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Privacy Policy

PROCUREMENT EXCELLENCE NETWORK PRIVACY STATEMENT

This privacy statement describes the ways in which the President and Fellows of Harvard College, acting through the Government Performance Lab at the Kennedy School of Government (“GPL”), gathers and uses personal information about individuals through our hosted website, [www.gplpen.hks.harvard.edu] (the “Procurement Excellence Network” or "PEN").

WHAT INFORMATION DO WE GATHER ABOUT YOU?

GPL collects information from you when you access PEN and when you log into the site. As a result of those actions, you might supply GPL with, or GPL might receive information including the following:

  • User Account Registration Information: for example, your name, email address, job title and employer, information you choose to provide about your areas of procurement interest and expertise, or a headshot image if you choose to upload a user profile photo;
  • Device Information: for example, information about the computer, mobile device, or other device you use to access PEN, such as IP address, geolocation information, unique device identifiers, browser type, browser language, date and time of your most recent visit to PEN, or other information of this nature, and certain information about your online activities.
  • User-Generated Content: information you volunteer when using PEN, such as content you post on PEN to share with GPL and other users and your answers to poll questions.

HOW DO WE GATHER THIS INFORMATION?

You may submit information directly to GPL and we may also use certain tools to gather information about you.

  • User Account Registration Information. If you choose to create a PEN user account, you will be required to submit a user form that requests certain types of information about yourself, such as your first and last name and job title. Certain fields of information are required in order to register for a user account (e.g., your name, email, and job title), but other fields are optional (e.g., your photograph and phone number). Periodically, GPL may ask you to confirm the accuracy of your information.
  • Cookies. We may use cookies and related technologies (“Cookies”) to gather information when you navigate through our websites, in order to enhance and personalize the experience, to help provide services available through the websites, to analyze website usage, and to help improve the websites and our related services. To find out more about cookies, visit https://www.internetcookies.org/. Some third parties may also use Cookies on our websites to collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites you visit. This information may be used by third parties to provide advertising tailored to your interests on other websites, apps and services you visit. You can review your Internet browser settings, typically under the sections “Help” or “Internet Options,” to exercise choices you have for certain Cookies or you can opt out of the collection and use of some Cookies through tools like the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page. If you disable or delete certain Cookies in your settings, you may not be able to use features of our website.
  • Third Party Analytics. We may use third party analytics such as Google Analytics or similar analytics services. For information on how Google processes and collects information using Google Analytics, please see www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/, and for how to opt out, please see https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. The opt-outs described here and above may not work for all browsers or devices.
  • User-Generated Content. You may choose to submit User-Generated Content.

WHAT DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION FOR?

We use your device information in an aggregate fashion to track access to our websites and other communications tools, and as otherwise described in this privacy statement. We use your IP address and device information to help provide more relevant service to you and to administer PEN. Web server logs are retained on a temporary basis and then deleted from our systems.

The information you provide to us or that we collect may be used for the purpose of providing you opportunities to engage with GPL and other PEN users through online comments and posts, poll responses, and in-person and virtual events. We may also use this information to communicate with you, provide you with services or participation incentives, optimize our websites and tools and analyze their use, and we may share such information within Harvard University in order to conduct Harvard University business. You understand that, in the event you choose to post any User-Generated Content, such content may be accessed by the general public.

If you create a verified user account, your registration information will be included in a member directory that is accessible to GPL staff and PEN members with verified user accounts. GPL may use the information you submit when creating a PEN account to verify your identity, such as by cross-referencing your account information with publicly-available information about you (e.g., government website data and LinkedIn profile data). GPL may also pair information you provide with its internal records about your prior engagement with GPL, such as whether you have attended a GPL webinar in the past or been involved in a research project; this information will not be shared with other PEN users.

We engage third-party vendors to support the data uses described in this privacy statement, including distributing information about the GPL and its programs and events. If needed for these purposes, we may share your information with such third-party vendors.

We may also share or disclose your information if we believe that doing so is necessary or appropriate to: satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request; investigate compliance with or enforce this privacy statement and other Harvard University contracts, terms and conditions; detect, prevent or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues; or protect, defend or enforce the operations, property, rights and safety of users, Harvard University, Harvard affiliates, or others.

LINKS TO THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES

We may provide links to third-party websites as a convenience to our users. We do not control third-party websites and are not responsible for the content of any linked-to third-party websites or any link in a linked-to website. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of third-party websites.

EMAIL

The email address you provide may be used to send you information, respond to inquiries, and for other requests or questions.

INFORMATION PROTECTION

To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the appropriate use of information that is under our control, we have taken reasonable steps to protect the information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100 percent secure.

CONTACTING THIS WEB SITE

If you have any questions about this privacy statement or our data practices, you can contact us at gplpen@hks.harvard.edu.

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY STATEMENT

This privacy statement may be amended from time to time. Any such changes will be posted on this page. This privacy statement was last amended on April 17, 2023.

 

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