(a) Other than for the resolution of preliminary or dispositive matters, the Default Adjudicative Process for protests will commence upon the submission of the Product Team Response to the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition, pursuant to §17.17.

(b) The Director of the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition shall select a DRO or a Special Master to conduct fact-finding proceedings and to provide findings and recommendations concerning some or all of the matters in controversy.

(c) The DRO or Special Master may prepare procedural orders for the proceedings as deemed appropriate; and may require additional submissions from the parties. As a minimum, the protester and any intervenor(s) must submit to the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition written comments with respect to the Product Team Response within five (5) business days of the Response having been filed with the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition or within five (5) business days of their receipt of the Response, whichever is later. Copies of such comments shall be provided to the other participating parties by the same means and on the same date as they are furnished to the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition.

(d) The DRO or Special Master may convene the parties and/or their representatives, as needed, to pursue the Default Adjudicative Process.

(e) If, in the sole judgment of the DRO or Special Master, the parties have presented written material sufficient to allow the protest to be decided on the record presented, the DRO or Special Master shall have the discretion to decide the protest on that basis.

(f) The parties may engage in voluntary discovery with one another and, if justified, with non-parties, so as to obtain information relevant to the allegations of the protest. The DRO or Special Master may also direct the parties to exchange, in an expedited manner, relevant, non-privileged documents. Where justified, the DRO or Special Master may direct the taking of deposition testimony, however, the FAA dispute resolution process does not contemplate extensive discovery. The DRO or Special Master shall manage the discovery process, including limiting its length and availability, and shall establish schedules and deadlines for discovery, which are consistent with time frames established in this part and with the FAA policy of providing fair and expeditious dispute resolution.

(g) The DRO or Special Master may conduct hearings, and may limit the hearings to the testimony of specific witnesses and/or presentations regarding specific issues. The DRO or Special Master shall control the nature and conduct of all hearings, including the sequence and extent of any testimony. Hearings will be conducted:

(1) Where the DRO or Special Master determines that there are complex factual issues in dispute that cannot adequately or efficiently be developed solely by means of written presentations and/or that resolution of the controversy will be dependent on his/her assessment of the credibility of statements provided by individuals with first-hand knowledge of the facts; or

(2) Upon request of any party to the protest, unless the DRO or Special Master finds specifically that a hearing is unnecessary and that no party will be prejudiced by limiting the record in the adjudication to the parties' written submissions. All witnesses at any such hearing shall be subject to cross-examination by the opposing party and to questioning by the DRO or Special Master.

(h) The Director of the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition may review the status of any protest in the Default Adjudicative Process with the DRO or Special Master during the pendency of the process.

(i) Within thirty (30) business days of the commencement of the Default Adjudicative Process, or at the discretion of the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition, the DRO or Special Master will submit findings and recommendations to the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition that shall contain the following:

(1) Findings of fact;

(2) Application of the principles of the AMS, and any applicable law or authority to the findings of fact;

(3) A recommendation for a final FAA order; and

(4) If appropriate, suggestions for future FAA action.

(j) In arriving at findings and recommendations relating to protests, the DRO or Special Master shall consider whether or not the Product Team actions in question had a rational basis, and whether or not the Product Team decision under question was arbitrary, capricious or an abuse of discretion. Findings of fact underlying the recommendations must be supported by substantial evidence.

(k) The DRO or Special Master has broad discretion to recommend a remedy that is consistent with §17.21.

(l) A DRO or Special Master shall submit findings and recommendations only to the Director of the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition. The findings and recommendations will be released to the parties and to the public, only upon issuance of the final FAA order in the case. Should an Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition protective order be issued in connection with the protest, a redacted version of the findings and recommendations, omitting any protected information, shall be prepared wherever possible and released to the public along with a copy of the final FAA order. Only persons admitted by the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition under the protective order and Government personnel shall be provided copies of the unredacted findings and recommendations.