E- Rate program that any violation of E-Rate Code shall be grounds
for disciplinary action to include warning, censure, reprimand,
suspension, loss of pay and firing depending on the severity of
the violation and the repetitive nature of the misconduct.
- The Compliance Officer shall meet regularly (at least monthly) with
key executives in the following business units to ensure compliance
with all applicable internal company rules and regulations and all
E-Rate or other telecommunications program requirements: accounting,
finance, installations (i.e. service technicians), legal, marketing,
and sales.
- The Compliance Officer shall review all company bids in response
to Form 471 Applications. For each bid, the Compliance Officer will
certify that all E-Rate rules and regulations were followed in preparing
the bid and all related contractual materials. Such certifications
must be maintained by the Compliance Officer for a period of 5 years.
- The Compliance Officer shall collect Form 471 Applications from
each customer or prospective customer. The Compliance Officer or his/her
designee shall perform a reconciliation of each Form 471 Application
to the company's responsive bid and to the resulting contract or business
agreement. The Compliance Officer shall keep a copy of the resulting
reconciliation worksheet for each application and shall update it
as necessary to show any exchanges, substitutions, or cancellations.
The Compliance Officer shall maintain these reconciliation worksheets
for a period of 5 years.
- The company shall separate all E-Rate eligible and ineligible products
and services onto separate customer contracts per installation.
- In addition to any applicable FCC regulation or program requirement,
and as a condition of any future participation in the E-Rate Program
or other government sponsored or funded telecommunications programs,
the defendant agrees that the FCC Enforcement Bureau and FCC-OIG,
acting directly or through its agents, may, on an annual basis, audit
defendant's compliance with applicable laws and regulations relating
to the E-Rate or other government sponsored or funded telecommunication
programs to assure adherence to the terms and conditions of those
programs. Defendant shall bear all ordinary and reasonable costs of
any such audit(s).
- On an at least annual basis, within 30 days after the close of defendant's
fiscal year, the defendant shall file a report signed under the penalty
of perjury by the CEO with the FCC Enforcement Bureau and FCC-OIG
concerning the defendant's compliance with the Compliance Policy.
This report shall certify that all required oversight, training and
educational activities have been undertaken in accordance with the
requirements of the Compliance Policy. In the alternative, the report
shall detail any shortcomings in following the Compliance Policy and
the steps taken, and those that will be taken, to ensure compliance.
This report shall also include a detailed description of any violations
that were found during the applicable period, the steps taken to cure
the violations and any subsequent steps taken to ensure future compliance.
- The defendant agrees that should it fail to provide the reports
required herein on a timely basis, it shall be responsible for liquidated
damages to the United States in the amount of $25,000 per day until
the report is received by the FCC Enforcement Bureau and FCC-OIG.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau and FCC-OIG may require the defendant to
provide additional information as necessary concerning any incidents
or other activities contained in the annual report. If the defendant
materially fails to provide such information within the time requested
or 10 days of such request, whichever is longer, the defendant agrees
that it will continue to be liable for liquidated damages in the amount
of $25,000 per day until such information is provided to the satisfaction
of the FCC Enforcement Bureau and FCC-OIG.
- If defendant is debarred by the FCC from further participation in
the E-Rate program, defendant shall remain subject to each of the
above Special Conditions of Probation with the exception of the external
reporting requirements contained in Paragraphs l(c), 2(e), 10, 16-18.
- These Special Conditions shall apply to the defendant and to any
successors or assigns for three years from the date of sentencing.
Notwithstanding the above, if the defendant is to be sold, or if all
or substantially all of the defendant's assets are to be sold, to
an independent third party, then these Special Conditions will be
voidable following written notice as set forth below under the following
circumstances: a) The acquiring entity (or its shareholder(s)), or
individual(s) (collectively, the "Acquirer"), own in excess of 50%
of the outstanding shares of the defendant; b) Management decisions
are made as part of the new corporate structure which, by way of example
and not by way of limitation, shall mean at a minimum that at least
50% of the board of directors are appointed by the Acquirer from individuals
who have not previously been directors, officers or employees of the
defendant or its former shareholders. The new corporate structure
must provide for on-going internal review and consent by responsible
corporate officers of all business dealings with any public entity
and publicly financed or mandated program such as E-Rate. c) The Chief
Executive Officer of the acquiring entity certifies under penalty
of perjury to the Court, with copies to the Probation Officer and
United States Attorney's Office, that the new entity has a fully functioning
Corporate Compliance Program that adequately addresses the internal
oversight functions required by these Special Conditions of Probation
and provides backup documentation describing the Corporate Compliance
Program; and d) Any reports required by theses Special Conditions
are up to date and any liquidated damages due and owing under paragraph
18 have been paid in full. The United States and Probation Department
shall have up to 45 days from notice of the proposed acquisition to
evaluate the changed circumstances caused by the acquisition. Unless
there is an objection by the United States Attorney's Office or Probation
Officer, these Special Conditions shall terminate automatically at
the expiration of 45 days following the receipt of defendant's written
notice, or sooner if the United States so stipulates. If there is
an objection, the defendant may notice this matter for hearing before
this Court. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the conditions set forth
in clauses (a), (b), and (d) have been satisfied, but the condition
in clause (c) has not been satisfied, then, if the Acquirer certifies
that it has adopted a compliance program that satisfies the terms
of these Special Conditions (excluding any external reporting requirements),
then these Special Conditions shall continue to apply to the defendant
and any successors or assigns and will extend to the entire business
operations of the acquiring entity with the exception of the external
reporting requirements contained in Paragraphs l(c), 2(e), 10, and
16-18.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated:
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______________________________
HONORABLE CHARLES B. BREYER
United States District Court Judge |
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