(a) Convening. The Commission or other decisional authority, upon motion or otherwise, may convene a conference of the participants in a proceeding at any time for any purpose related to the conduct or disposition of the proceeding, including submission and consideration of offers of settlement or the use of alternative dispute resolution procedures.

(b) General requirements. (1) The participants in a proceeding must be given due notice of the time and place of a conference under paragraph (a) of this section and of the matters to be addressed at the conference. Participants attending the conference must be prepared to discuss the matters to be addressed at the conference, unless there is good cause for a failure to be prepared.

(2) Any person appearing at the conference in a representative capacity must be authorized to act on behalf of that person's principal with respect to matters to be addressed at the conference.

(3) If any party fails to attend the conference such failure will constitute a waiver of all objections to any order or ruling arising out of, or any agreement reached at, the conference.

(c) Powers of decisional authority at conference. (1) The decisional authority, before which the conference is held or to which the conference reports, may dispose, during a conference, of any procedural matter on which the decisional authority is authorized to rule and which may appropriately and usefully be disposed of at that time.

(2) If, in a proceeding set for hearing under subpart E, the presiding officer determines that the proceeding would be substantially expedited by distribution of proposed exhibits, including written prepared testimony and other documents, reasonably in advance of the hearing session, the presiding officer may, with due regard for the convenience of the participants, direct advance distribution of the exhibits by a prescribed date. The presiding officer may also direct the preparation and distribution of any briefs and other documents which the presiding officer determines will substantially expedite the proceeding.

[Order 225, 47 FR 19022, May 3, 1982, as amended by Order 578, 60 FR 19505, Apr. 19, 1995]

(a) Applicability. This section applies to written offers of settlement filed in any proceeding pending before the Commission or set for hearing under subpart E. For purposes of this section, the term “offer of settlement” includes any written proposal to modify an offer of settlement.

(b) Submission of offer. (1) Any participant in a proceeding may submit an offer of settlement at any time.

(2) An offer of settlement must be filed with the Secretary. The Secretary will transmit the offer to:

(i) The presiding officer, if the offer is filed after a hearing has been ordered under subpart E of this part and before the presiding officer certifies the record to the Commission; or

(ii) The Commission.

(3) If an offer of settlement pertains to multiple proceedings that are in part pending before the Commission and in part set for hearing, any participant may by motion request the Commission to consolidate the multiple proceedings and to provide any other appropriate procedural relief for purposes of disposition of the settlement.

(c) Contents of offer. (1) An offer of settlement must include:

(i) The settlement offer;

(ii) A separate explanatory statement;

(iii) Copies of, or references to, any document, testimony, or exhibit, including record citations if there is a record, and any other matters that the offerer considers relevant to the offer of settlement; and

(2) If an offer of settlement pertains to a tariff or rate filing, the offer must include any proposed change in a form suitable for inclusion in the filed rate schedules or tariffs, and a number of copies sufficient to satisfy the filing requirements applicable to tariff or rate filings of the type at issue in the proceeding.

(d) Service. (1) A participant offering settlement under this section must serve a copy of the offer of settlement:

(i) On every participant in accordance with Rule 2010;

(ii) On any person required by the Commission's rules to be served with the pleading or tariff or rate schedule filing, with respect to which the proceeding was initiated.

(2) The participant serving the offer of settlement must notify any person or participant served under paragraph (d)(1) of this section of the date on which comments on the settlement are due under paragraph (f) of this section.

(e) Use of non-approved offers of settlement as evidence. (1) An offer of settlement that is not approved by the Commission, and any comment on that offer, is not admissible in evidence against any participant who objects to its admission.

(2) Any discussion of the parties with respect to an offer of settlement that is not approved by the Commission is not subject to discovery or admissible in evidence.

(f) Comments. (1) A comment on an offer of settlement must be filed with the Secretary who will transmit the comment to the Commission, if the offer of settlement was transmitted to the Commission, or to the presiding officer in any other case.

(2) A comment on an offer of settlement may be filed not later than 20 days after the filing of the offer of settlement and reply comments may be filed not later than 30 days after the filing of the offer, unless otherwise provided by the Commission or the presiding officer.

(3) Any failure to file a comment constitutes a waiver of all objections to the offer of settlement.

(4) Any comment that contests an offer of settlement by alleging a dispute as to a genuine issue of material fact must include an affidavit detailing any genuine issue of material fact by specific reference to documents, testimony, or other items included in the offer of settlement, or items not included in the settlement, that are relevant to support the claim. Reply comments may include responding affidavits.

(g) Uncontested offers of settlement. (1) If comments on an offer are transmitted to the presiding officer and the presiding officer finds that the offer is not contested by any participant, the presiding officer will certify to the Commission the offer of settlement, a statement that the offer of settlement is uncontested, and any hearing record or pleadings which relate to the offer of settlement.

(2) If comments on an offer of settlement are transmitted to the Commission, the Commission will determine whether the offer is uncontested.

(3) An uncontested offer of settlement may be approved by the Commission upon a finding that the settlement appears to be fair and reasonable and in the public interest.

(h) Contested offers of settlement. (1)(i) If the Commission determines that any offer of settlement is contested in whole or in part, by any party, the Commission may decide the merits of the contested settlement issues, if the record contains substantial evidence upon which to base a reasoned decision or the Commission determines there is no genuine issue of material fact.

(ii) If the Commission finds that the record lacks substantial evidence or that the contesting parties or contested issues can not be severed from the offer of settlement, the Commission will:

(A) Establish procedures for the purpose of receiving additional evidence before a presiding officer upon which a decision on the contested issues may reasonably be based; or

(B) Take other action which the Commission determines to be appropriate.

(iii) If contesting parties or contested issues are severable, the contesting parties or uncontested portions may be severed. The uncontested portions will be decided in accordance with paragraph (g) of this section.

(2)(i) If any comment on an offer of settlement is transmitted to the presiding officer and the presiding officer determines that the offer is contested, whole or in part, by any participant, the presiding officer may certify all or part of the offer to the Commission. If any offer or part of an offer is contested by a party, the offer may be certified to the Commission only if paragraph (h)(2)(ii) or (iii) of this section applies.

(ii) Any offer of settlement or part of any offer may be certified to the Commission if the presiding officer determines that there is no genuine issue of material fact. Any certification by the presiding officer must contain the determination that there is no genuine issue of material fact and any hearing record or pleadings which relate to the offer or part of the offer being certified.

(iii) Any offer of settlement or part of any offer may be certified to the Commission, if:

(A) The parties concur on a motion for omission of the initial decision as provided in Rule 710, or, if all parties do not concur in the motion, the presiding officer determines that omission of the initial decision is appropriate under Rule 710(d), and

(B) The presiding officer determines that the record contains substantial evidence from which the Commission may reach a reasoned decision on the merits of the contested issues.

(iv) If any contesting parties or contested issues are severable, the uncontested portions of the settlement may be certified immediately by the presiding officer to the Commission for decision, as provided in paragraph (g) of this section.

(i) Reservation of rights. Any procedural right that a participant has in the absence of an offer of settlement is not affected by Commission disapproval, or approval subject to condition, of the uncontested portion of the offer of settlement.

[Order 225, 47 FR 19022, May 3, 1982, as amended by Order 541, 57 FR 21734, May 22, 1992; Order 578, 60 FR 19505, Apr. 19, 1995]

(a) Applicability. This section applies to any proceeding set for hearing under subpart E of this part and to any other proceeding in which the Commission has ordered the appointment of a settlement judge.

(b) Definition. For purposes of this section, settlement judge means the administrative law judge appointed by the Chief Administrative Law Judge to conduct settlement negotiations under this section.

(c) Requests for appointment of settlement judges. (1) Any participant may file a motion requesting the appointment of a settlement judge with the presiding officer, or, if there is no presiding officer for the proceeding, with the Commission.

(2) A presiding officer may request the Chief Administrative Law Judge to appoint a settlement judge.

(3) A motion under paragraph (c)(1) of this section may be acted upon at any time, and the time limitations on answers in Rule 213(d) do not apply.

(4) Any answer or objection filed after a motion has been acted upon will not be considered.

(d) Commission order directing appointment of settlement judge. The Commission may, on motion or otherwise, order the Chief Administrative Law Judge to appoint a settlement judge.

(e) Appointment of settlement judge by Chief Administrative Law Judge. The Chief Administrative Law Judge may appoint a settlement judge for any proceeding, if requested by the presiding officer under paragraph (c)(2) of this section or if the presiding officer concurs in a motion made under paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(f) Order appointing settlement judge. The Chief Administrative Law Judge will appoint a settlement judge by an order, which specifies whether, and to what extent, the proceeding is suspended pending termination of settlement negotiations conducted in accordance with this section. The order may confine the scope of any settlement negotiations to specified issues.

(g) Powers and duties of settlement judge. (1) A settlement judge will convene and preside over conferences and settlement negotiations between the participants and assess the practicalities of a potential settlement.

(2)(i) A settlement judge will report to the Chief Administrative Law Judge or the Commission, as appropriate, describing the status of the settlement negotiations and evaluating settlement prospects.

(ii) In any such report, the settlement judge may recommend the termination or continuation of settlement negotiations conducted under this section.

(iii) The first report by the settlement judge will be made not later than 30 days after the appointment of the settlement judge. The Commission or the Chief Administrative Law Judge may order additional reports at any time.

(h) Termination of settlement negotiations before a settlement judge. Unless an order of the Commission directing the appointment of a settlement judge provides otherwise, settlement negotiations conducted under this section will terminate upon the order of the Chief Administrative Law Judge issued after consultation with the settlement judge.

(i) Non-reviewability. Any decision concerning the appointment of a settlement judge or the termination of any settlement negotiations is not subject to review by, appeal to, or rehearing by the presiding officer, Chief Administrative Law Judge, or the Commission.

(j) Multiple settlement negotiations. If settlement negotiations are terminated under paragraph (h) of this section, the Chief Administrative Law Judge may subsequently appoint a settlement judge in the same proceeding to conduct settlement negotiations in accordance with this section.

(a) Applicability. (1) Participants may, subject to the limitations of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, use alternative means of dispute resolution to resolve all or part of any pending matter if the participants agree. The alternative means of dispute resolution authorized under subpart F of this part will be voluntary procedures that supplement rather than limit other available dispute resolution techniques.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, the decisional authority will not consent to use of an alternative dispute resolution proceeding if:

(i) A definitive or authoritative resolution of the matter is required for precedential value;

(ii) The matter involves or may bear upon significant questions of policy that require additional procedures before a final resolution may be made, and the proceeding would not likely serve to develop a recommended policy;

(iii) Maintaining established policies is of special importance;

(iv) The matter significantly affects persons or organizations who are not parties to the proceeding;

(v) A full public record of the proceeding is important, and a dispute resolution proceeding cannot provide a record; or

(vi) The Commission must maintain continuing jurisdiction over the matter with authority to alter the disposition of the matter in the light of changed circumstances, and a dispute resolution proceeding would interfere with the Commission's fulfilling that requirement.

(3) If one or more of the factors outlined in paragraph (a)(2) of this section is present, alternative dispute resolution may nevertheless be used if the alternative dispute resolution proceeding can be structured to avoid the identified factor or if other concerns significantly outweigh the identified factor.

(4) A determination to use or not to use a dispute resolution proceeding under subpart F of this part is not subject to judicial review.

(5) Settlement agreements reached through the use of alternative dispute resolution pursuant to subpart F of this part will be subject to the provisions of Rule 602, unless the decisional authority, upon motion or otherwise, orders a different procedure.

(b) Definitions. For the purposes of subpart F of this part:

(1) Alternative means of dispute resolution means any procedure that is used, in lieu of an adjudication, to resolve issues in controversy, including but not limited to, settlement negotiations, conciliation, facilitation, mediation, factfinding, minitrials, and arbitration, or any combination thereof;

(2) Award means any decision by an arbitrator resolving the issues in controversy;

(3) Dispute resolution communication means any oral or written communication prepared for the purposes of a dispute resolution proceeding, including any memoranda, notes or work product of the neutral, parties or non-party participant. A written agreement to enter into a dispute resolution proceeding, or a final written agreement or arbitral award reached as a result of a dispute resolution proceeding, is not a dispute resolution communication;

(4) Dispute resolution proceeding means any alternative means of dispute resolution that is used to resolve an issue in controversy in which a neutral may be appointed and specified parties participate;

(5) In confidence means information is provided:

(i) With the expressed intent of the source that it not be disclosed, or

(ii) Under circumstances that create a reasonable expectation on behalf of the source that the information will not be disclosed;

(6) Issue in controversy means an issue which is or is anticipated to be material to a decision in a proceeding before the Commission and which is the subject of disagreement between participants who would be substantially affected by the decision or between the Commission and any such participants;

(7) Neutral means an individual who, with respect to an issue in controversy, functions specifically to aid the parties in resolving the controversy;

(8) Participants in a dispute resolution proceeding that is used to resolve an issue in controversy in a proceeding involving an application for a license or exemption to construct, operate, and maintain a hydroelectric project pursuant to the Federal Power Act or the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act shall include such state and federal agencies and Indian tribes as have statutory roles or a direct interest in such hydroelectric proceedings.

(c) Neutrals. (1) A neutral may be a permanent or temporary officer or employee of the Federal Government (including an administrative law judge), or any other individual who is acceptable to the participants to a dispute resolution proceeding. A neutral must have no official, financial, or personal conflict of interest with respect to the issues in controversy, except that a neutral who is not a government employee may serve if the interest is fully disclosed in writing to all participants and all participants agree.

(2) A neutral serves at the will of the participants, unless otherwise provided.

(3) Neutrals may be selected from among the Commission's administrative law judges or other employees, from rosters kept by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Administrative Conference of the United States, the American Arbitration Association, or from any other source.

(d) Submission of proposal to use alternative means of dispute resolution. (1) The participants may at any time submit a written proposal to use alternative means of dispute resolution to resolve all or part of any matter in controversy or anticipated to be in controversy before the Commission.

(2) For matters set for hearing under subpart E of this part, a proposal to use alternative means of dispute resolution must be filed with the presiding administrative law judge.

(3) For all other matters, a proposal to use alternative means of dispute resolution may be filed with the Secretary for consideration by the appropriate decisional authority.

(4) The appropriate decisional authority will issue an order, approving or denying, under the guidelines in Rule 604(a) (2) and (3), a proposal to use alternative means of dispute resolution. Denial of a proposal to use alternative dispute resolution will be in the form of an order and will identify the specific reasons for the denial. A proposal to use alternative dispute resolution is deemed approved unless an order denying approval is issued within 30 days after the proposal is filed.

(5) Any request to modify a previously-approved ADR proposal must follow the same procedure used for the initial approval.

(e) Contents of proposal. A proposal to use alternative means of dispute resolution must be in writing and include:

(1) A general identification of the issues in controversy intended to be resolved by the proposed alternative dispute resolution method,

(2) A description of the alternative dispute resolution method(s) to be used,

(3) The signatures of all participants or evidence otherwise indicating the consent of all participants; and

(4) A certificate of service pursuant to Rule 2010(h).

(f) Monitoring the alternative dispute resolution proceeding. The decisional authority may order reports on the status of the alternative dispute resolution proceeding at any time.

[Order 578, 60 FR 19506, Apr. 19, 1995, as amended by Order 602, 64 FR 17099, Apr. 8, 1999]

(a) Authorization of arbitration. (1) The participants may at any time submit a written proposal to use binding arbitration under the provisions of Rule 605 to resolve all or part of any matter in controversy, or anticipated to be in controversy, before the Commission.

(2) The proposal must be submitted as provided in Rule 604(d).

(3) The proposal must be in writing and contain the information required in Rule 604(e).

(4) An arbitration proceeding under this rule may be monitored as provided in Rule 604(f).

(5) No person may be required to consent to arbitration as a condition of entering into a contract or obtaining a benefit. All interested parties must expressly consent before arbitration may be used.

(b) Arbitrators. (1) The participants to an arbitration proceeding are entitled to select the arbitrator.

(2) The arbitrator must be a neutral who meets the criteria of a neutral under Rule 604(c).

(c) Authority of arbitrator. An arbitrator to whom a dispute is referred under this section may:

(1) Regulate the course of and conduct arbitral hearings;

(2) Administer oaths and affirmations;

(3) Compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence to the extent the Commission is authorized by law to do so; and

(4) Make awards.

(d) Arbitration proceedings. (1) The arbitrator will set a time and place for the hearing on the dispute and must notify the participants not less than 5 days before the hearing.

(2) Any participant wishing that there be a record of the hearing must:

(i) Prepare the record;

(ii) Notify the other participants and the arbitrator of the preparation of the record;

(iii) Furnish copies to all identified participants and the arbitrator; and

(iv) Pay all costs for the record, unless the participants agree otherwise or the arbitrator determines that the costs should be apportioned.

(3)(i) Participants to the arbitration are entitled to be heard, to present evidence material to the controversy, and to cross-examine witnesses appearing at the hearing to the same extent as in a proceeding under Subpart E of this part;

(ii) The arbitrator may, with the consent of the participants, conduct all or part of the hearing by telephone, television, computer, or other electronic means, if each participant has an opportunity to participate.

(iii) The hearing must be conducted expeditiously and in an informal manner.

(iv) The arbitrator may receive any oral or documentary evidence, except that irrelevant, immaterial, unduly repetitious, or privileged evidence may be excluded by the arbitrator.

(v) The arbitrator will interpret and apply relevant statutory and regulatory requirements, legal precedents, and policy directives.

(4) No interested person will make or knowingly cause to be made to the arbitrator an unauthorized ex parte communication relevant to the merits of the proceeding, unless the participants agree otherwise. If a communication is made in violation of this prohibition, the arbitrator will ensure that a memorandum of the communication is prepared and made a part of the record, and that an opportunity for rebuttal is allowed. Upon receipt of such communication, the arbitrator may require the offending participant to show cause why the claim of the participant should not be resolved against the participant as a result of the improper conduct.

(5) The arbitrator will make the award within 30 days after the close of the hearing or the date of the filing of any briefs authorized by the arbitrator, whichever date is later, unless the participants and the arbitrator agree to some other time limit.

(e) Arbitration awards. (1)(i) The award in an arbitration proceeding under Subpart F of this chapter will include a brief, informal discussion of the factual and legal basis for the award.

(ii) The prevailing participants must file the award with the Commission, along with proof of service on all participants.

(2) The award in an arbitration proceeding will become final 30 days after it is served on all parties.

(3) A final award is binding on the participants to the arbitration proceeding.

(4) An award may not serve as an estoppel in any other proceeding for any issue that was resolved in the proceeding. The award also may not be used as precedent or otherwise be considered in any factually unrelated proceeding or in any other arbitration proceeding.

[Order 578, 60 FR 19507, Apr. 19, 1995, as amended by Order 602, 64 FR 17099, Apr. 8, 1999]

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, a neutral in a dispute resolution proceeding shall not voluntarily disclose, or through discovery or compulsory process be required to disclose, any information concerning any dispute resolution communication or any communication provided in confidence to the neutral, unless:

(1) All participants in the dispute resolution proceeding and the neutral consent in writing;

(2) The dispute resolution communication has otherwise already been made public;

(3) The dispute resolution communication is required by statute to be made public, but a neutral should make the communication public only if no other person is reasonably available to disclose the communication; or

(4) A court determines that the testimony or disclosure is necessary to:

(i) Prevent a manifest injustice;

(ii) Help establish a violation of law; or

(iii) Prevent harm to the public health or safety of sufficient magnitude in the particular case to outweigh the integrity of dispute resolution proceedings in general by reducing the confidence of participants in future cases that their communications will remain confidential.

(b) A participant in a dispute resolution proceeding shall not voluntarily disclose, or through discovery or compulsory process be required to disclose, any information concerning any dispute resolution communication, unless:

(1) All participants to the dispute resolution proceeding consent in writing;

(2) The dispute resolution communication has otherwise already been made public;

(3) The dispute resolution communication is required by statute to be made public;

(4) A court determines that the testimony or disclosure is necessary to:

(i) Prevent a manifest injustice;

(ii) Help establish a violation of law; or

(iii) Prevent harm to the public health and safety of sufficient magnitude in the particular case to outweigh the integrity of dispute resolution proceedings in general by reducing the confidence of participants in future cases that their communications will remain confidential; or

(5) The dispute resolution communication is relevant to determining the existence or meaning of an agreement or award that resulted from the dispute resolution proceeding or to the enforcement of the agreement or award.

(c) Any dispute resolution communication that is disclosed in violation of paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section shall not be admissible in any proceeding.

(d)(1) The participants may agree to alternative confidential procedures for disclosures by a neutral. The participants must inform the neutral before the commencement of the dispute resolution proceeding of any modifications to the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section that will govern the confidentiality of the dispute resolution proceeding. If the participants do not so inform the neutral, paragraph (a) of this section shall apply.

(2) To qualify for the exemption established under paragraph (l) of this section, an alternative confidential procedure under this paragraph may not provide for less disclosure than confidential procedures otherwise provided under this rule.

(e) If a demand for disclosure, by way of discovery request or other legal process, is made upon a participant regarding a dispute resolution communication, the participant will make reasonable efforts to notify the neutral and the other participants of the demand. Any participant who receives the notice and within 15 calendar days does not offer to defend a refusal of the neutral to disclose the requested information waives any objection to the disclosure.

(f) Nothing in Rule 606 prevents the discovery or admissibility of any evidence that is otherwise discoverable, merely because the evidence was presented in the course of a dispute resolution proceeding.

(g) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not preclude disclosure of information and data that are necessary to document an agreement reached or order issued pursuant to a dispute resolution proceeding.

(h) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not prevent the gathering of information for research and educational purposes, in cooperation with other agencies, governmental entities, or dispute resolution programs, so long as the participants and the specific issues in controversy are not identifiable.

(i) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not prevent use of a dispute resolution communication to resolve a dispute between the neutral in a dispute resolution proceeding and a participant in the proceeding, so long as the communication is disclosed only to the extent necessary to resolve the dispute.

(j) Nothing in this section precludes parties from seeking privileged treatment for documents under this chapter.

(k) Where disclosure is authorized by this section, nothing in this section precludes use of a protective agreement or protective orders.

(l) A dispute resolution communication that may not be disclosed under this rule shall also be exempt from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3).

[Order 578, 60 FR 19508, Apr. 19, 1995, as amended by Order 602, 64 FR 17099, Apr. 8, 1999; Order 769, 77 FR 65476, Oct. 29, 2012]