He main reason that grant proposal reviewers with a conflict of interest should remove themselves from the review process is because:
a. having a conflict of interest means an individual does not have the time to perform the review.
b. having a conflict of interest means an individual does not have the relevant expertise to perform the review.
c. their removal lessens the chance that bias will affect the review process.
d. the author of the proposal may learn about the situation.

c. Their removal lessens the chance that bias will affect the review process.

Explanation:

Judgments must be guided by the primary interest, ie the legal and institutional resolution of the conflict. This requires the independence and impartiality of the conflict mediator. When an intermediary has a secondary interest in the conflict, he or she may let their interest influence the decision making process. It is therefore important for the reviewer to withdraw during the process when in a conflict of interest situation. It is an ethical question.

For example, a conciliator of a labor dispute will hold a conciliation hearing. When parties enter, he realizes that he knows one of the stakeholders. He should immediately declare the conflict and ask another reviewer to act on the case to avoid contamination of interest as he knows a party and could benefit that party.

answer; the negotiator was not in full control of his or her actions and hence should not be held responsible;