AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
PALM SPRINGS - RANCHO MIRAGE - CATHEDRAL CITY

Vendor Ethics and Procedure Statement

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians ("ACBCI"), a federally recognized Indian tribe, exercises sovereign rights of self-government over the lands of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation. Included in the Reservation are parcels of land on which the Tribe’s various economic enterprises are located. ACBCI (operating manager of the Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, the Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage, and the Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City) takes its responsibility as a community partner very seriously, and ACBCI is determined to conduct its business in accordance with the highest ethical standards. For this reason, ACBCI actively seeks and favors vendors whose standards are compatible with its own, and ACBCI does not engage in business with companies or individuals that do not meet these standards. This Vendor Ethics and Procedure Statement sets forth the standards, which are expected of vendors ("Vendor Partner(s)") doing business with ACBCI.

ACBCI believes that the conduct of its Vendor Partners reflects upon ACBCI and affects ACBCI’s reputation.  Therefore, ACBCI requires that its Vendor Partners conform to standards of business practices, which are consistent with its own.  More specifically, ACBCI requires that its Vendor Partners conform and comply with the following standards:

I. Confidentiality

A Vendor Partner shall not at any time, during or after the term of any agreement or engagement, disclose to others pricing or economic information, records, reports, analyses, notes, memoranda, documentation, data, specifications, diagrams, statistics, systems or software, manuals, business plans, operational information or practices, processes (whether or not patented, patentable or reduced to practice), customer lists, contractual arrangements with, and information about, ACBCI’s suppliers, distributors, and customers, the existence of the discussions between ACBCI and a Vendor Partner concerning any proposed transaction, or any other information considered logically as "confidential" (collectively, the "Confidential Information").  A Vendor Partner shall not take or use for its own purposes or the purpose of others any Confidential Information.

II. Licensing

Depending upon the anticipated nature of our business relationship, your company may be required to obtain a license from the Agua Caliente Gaming Commission. Your supplier registration application will be reviewed by our Procurement Department and upon completion you’ll be notified of the type of license, if any, required and any associated fees. Unlicensed and/or unapproved vendors are not authorized to conduct business with any of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Gaming Properties.

III. Purchase Order Required

Vendor Partners are required to obtain a purchase order ("PO") from the Procurement Department for the goods and/or services that a Partner sells to ACBCI. The Procurement Department will issue a PO for all goods and/or services purchased regardless of dollar value. All goods delivered or provided shall be accompanied by a packing slip or delivery invoice and include the PO number sent from the Procurement Department. If a vendor has not received a PO, it is not authorized to deliver products to ACBCI properties and, in turn, ACBCI is not authorized to process the vendor’s invoice for payment.

IV. Quotes, Contracts and Agreements

Vendor Partners are required to submit to the Procurement Department in writing all agreements, contracts, proposals, product pricing, or quotes for the Procurement Department’s submission to the requesting ACBCI department for consideration.

V. Gifts

Vendor Partners are prohibited from offering or providing Gifts (defined below) to ACBCI or its team members. Gifts, no matter how well intentioned by the donor, tend to substitute subjective emotions and motives for objective judgment based on service, quality, and price. It is important that Vendor Partners are aware of the following gift prohibition (the "Gift Prohibition") to foster the continuation of a fair process and reasonable price competition:

1. ACBCI and its team members shall not accept or solicit money, gifts, discounts, services, personal loans, vacations, trips, travel expenses, accommodations, meals, inducements, event tickets, other special considerations or favors (individually a "Gift" and collectively the "Gifts") from any individual or business entity that: (i) ACBCI transacts business with; (ii) ACBCI does not currently transact business with but a team member has reason to believe ACBCI may seek to transact business with; or (iii) is a competitor of ACBCI. Any violation of the foregoing shall constitute a violation of the Gift Prohibition.
2. The following items are not subject to the Gift Prohibition set forth in subsection (a) above:
1. Token items of nominal value, including but not limited to, educational materials, t-shirts, coffee mugs, parking validations, or other commemorative or similar souvenir items;
2. Snacks, beverages, or educational or informational materials provided at meetings or other functions;
3. Food or a beverage given at a widely attended reception, meal, or meeting by an organization before whom the recipient appears to represent ACBCI, make a speech, answer questions, or participate in part of a program;
4. Flowers, plants, balloons, or similar tokens which are given to express condolences, congratulations, or sympathy for ill health, or to commemorate holiday or special occasions; and
5. Gifts for ACBCI that become the property of ACBCI (i.e., gifts that have the opportunity to benefit all team members).

VI. Appointments

Vendor Partners are required to schedule an appointment to speak with an ACBCI employee in the Procurement Department.

VII. Back-of-House Access

Vendor Partners are required to obtain a visitors / vendor badge from Security to gain access to back-of-house when performing work, attending meetings, or conducting business that will require their presence back-of-house.

VIII. Educating Your Workforce on Compliance

Vendor Partners are required to educate all of their employees, buying agents, subcontractors and any other representative on this Vendor Ethics and Procedure Statement.

IX. Violations

Any person with knowledge of a violation of this Vendor Ethics and Procedure Statement by a Vendor Partner or an ACBCI team member should contact the Director of Procurement at 760-202-6068 or the confidential hotline at 800-775-1083.

A violation of this Vendor Ethics and Procedure Statement will constitute a breach of ACBCI’s relationship with a Vendor Partner that may result in:

1. Requirement that Vendor Partner implement a corrective action plan;
2. Deactivation of the Vendor Partner's license;
3. Cancellation of all outstanding orders; and/or
4. Termination of ACBCI's business relationship with the Vendor Partner.

X. Acknowledgement

As an officer of your company, it is understood that being a Vendor Partner of ACBCI is conditioned upon your company being in full compliance with the requirements of this Vendor Ethics and Procedure Statement. You further understand that failure by your company to abide by any of the standards set forth herein may result in the immediate cancellation of all outstanding orders with your company and refusal by ACBCI to continue to do business with your company. By executing this Vendor Ethics and Procedure Statement (in writing or electronically), you represent and warrant that you have the authority to execute this Statement and that all actions, legal and corporate, have been taken to make this Statement binding and enforceable against your company. You further acknowledge, accept, and agree, on behalf of your company, to abide by the standards set forth herein.