UTA Policy and Update on Combating Trafficking In Persons
The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) opposes human trafficking, sex trafficking, forced labor in any form and all trafficking-related activities. These activities are inherently harmful, contrary to the University’s core values, and may violate applicable foreign, United States, state, and/or local laws.
The U.S. government has adopted a policy prohibiting trafficking in persons, which includes sex trafficking, forced labor, and trafficking-related activities. Trafficking in persons (or human trafficking), includes the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of persons for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. It also includes sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform a commercial sex act is under 18 years old.
As a recipient of federal funds from grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts (collectively, “Federal Awards”), UTA is required to comply with the U.S. policy regarding Combating Trafficking in Persons and must inform its employees and agents of the U.S. government’s policy and UTA’s responsibilities under the policy.
The US policy regarding Combating Trafficking in Persons is primarily implemented through Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement (DFARS) provisions, which accompany certain Federally funded grants and contracts to UTA, and reinforced by the End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act of 2022.
FAR 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons, requires that a Compliance Plan must be maintained for the duration of the performance of the contract, for any portion of the contract that (a) Is for supplies, other than commercially available off-the-shelf items, acquired outside the United States, or services to be performed outside the United States; and (b) has an estimated value that exceeds $550,000.
If applicable, a listed Principal Investigator will be made aware prior to the execution of an agreement subject to the Compliance Plan requirement. UTA Research Administration acting through its Office of Grants and Contract Services (OGCS) will determine the need for a Compliance Plan. Persons designated by the Associate Vice President for Research and Senior Director, OGCS, will meet with the Principal Investigator to explain the obligations. If applicable, a listed Principal Investigator will be responsible for knowledge of and the implementation of a Compliance Plan, from and after the date for which a Compliance Plan is effective.
Principal Investigators must immediately report any information they receive from any source that alleges an employee or subcontractor employee has violated the policy against Combating Trafficking In Persons by calling OGCS at 817-272-2105 or making a report by sending an email to ogcs@uta.edu, with the SUBJECT LINE: HUMAN TRAFFICKING REPORT.
Employees are expected to report any credible information of violations of any applicable Compliance Plan and/or FAR 52.222-50(b), without fear of retaliation, by calling OGCS at 817-272-2105 or making a report by sending an email to ogcs@uta.edu with the SUBJECT LINE: HUMAN TRAFFICKING REPORT.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact 911 or your local law enforcement. If you are in Arlington or at a UTA campus or UTA related location, you may also contact the UTA Police at its Emergency line, (817) 272-3003.
Violations of an applicable Compliance Plan and applicable laws may result in disciplinary actions, including but not limited to, removal from the contract up to termination of employment.
All subrecipients and vendors will have the FAR/DFARS clauses as applicable incorporated into (“flowed down”) their subawards or purchase orders. Subrecipients must flow down the Combating Trafficking in Persons clauses to any of their subcontractors.
Subrecipients and vendors will receive a copy of any applicable Compliance Plan and be bound to the same requirements as UTA. Violations of any Compliance Plan and/or US Combatting Trafficking in Persons policy may result in subaward termination.
All subrecipients and vendors will be required to certify compliance with an applicable Compliance Plan.
Research Administration
202 E. Border Street, Suite 216 • Box 19145 • Arlington, TX 76019-0145