(a) This appeals procedure embodies an informal administrative review of agency decisions made under OMB Circular A-76, and is intended to assure that such decisions are fair, equitable, and in compliance with the provisions of the Circular. This procedure provides affected parties an opportunity to request that such decisions be objectively reviewed by a party independent of the A-76 decision process.

(b) This appeals procedure is administrative rather than judicial in nature, and does not provide for a judicial review or for further levels of appeal. The decisions of the appeals official are final.

(c) This procedure is intended to protect the rights of all affected parties and, therefore, neither the procedure nor agency determinations may be subject to negotiation, arbitration, or agreements with any one of the parties.

(a) An appeal may be based only on a specific alleged material deviation (or deviations) by the agency from the provisions of OMB Circular A-76 or Supplement No. 1 thereto, the “Cost Comparison Handbook.” Appeals may not be based on other factors, such as the economic impact of the agency's decision on a community, or other socioeconomic issues.

(b) This appeals procedure shall be used only to resolve questions of the determination between contract and in-house performance of a commercial or industrial type requirement, and shall not apply to questions concerning award to one contractor in preference to another.

An appeal may be filed by any affected party, viz, employees of the Federal activity under review, authorized employee representative organizations, contractors, and potential contractors.

An appeal may be submitted at any time within 45 calendar days after announcement of an agency decision regarding the method of performance of a commercial or industrial type requirement.

An appeal must be in writing, and must be submitted to: Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Department of the Interior.

(a) Upon receipt of an appeal, the Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals shall designate an appeals official, who shall process the appeal.

(b) The appeals official shall promptly docket the appeal and send copies of the docketing notice to the appellant, the director or other appropriate official of the bureau or office involved, and the Solicitor of the Department.

(a) Upon receipt of the docketing notice, the Solicitor shall appoint counsel to represent the Department in the appeal action, and so notify the appellant and the appeals official.

(b) Within seven calendar days of his designation the Department Counsel shall assemble and transmit to the appeals official a file containing the appealed agency decision and all documents relevant thereto, including the detailed analysis upon which the agency decision was based. At the same time, the Department Counsel shall send to the appellant a copy of the transmittal document, containing a table of contents of the file.

(a) The appeals official shall arrange such conferences with the concerned parties as are necessary, including (if requested by the appellant) an oral presentation.

(b) The appeals official may require either party to submit any additional documents, oral or written testimony, or other items of evidence which he considers necessary for a complete review of the agency decision.

(c) All documentary evidence submitted by one party to the appeal action shall be made available to the other party (or parties), except that availability of proprietary information may be restricted by the party holding the proprietary interest in such information.

(a) Upon request of the appellant, an opportunity for an oral presentation to the appeals official shall be granted. The purpose of an oral presentation shall be to permit the appellant to discuss or explain factual evidence supporting his allegations, and/or to obtain oral explanations of pertinent evidence. The time and place of each oral presentation shall be determined by the appeals official, after consultation with the appropriate parties.

(b) The appellant may, but is not required to, be represented by legal counsel at an oral presentation.

(c) The Department Counsel and the bureau/office involved shall be invited to attend any oral presentation. The appeals official may require the attendance and participation of an official or employee of the Department, whether or not requested by the appellant, if, in the appeals official's judgment, such official or employee may possess knowledge or information pertinent to the agency decision being appealed, and if this knowledge or information is unobtainable elsewhere.

(d) An oral presentation shall not constitute a judicial proceeding, and no such judicial proceeding or hearing shall be provided for in this appeals process. There shall be no requirement for legal briefs, sworn statements, interrogation under oath, official transcripts of testimony, etc., unless the appeals official determines such are necessary for effective disposition of the appeal.

If two or more appellants submit appeals of the same agency decision, which are based on the same or similar allegations, the appeals official may, at his discretion, consider all such appeals concurrently and issue a single written decision resolving all of the several appeals.

(a) Within 30 calendar days after receipt of an appeal by the Office of Hearings and Appeals, the appeals official shall issue a written decision, either affirming or denying the appeal. This decision shall be final, with no judicial review or further avenue of appeal.

(b) If the appeals official affirms the appeal, his decision regarding further action by the agency shall be binding upon the agency.

(c) If it proves impracticable to issue a decision within the prescribed 30 calendar days, the appeals official may extend this period, notifying all concerned parties of the anticipated decision date.