(a) Within 30 days of receiving a written request to negotiate, the bureau and the Tribe/Consortium will agree to a date to conduct an initial negotiation meeting. Subsequent meetings will be held with reasonable frequency at reasonable times.

(b) Tribe/Consortium and bureau lead negotiators must:

(1) Be authorized to negotiate on behalf of their government; and

(2) Involve all necessary persons in the negotiation process.

(c) Once negotiations have been successfully completed, the bureau and Tribe/Consortium will prepare and either execute or disapprove an AFA within 30 days or by a mutually agreed upon date.