§  27.1421   Disputes over costs and cost-sharing.

   (a) Parties disputing a cost estimate, cost invoice, or payment or
   cost-sharing obligation must file an objection with the Relocation
   Payment Clearinghouse.

   (b) The Relocation Payment Clearinghouse may mediate any disputes
   regarding cost estimates or payments that may arise in the course of
   band reconfiguration; or refer the disputant parties to alternative
   dispute resolution fora.

   (1) Any dispute submitted to the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse, or
   other mediator, shall be decided within 30 days after the Relocation
   Payment Clearinghouse has received a submission by one party and a
   response from the other party.

   (2) Thereafter, any party may seek expedited non-binding arbitration,
   which must be completed within 30 days of the recommended decision or
   advice of the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse or other mediator.

   (3) The parties will share the cost of this arbitration if it is before
   the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse.

   (c) Should any issues still remain unresolved, they may be referred to
   the Bureau within ten days of recommended decision or advice of the
   Relocation Payment Clearinghouse or other mediator and any decision of
   the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse can be appealed to the Chief of
   the Bureau.

   (1) When referring an unresolved matter, the Relocation Payment
   Clearinghouse shall forward the entire record on any disputed issues,
   including such dispositions thereof that the Relocation Payment
   Clearinghouse has considered.

   (2) Upon receipt of such record and advice, the Bureau will decide the
   disputed issues based on the record submitted. The Bureau is directed
   to resolve such disputed issues or designate them for an evidentiary
   hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. If the Bureau decides an
   issue, any party to the dispute wishing to appeal the decision may do
   so by filing with the Commission, within ten days of the effective date
   of the initial decision, a Petition for de novo review; whereupon the
   matter will be set for an evidentiary hearing before an Administrative
   Law Judge.

   (3) Parties seeking de novo review of a decision by the Bureau are
   advised that, in the course of the evidentiary hearing, the Commission
   may require complete documentation relevant to any disputed matters;
   and, where necessary, and at the presiding judge's discretion, require
   expert engineering, economic or other reports or testimony. Parties may
   therefore wish to consider possibly less burdensome and expensive
   resolution of their disputes through means of alternative dispute
   resolution.