The five-year ban applies to the lobbyist. It's possible for a person to whom the five-year ban applies to work for a lobbying firm, but not to do lobbying. So if someone works for a lobbying firm somewhere and doesn't do lobbying, but, for example, provides strategic information or does research or something else, it doesn't apply. The five-year ban applies only to the lobbying activity.
On February 10th, 2011. See this statement in context.