Comments on Proposed CIA Sale of Nontransferable, Expirable Airline Promotional Materials to CIA Employee

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) requested comments on its proposal to sell nontransferable, expirable promotional materials received as a result of a combination of government-funded and personal travel to a CIA employee. GAO noted that: (1) no matter how remote the possibility that the CIA will be able to use the promotional materials, the CIA should not dispose of such materials unless they cannot be used to the government's advantage; (2) the Office of Personnel Management has advised CIA ethics officials that no personal use should be made of these promotional materials, since doing so might result in a prohibited conflict of interest; and (3) the CIA should not use the special gift authority to dispose of the promotional materials, since the materials are not gifts from commercial enterprises but are benefits earned as a result of the expenditure of funds.