Exceptions: 
"The 20/50 Rule"
There are several exceptions to the general prohibition on accepting gifts from agency contractors or their employees.
One common exception allows Government employees to accept non-cash gifts from a prohibited source if the gifts from the contractor and its employees have a value of no more than $20 per occasion and no more than a total of $50 per calendar year. A contractor and the contractor employees are considered the same source.
Example: You want to buy lunch for a Government employee who works at an agency that does business with your company. If the lunch is less than $20, then the employee may accept. If not, the employee must pay the full cost of the meal (NOT just the amount over $20).
Another example: If you've already taken that employee to lunch three times this year, and each lunch was worth $15 (for a total of $45), the employee may not accept any gift from you (or any other employee of the same contractor) worth more than $5.
Note: Government employees may not use any of the gift exceptions to accept gifts from the same (or even different sources) so frequently that a reasonable person would believe they are using their public office for private gain. It is never inappropriate...and frequently might be prudent...for an employee to decline a gift, even if permissible under one of the exemptions.
