Any application for an award or other pleading or document related to an application shall be filed and served on all parties to the adjudicatory proceeding, except as provided in § 148.12(b) for confidential financial information.

(a) Within 30 days after service of an application, counsel representing the Commission or other agency against which an award is sought may file an answer to the application. Unless counsel for the Commission or for another relevant agency requests an extension of time for filing or files a statement of intent to negotiate under paragraph (b) of this section, failure to file an answer within the 30-day period may be treated as a consent to the award requested.

(b) If counsel for the Commission or for another relevant agency and the applicant believe that the issues in the fee application can be settled, they may jointly file a statement of their intent to negotiate a settlement. The filing of this statement shall extend the time for filing an answer for an additional 30 days, and further extensions may be granted by the Presiding Officer upon request by counsel for the Commission or for another relevant agency and the applicant.

(c) Any answer shall explain in detail any objections to the award requested and identify the facts relied on in support of the position of counsel for the Commission or for another relevant agency. If the answer is based on any alleged facts not already in the record of the adjudicatory proceeding, counsel for the Commission or for another relevant agency shall include with the answer either supporting affidavits or a request for further proceedings under § 148.26 of this part.

Within 15 days after service of an answer, the applicant may file a reply. If the reply is based on any alleged facts not already in the record of the adjudicatory proceeding, the applicant shall include with the reply either supporting affidavits or a request for further proceedings under § 148.26 of this part.

Any party to an adjudicatory proceeding other than the applicant and counsel for the Commission or for another relevant agency may file comments on an application within 30 days after it is served or on an answer within 15 days after it is served. A commenting party may not participate further in proceedings on the application unless the Presiding Officer determines that the public interest requires such participation in order to permit full exploration of matters raised in the comments.

The applicant may propose settlement of the award to the Commission before final action on the application, either in connection with a settlement of the adjudicatory proceeding, or after the adjudicatory proceeding has been concluded, in either case in accordance with § 10.108 of this chapter. If a prevailing party offers a proposed settlement of an award before an application has been filed, the application shall be filed with the proposed settlement.

(a) Ordinarily, the determination of an award will be made on the basis of the written record. However, on request of either the applicant or counsel for the Commission or for another relevant agency, or on his or her own initiative, the Presiding Officer may order further proceedings, such as an informal conference, oral argument, additional written submissions or an evidentiary hearing. Such further proceedings shall be held only when necessary for full and fair resolution of the issues arising from the application, and shall be conducted as promptly as possible. Whether or not the position of the Commission was substantially justified shall be determined on the basis of the administrative record, as a whole, which is made in the adversary adjudication for which fees and other expenses are sought. No discovery and/or evidentiary proceedings shall be permitted into the question of whether the agency's position was substantially justified.

(b) A request that the Presiding Officer order further proceedings under this section shall specifically identify the information sought or the disputed issues and shall explain why additional proceedings are necessary to resolve the issues.

The Presiding Officer shall issue an initial decision on the application in accordance with the provisions of § 10.84 of this chapter. The decision shall include written findings and conclusions on the applicant's eligibility and status as a prevailing party, and an explanation of the reasons for any difference between the amount requested and the amount awarded. The decision shall also include, if at issue, findings on whether the Commission's position was substantially justified, whether the applicant unduly or unreasonably protracted the adjudicatory proceedings, or whether special circumstances make an award unjust. If the applicant has sought an award against more than one agency, the decision shall allocate responsibility for payment of any award made among the agencies, and shall explain the reasons for the allocation made.

(a) Either the applicant or counsel for the Commission or for another relevant agency may appeal the initial decision on the fee application by complying with the requirements of this section. An appealing party shall serve upon opposing parties and shall file with the Proceedings Clerk a notice of appeal within fifteen (15) days after service of the initial decision. The notice need consist only of a brief statement indicating the filing party's intent to appeal the initial decision, and shall include the date upon which the initial decision was rendered, the name of the proceeding, and the docket number of the proceeding. The failure of a party timely to file and serve a notice of appeal in accordance with this paragraph, or to perfect the appeal in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, shall constitute a voluntary waiver of any objection to the initial decision, and of all further administrative or judicial review under these rules and the Equal Access to Justice Act.

(b) An appeal shall be perfected by the appealing party by timely filing with the Proceedings Clerk an appeal brief which meets the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (d) of this section. An original and one copy of the appeal brief shall be filed within thirty (30) days after filing of the notice of appeal. By motion of the appealing party, the Commission may, for good cause shown, extend the time for filing the appeal brief. If the appeal brief is not filed within the time prescribed in this subparagraph, the Commission may, upon its own motion or upon motion by a party, dismiss the appeal, in which event the initial decision shall become the final decision and order of the Commission, effective upon service of the order of dismissal.

(c) The opposing party may, within thirty (30) days after service of the appeal brief, file an original and one copy of an answering brief, and serve one copy thereof, unless the time limit is extended by the Commission upon motion of the party and for good cause shown.

(d) Parties filing an appeal brief or answering brief shall meet the requirements of § 10.12 of this chapter as to form. The content of briefs shall satisfy the requirements of § 10.102(d) of this chapter, except that any party, with leave of the Commission, may file an informal document in lieu of a brief. No brief shall exceed thirty-five (35) pages in length without advance leave of the Commission.

(e) On review, the Commission may, in its discretion, consider sua sponte any issues arising from the record and may base its determination thereon, or limit the issues to those presented in the statement of issues in the briefs, treating those issues not raised as waived.

Judicial review of final Commission decisions on awards may be sought as provided in 5 U.S.C. 504(c)(2).

An applicant seeking payment of an award from the Commission shall submit to the Executive Director at the Commission's Washington, DC headquarters, a copy of the Commission's final decision granting the award, accompanied by a statement that the applicant will not seek review of the decision in the United States courts. At the same time, the applicant shall provide a copy of his submissions to counsel for the Commission. The Commission will, within 60 days of receipt of the applicant's submissions, forward to the United States Department of the Treasury a Standard Form 1166, “Voucher and Schedule of Payments,” so as to have the Treasury Department issue a check in the amount awarded in the Commission's decision, unless judicial review of the award or of the underlying decision in the adjudicatory proceeding has been sought by the applicant or any other party to the adjudicatory proceeding.