(a) Definitions. (1) Days. Calendar days; however, any time period will run until a day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(2) Disagreements. All disputes, protests, claims, disagreements, or demands of whatsoever nature arising in connection with the acquisition of property and services within the scope of § 601.103 of this chapter, except those:

(i) That arise pursuant to a contract under the Contract Disputes Act under § 601.109;

(ii) That concern debarment, suspension, or ineligibility under § 601.113; or

(iii) That arise out of the nonrenewal of transportation contracts containing other provisions for the review of such decisions.

(3) Interested parties. Actual or prospective offerors whose direct economic interests would be affected by the award of, or failure to award, the contract.

(4) Lodge. A disagreement is lodged on the date it is received by the contracting officer or the Supplier Disagreement Resolution Official, as appropriate.

(5) SDR Official. The Supplier Disagreement Resolution Official, a contracting officer designated by the Postal Service to perform the functions established under § 601.108.

(b) Policy. It is the policy of the Postal Service and in the interest of its suppliers to resolve disagreements by mutual agreement between the supplier and the responsible contracting officer. All disagreements must be lodged with the responsible contracting office in writing via facsimile, e-mail, hand delivery, or U.S. Mail. For disagreements that concern the award of a contract, the disagreement shall be lodged within 10 days of the date the supplier received notification of award or 10 days from the date the supplier received a debriefing, whichever is later. For disagreements that concern alleged improprieties in a solicitation, the contracting officer must receive the disagreement before the time set for the receipt of proposals, unless the disagreement concerns an alleged impropriety that does not exist in the initial solicitation but which is subsequently incorporated into the solicitation, in which event the contracting officer must receive the disagreement no later than the next closing time for the receipt of proposals following the incorporation. The resolution period shall last 10 days from the date when the disagreement is lodged with the contracting officer. During the supplier-contracting officer 10-day resolution period, the responsible contracting officer's management may help to resolve the disagreement. At the conclusion of the 10-day resolution period, the contracting officer must communicate, in writing, to the supplier his or her resolution of the disagreement.

(c) Alternative dispute resolution. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures may be used to resolve a disagreement. If the use of ADR is agreed upon, the 10-day limitation is suspended. If agreement cannot be reached, the supplier has 10 days to lodge its disagreement with the SDR Official.