[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 125 (Friday, June 29, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35662-35663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12491]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 955


Rules of Practice Before the Board of Contract Appeals

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending its rules regarding small 
claims (expedited) and accelerated proceedings before the Board of 
Contract Appeals.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 29, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane M. Mego, (703) 812-1905.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The John Warner National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (109 Pub. L. 364, 120 Stat. 2083 
(Oct. 17, 2006)) amended the Contract Disputes Act to require boards of 
contract appeals to provide a procedure for the disposition of an 
appeal from a small business concern when the amount in dispute is 
$150,000 or less. This rule amends 39 CFR part 955 to conform to the 
statutory change and to make other technical changes to the Small 
Claims (Expedited) and Accelerated procedure rules before the Board.
    These revisions are a statutorily mandated change in agency rules 
of procedure and make other technical changes to the Board's rules of 
procedure that do not substantially affect any rights or obligations of 
private parties. Therefore, it is appropriate for their adoption by the 
Postal Service to become effective immediately.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 955

    Administrative practice and procedure, Contract Disputes Act of 
1978, Postal Service.

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Accordingly, the Postal Service adopts amendments to 39 CFR part 955 as 
specifically set forth below:

PART 955--[AMENDED]

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1. The authority citation for part 955 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 39 U.S.C. 204, 401; 41 U.S.C. 607, 608.


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2. Section 955.13 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  955.13  Optional Small Claims (Expedited) and Accelerated 
Procedures.

    (a) The SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) Procedure. (1) The SMALL CLAIMS 
(EXPEDITED) procedure is available solely at the election of the 
appellant. Such election requires decision of the appeal, whenever 
possible, within 120 days after the Board receives written notice of 
the appellant's election to utilize this procedure.
    (2) The appellant may elect this procedure when
    (i) There is a monetary amount in dispute and that amount is 
$50,000 or less, or
    (ii) There is a monetary amount in dispute and that amount is 
$150,000 or less and the appellant is a small business concern (as that 
term is defined in the Small Business Act and regulations promulgated 
under the Act).
    (3) In cases proceeding under the SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) 
procedure, the respondent shall send the Board a copy of the contract, 
the contracting officer's final decision, and the appellant's claim 
letter or letters, if any, within ten days from the respondent's first 
receipt from either the appellant or the Board of a copy of the 
appellant's notice of election of the SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) 
procedure. If either party requests an oral hearing in accordance with 
Sec.  955.9, the Board shall promptly schedule such a hearing for a 
mutually convenient time consistent with administrative due process and 
the 120-day limit for a decision, at a place determined under Sec.  
955.18. If a hearing is not requested by either party, the appeal shall 
be deemed to have been submitted under Sec.  955.12 without a hearing.
    (4) Promptly after receipt of the appellant's election of the SMALL 
CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) procedure, the Board shall establish a schedule of 
proceedings that will allow for the timely resolution of the appeal. 
Pleadings, discovery, and other prehearing activities may be restricted 
or eliminated at the Board's discretion as necessary to enable the 
Board to decide the appeal within 120 days after the Board has received 
the appellant's notice of election of the SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) 
procedure. In so doing, the Board may reserve whatever time up to 30 
days it considers necessary for preparation of the decision.
    (5) Written decision by the Board in cases processed under the 
SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) procedure will be short and contain only 
summary findings of fact and conclusions. Decisions will be rendered 
for the Board by a single Administrative Judge. If there has been a 
hearing, the Administrative Judge presiding at the hearing may, in his 
or her discretion, at the conclusion of the hearing and after 
entertaining such oral arguments as he or she deems appropriate, render 
on the record oral summary findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a 
decision of the appeal. Whenever such an oral decision is rendered, the 
Board will subsequently furnish the parties a printed copy of such oral 
decision for the record and payment purposes and for the establishment 
of the commencement date of the period for filing a motion for 
reconsideration under Sec.  955.30.
    (6) Decisions of the Board under the SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) 
procedure will not be published, will have no value as precedents, and 
in the absence of fraud, cannot be appealed.
    (b) The ACCELERATED Procedure. (1) This procedure is available 
solely at the election of the appellant and shall apply only to appeals 
where there is a monetary amount in dispute and the amount in dispute 
is $100,000 or less. Such election requires decision of the appeal, 
whenever possible, within 180 days after the Board receives written 
notice of the appellant's election to utilize this procedure.
    (2) Promptly after receipt of the appellant's election of the 
ACCELERATED procedure, the Board shall establish a schedule of 
proceedings that will allow for the timely resolution of the appeal. 
The Board, in its discretion, may shorten time periods prescribed 
elsewhere in these Rules as necessary to enable the Board to decide the 
appeal within 180 days after the Board has received the appellant's 
notice of election of the ACCELERATED procedure.
    (3) Written decisions by the Board in cases processed under the 
ACCELERATED procedure will normally be short and contain only summary 
findings of fact and

[[Page 35663]]

conclusions. Decisions will be rendered for the Board by a single 
Administrative Judge with the concurrence of the Chairman or Vice 
Chairman or other designated Administrative Judge, or by a majority 
among these two and an additional designated member in case of 
disagreement. In cases where the amount in dispute is $50,000 or less 
and in which there has been a hearing, the single Administrative Judge 
presiding at the hearing may, with the concurrence of both parties, 
convert the appeal to a SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) proceeding and at the 
conclusion of the hearing, after entertaining such oral arguments as he 
or she deems appropriate, render on the record oral summary findings of 
fact, conclusions of law, and a decision of the appeal. Whenever such 
an oral decision is rendered, the Board will subsequently furnish the 
parties a printed copy of such oral decision for record and payment 
purposes and to establish the date of commencement of the period for 
filing a motion for reconsideration under Sec.  955.30.
    (c) At the request of Respondent, or on its own initiative, the 
Board may determine whether the amount in dispute and/or the 
appellant's status make the election of the SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) 
procedure or the ACCELERATED procedure inappropriate.
    (d) Motions for Reconsideration in Cases Arising Under Sec.  
955.13. Motions for reconsideration of cases decided under either the 
SMALL CLAIMS (EXPEDITED) procedure or the ACCELERATED procedure need 
not be decided within the time periods prescribed by this Sec.  955.13 
for the initial decision of the appeal, but all such motions shall be 
processed and decided rapidly so as to fulfill the intent of this 
section.
    (e) Except as herein modified, the rules of this part 955 otherwise 
apply in all aspects.

Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
 [FR Doc. E7-12491 Filed 6-28-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P