BICSI Standards Program Antitrust Policy

It is the policy of the BICSI Standards Program strictly to comply with the antitrust laws and regulations of the United States and any other jurisdiction applicable to BICSI standards meetings, programs or activities. Any discussion or conduct in violation of such laws or regulations should be avoided.

Discussions should never include the following topics:

• Individual company current or projected prices, price changes, price differentials, markups, discounts, allowances, terms and conditions of sale (including credit terms), or data that bears on prices, including profits, margins or cost.
• Individual company bids or intentions to bid for particular products, procedures for responding to bid invitations or specific contractual arrangements.
• Plans of individual companies concerning the design, characteristics, production, distribution, marketing, or introduction dates of particular products, including proposed territories or customers.
• The appearance of or agreement to—individually or as a group—boycott, sanction or endorse one or more suppliers, vendors, customers, or other entities or individuals.
• The airing, distributing, communicating or other actions that provide compliments, complaints, or other opinions about entities and individuals that might tend to hinder competition.
• Any other matter forbidden by law.
  

An antitrust violation does not require proof of a formal agreement. For example, a discussion of a sensitive topic, such as price, followed by action by those involved or present at the discussion is enough to show a price-fixing conspiracy.

As a result, those attending a BICSI standards meeting should remember the importance of avoiding not only unlawful activities, but even the appearance of unlawful activity. Additionally, participants and guests are reminded not to discuss or exchange information regarding the above matters—even in jest—during social gatherings accompanying BICSI-sanctioned meetings.