(a) All documents required to be served shall be served on TVA and Contractor and filed with the Board, except subpoenas.

(b) A request under § 1308.15 shall be directed to the General Manager, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 Commerce Avenue, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902, and shall be transmitted to the Chairman.

(c) All other documents required to be filed shall be directed to the Hearing Officer assigned to the matter.

(d) Service on the opposing party may be made personally or by mail. The copy presented for filing shall bear an appropriate certificate or acknowledgment of service.

(a) Unless otherwise provided in this part, prehearing procedures, including discovery, shall be conducted in accordance with Rules 6, 7(b), 16, 26, 28-37, and 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, except that the Hearing Officer may modify those Rules to meet the needs of the parties in a particular case.

(b) The term court as used in those Rules shall be deemed to mean “Hearing Officer”; the term plaintiff shall be deemed to mean “Contractor”; the term defendant shall be deemed to mean “TVA”; and the term action shall be deemed to mean the pending appeal.

(c) Discovery subpoenas are subject to Subpart E.

(d) The party giving notice of a deposition is responsible for securing a reporter.

(e) No appeal of counterclaim may be dismissed except by order of the Hearing Officer. The Hearing Officer may order at any time, with or without a motion by a party, that an appeal or counterclaim, or any part thereof, be dismissed because the matter has been settled, because the party no longer desires to pursue the matter, or because of the party's failure to prosecute the matter or to comply with the regulations in this part or with any order of the Hearing Officer. Any dismissal under this paragraph operates as an adjudication on the merits of the matter which is dismissed, and is a decision within the meaning of § 1308.23, but does not affect the Hearing Officer's jurisdiction over any matter not so dismissed.

(a) TVA shall arrange for the verbatim reporting of evidentiary hearings before the Hearing Officer, and shall provide the Hearing Officer with the original transcript. The parties shall make their own arrangements with the reporter for copies.

(b) Admissibility of evidence shall generally be governed by the Federal Rules of Evidence, subject, however, to the Hearing Officer's discretion. As used in those Rules, the term court shall be deemed to mean “Hearing Officer.”

(c)(1) Conduct of hearings shall generally be governed by Rules 42-44, 44.1, and 46 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, except that the Hearing Officer may modify those Rules to meet the needs of the parties in a particular case. The terms court, plaintiff, defendant, and action as used in those Rules shall be deemed to have the meaning given them in § 1308.32.

(2) After the Contractor has completed the presentation of his evidence, TVA, without waiving the right to offer evidence in the event the motion is not granted, may move for a dismissal on the ground that upon the facts and the law the Contractor has shown no right to relief. The Hearing Officer as the trier of the facts may then determine them and render a decision against the Contractor, or take the matter under advisement, or decline to render any decision until the close of all the evidence. Any decision rendered under this paragraph shall conform to § 1308.37, and is a decision within the meaning of § 1308.23.

(d) Hearings shall be as informal as may be reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances, and shall be held at a time and place to be specified by the Hearing Officer.

(e) Evidentiary subpoenas are subject to Subpart E of this part.

Except as otherwise provided in this part, the appeal shall be decided on the basis of the record on appeal, which consists of the notice of appeal, the claim, any notice of election under § 1308.35 or § 1308.36, orders entered during the proceeding, admissions, transcripts of hearings, hearing exhibits and stipulations on file, all other documents admitted in evidence, and all briefs submitted by the parties.

(a) The Contractor may elect to have the appeal processed under this section, if the amount in dispute is $10,000 or less. This amount shall be determined by totalling the amounts claimed by TVA and Contractor.

(b) Appeals under this section shall be decided, whenever possible, within 120 days after the Hearing Officer receives written notice that the Contractor has elected to proceed under this section. Such election may be made a part of the notice of appeal.

(c) An appeal under this section shall be determined on the basis of the record on appeal and those documents in the appeal file identified in § 1308.27(b)(1), (2), and (3). Other documents may be considered in the determination of the appeal as may be stipulated to by the parties, or as the Hearing Officer may order on motion by a party. No evidentiary hearing shall be held unless the Hearing Officer directs testimony on a particular issue. Discovery and other prehearing procedures may be conducted under such time periods as the Hearing Officer may set to meet the 120-day period, and the Hearing Officer may reserve up to 30 days to prepare a decision. Upon request by either party, the Hearing Officer shall hear oral argument after the record is closed, and may direct oral argument on specified issues if the parties do not request it.

(d) The Hearing Officer's decision under this section will be short and contain only summary findings of fact and conclusions of law. The decision may, at the Hearing Officer's discretion, be rendered orally at the conclusion of any oral argument held. In such case, the Hearing Officer will promptly furnish the parties a typed copy of the decision, which shall constitute the final decision.

(e) Decisions under this section shall be final and conclusive except for fraud, and shall have no value as precedent for future appeals.

(a) The Contractor may elect to have the appeal processed under this section if the amount in dispute is $50,000 or less. The amount shall be determined by totalling the amounts claimed by TVA and Contractor.

(b) Appeals under this section shall be decided, whenever possible, within 180 days after the Hearing Officer receives written notice that the Contractor has elected to proceed under this section. Such election may be made a part of the notice of appeal.

(c) In cases under this section, the parties are encouraged to limit discovery and briefing, consistent with adequate presentation of their positions. The Hearing Officer may shorten applicable time periods in order to meet the 180-day period, and may reserve 30 days to prepare a decision.

(d) The Hearing Officer's decision under this section will be short and may contain only summary findings of fact and conclusions of law. The decision may, at the Hearing Officer's election, be rendered orally at the conclusion of the evidentiary hearing, following such oral argument as may be permitted. In such case, the Hearing Officer will promptly furnish the parties a typed copy of the decision, which shall constitute the final decision.

(a) The Hearing Officer's decision shall be in writing. Except as provided by § 1308.35 or § 1308.36, the decision shall contain complete findings of fact and conclusions of law. The parties may be directed to submit proposed findings and conclusions. A decision against a Contractor on a claim shall include notice of the Contractor's rights under paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 10(a) of the Act.

(b) If the decision denies any part of a Contractor's claim for lack of support and the Hearing Officer is of the opinion that the Contractor's inability to support that part is within § 1308.6 and section 5 of the Act, the decision shall not state that opinion, but contemporaneously with the decision the Hearing Officer shall separately notify TVA's General Counsel of that opinion and the reasons therefor.

(c) Not later than 10 days after receipt of the decision, a party may move to alter or amend the findings or make additional findings and amend the conclusions and decision accordingly. Such a motion may be combined with a motion under § 1308.38. This time period cannot be extended.

Motions for reconsideration shall be served not later than 10 days after issuance of the Hearing Officer's decision. This time period cannot be extended. Such a motion shall be heard and decided in the manner provided by Rule 59 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for motions for new trial in actions tried without a jury.

(a) All motions shall be accompanied by a brief or memorandum setting forth supporting authorities. Briefs in opposition to a motion shall be served within 10 days after receipt of the motion, unless otherwise specified in this part, or by order of the Hearing Officer.

(b) The Hearing Officer shall set the schedule for service of prehearing and posthearing briefs on the merits.

(c) A motion to dismiss an appeal for lack of jurisdiction should be served seasonably, but may be served at any time. The issue of lack of jurisdiction may be raised by the Hearing Officer sua sponte, in which case the Hearing Officer shall set a briefing schedule on the issue in the document raising it to the parties.

(d) A motion for summary judgment may be made at any time after the appeal file has been transmitted under § 1308.26.