OAR 736-140-0004: Selection and Procurement of Dispute Resolution Providers

(1) The agency may select the collaborative DR provider or may opt to select the provider by consensus of the participants. (2) A collaborative DR provider who has a financial interest in the subject matter of the dispute, who is an employee of an agency in the dispute, who has a financial relationship with any participant in the collaborative DR process or who otherwise may not be impartial is considered to have a potential bias. If, before or during the dispute resolution process, a provider has or acquires a potential bias, the provider shall so inform all the participants. Any participant may disqualify a provider who has a potential bias if the participant believes in good faith that the potential bias will undermine the ability of the provider to be impartial throughout the process. (3) If the collaborative DR provider is a public official as defined by ORS 244.020(15), the provider shall comply with the requirements of ORS Chapter 244. (4) If the agency procures the services of a collaborative DR provider, the agency must comply with all procurement and contracting rules provided by law. A roster of collaborative DR providers and a simplified mediator and facilitator procurement process developed by the Department of Justice may be used by the agency when selecting a collaborative DR provider. (5) If the collaborative DR provider is a mediator or facilitator who is not an employee of the agency, the participants shall share the costs of the provider, unless the participants agree otherwise or the provider is retained solely by the agency or by a non-participant. (6) Whenever the agency compensates a provider who is not an employee of the agency, the state must execute a personal services contract with the provider. If the agency and the other participants choose to share the cost of the collaborative DR provider's services, the non-agency participants may enter into their own contract with the provider or may be a party to the contract between the agency and the provider, at the discretion of the agency. The agency's contract with a provider must state: (a) The name and address of the provider and the contracting agency; (b) The nature of the dispute, the issues being submitted to the collaborative DR process and the identity of the participants, as well as is known at the time the contract is signed; (c) The services the provider will perform (scope of work); (d) The compensation to be paid to the provider and the maximum contract amount; (e) The beginning and ending dates of the contract and that the contract may be terminated by the agency or the provider upon mutual written consent, or at the sole discretion of the agency upon 30 calendar days notice to the provider or immediately if the agency determines that the DR process is unable to proceed for any reason. (7) A student, intern or other person in training or assisting the provider may function as a co-provider in a dispute resolution proceeding. The co-provider shall sign and be bound by the agreement to collaborate specified in OAR 137-005-0030, if any, and, if compensated by the agency, a personal services contract as specified in section (6) of this rule.