NRC Participation in Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs Sponsored by Other Agencies

As encouraged by the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act, as amended (ADRA ), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) offers a variety of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Programs that may be used in lieu of litigation to resolve potential disputes. In addition, some conflicts involving the NRC may be resolved through ADR programs that are administered and controlled outside the agency. For additional information, see the following topics on this page:

• Personnel and Labor Relations
• Government Contracts

Personnel and Labor Relations

• The Federal Labor Relations Authority uses its Settlement Judge Program to mediate conflicts between Federal agencies, unions, and employees.

• The Merit Systems Protection Board provides a Mediation Appeals Program as an alternative to litigating Federal employee appeals of agency personnel actions.

• The U.S. Office of Special Counsel offers a Mediation Program to help resolve complaints of prohibited personnel practices.

Government Contracts

• The U.S. Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) recommends a variety of ADR techniques to shorten and simplify the formal proceedings that are commonly used to resolve disputes between Federal agencies and their contractors (see Rule 54 of the CBCA Rules of Procedure).

• The Government Accountability Office provides several ADR programs to resolve bid protests lodged by private entities competing for government contracts (see Bid Protests at GAO: A Descriptive Guide ).