39 C.F.R. § 601.107 Initial disagreement resolution.
Title 39 - Postal Service
It is the policy of the Postal Service and in the interest of suppliers to resolve potential disagreements by mutual agreement at the contracting officer or appropriate management level. Therefore, all disputes, protests, claims, disagreements, or demands of whatsoever nature (hereinafter “disagreements”) against the Postal Service arising in connection with the purchasing process, except claims that arise pursuant to a contract under the Contract Disputes Act or claims concerning debarment, suspension, or ineligibility under §601.113, must be lodged with the responsible contracting officer for resolution within 10 days of the date the disagreement arose. If the matter is not resolved within 10 days following the lodging of the dispute, the disagreement may be lodged with the Ombudsman as described in §601.108. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures may be used, if agreed to by both parties. The Postal Service supports and encourages the use of ADR as an effective way to understand, address, and resolve disagreements and conflicts. A person or organization disagreeing with a Postal Service decision and the Postal Service contracting officer must consider the use of ADR to resolve a particular purchasing disagreement, regardless of the nature of the disagreement or when it occurs during the purchasing process. ADR methods include informal negotiation, mediation by a neutral third party, and any other agreed-upon method.
Title 39: Postal Service
PART 601—PURCHASING OF PROPERTY AND SERVICES
§ 601.107 Initial disagreement resolution.
