Notice To Rescind Indian Health Service Circular No. 90-01, "Outside Activities," Indian Health Manual

Refer to: OHR

During an Indian Health Service (IHS) program review, the Office of Human Resources (OHR) Ethics Staff identified the following policy for rescission for the reasons listed.

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) issued a final rule establishing the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, 5 C.F.R. Part 2635, effective February 3, 1993. Subsequently, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct and Financial Disclosure Requirements for Employees of HHS, 5 C.F.R. Parts 5501 and 5502, which became effective on July 30, 1996. Accordingly, 5 CFR Parts 2635, 5501, and 5502 supersede most of 45 C.F.R. Part 73, including Subpart G under which Circular No. 90-01 was issued. The policy in Circular No. 90-01 is inconsistent with the OGE ethics rules and regulations, as supplemented by HHS, which establishes uniform rules applicable to all HHS employees. Therefore, Circular No. 90-01 is rescinded.

This notice rescinds IHS Circular No. 90-01, “Outside Activities,” Indian Health Manual (IHM), dated February 13, 1990. The functions of coordinating events between IHS Headquarters and IHS Areas are now uniformly under the Standards and Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct.

Please discard your copies and any file copies of the above-listed IHM policy at your earliest convenience.

/P. Benjamin Smith/
P. Benjamin Smith, M.B.A., M.A.
Acting Director
Indian Health Service

Distribution: IHS-wide
Date: 11/07/2025