FAA’s Office of Dispute Resolution wins award for its streamlining processes.
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M2 PRESSWIRE-30 April 2002-US FAA: FAA’s Office of Dispute Resolution wins award for its streamlining processes (C)1994-2002 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD RDATE:04292002 WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has received an award from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its outstanding Federal Procurement Alternative Dispute Resolution program. The award recognizes the FAA’s Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition (ODRA), an independent office within the FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel, for its innovative and non-litigious conflict resolution practices, such as arbitration and mediation. This is the first time OMB recognized agencies for their Alternative Dispute Resolution programs. “We’re pleased to be recognized for developing a dispute resolution process that helps preserve business relations between the agency and its contractors,” said Anthony Palladino, director of ODRA. Alternative Dispute Resolution provides effective and expedited processes for resolving disputes in a variety of areas, including contract disputes between agencies and contractors. ODRA helps resolve bid protests and contract disputes. It also provides dispute avoidance services in matters that have not yet reached the formal litigation stage. The FAA uses Alternative Dispute Resolution as its primary method of resolving disputes. ODRA incorporates a range of dispute resolution options including, arbitration, early neutral evaluation and facilitated negotiation. Of the 250 matters that have been brought to ODRA since its creation 4 ? years ago, 84 percent of all contract disputes and 54 percent of all bid protests have been fully resolved through the use of consensual dispute resolution processes. Ninety-five percent of the informal pre-litigation matters brought to ODRA have not evolved into litigation. Resolutions generally have occurred early in the dispute process, resulting in savings of time and resources for the private participants and the agency. Settlements have been achieved in a wide variety of matters, ranging from multi-million dollar acquisition disputes to more discrete contract performance issues. The process has helped the agency’s small business partners to avoid expensive litigation. |