(a) Notice of complainant intent to arbitrate dispute. To initiate the arbitration process under this subpart against a participating carrier, a complainant must notify the carrier in writing of its intent to arbitrate a dispute under this part. The notice must include: a description of the dispute sufficient to indicate that the dispute is eligible to be arbitrated under this part; a statement that the complainant consents to extensions of the timelines set forth in forth in 49 U.S.C. 11708(e); and a statement that the complainant consents to the appointment of arbitrators that may not be on the STB-maintained roster of arbitrators established under § 1108.6(b). The complainant must also submit a copy of the notice to the Board's Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance by email to [email protected]. Upon receipt of the notice of intent to arbitrate, the Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance will provide a letter to both parties confirming that the arbitration process has been initiated, and that the parties have consented to extension of the timelines set forth in 49 U.S.C. 11708(e) and the potential appointment of arbitrators not on the Board's roster. The notice and confirmation letter from the Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance will be confidential and specific information regarding pending arbitrations, including the identity of the parties, will not be disseminated within the Board beyond the alternative dispute resolution functions within the Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance.

(b) Pre-arbitration mediation. (1) Prior to commencing arbitration, the parties to the dispute may engage in mediation if they mutually agree.

(2) Such mediation will not be conducted by the STB. The parties to the dispute must jointly designate a mediator and schedule the mediation session(s).

(3) If the parties mutually agree to mediate, the parties must schedule mediation promptly and in good faith. The mediation period shall end 30 days after the date of the first mediation session, unless both parties agree to a different period.

(c) Joint Notice of Intent to Arbitrate. (1) To arbitrate a rate dispute under this subpart, the parties must submit a Joint Notice of Intent to Arbitrate with the Board's Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance, indicating the parties' intent to arbitrate under the Small Rate Case Arbitration Program. The parties must submit a copy of the notice to the Board's Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance by email to [email protected]. The joint notice must be filed not later than two business days following the date on which mediation ends or, in cases in which the parties mutually agree not to engage in mediation, two business days after the complainant submits its notice of intent to arbitrate (required by paragraph (a) of this section) to the carrier.

(2) The joint notice shall set forth the following information:

(i) The basis for the Board's jurisdiction; and

(ii) The basis for the parties' eligibility to use the Small Rate Case Arbitration Program, including: that the dispute being arbitrated is solely a rate dispute involving shipments of regulated commodities not subject to a rail transportation contract; that the carrier has opted into the Small Rate Case Arbitration Program; that the complainant has elected to use the Small Rate Case Arbitration Program for this particular rate dispute; and that the complainant does not have any other pending arbitrations at that time against the defendant carrier.

(3) The joint notice shall be confidential and will not be published on the Board's website and specific information regarding pending arbitrations, including the identity of the parties, will not be disseminated within the Board beyond the alternative dispute resolution functions within the Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance.

(4) Unless the parties have agreed not to request the Waybill Sample data pursuant allowed under § 1108.27(g), the parties must also submit a copy of the Joint Notice of Intent to Arbitrate to the Director of the Board's Office of Economics. Parties may submit the letter and copy of the joint notice by email to [email protected].