Sec. 64.1703  Dispute resolution default process.

    (a) Tri-Partite Panel. Technical disputes governed by this section 
shall be resolved in accordance with the recommendation of a three-
person panel, subject to a vote of the funding parties in accordance 
with paragraph (b) of this section. Persons who participated in the 
generic requirements or standards development process are eligible to 
serve on the panel. The panel shall be selected and operate as follows:
    (1) Within two (2) days of the filing of a dispute with the NASDO 
invoking the dispute resolution default process, both the funding party 
seeking dispute resolution and the NASDO shall select a representative 
to sit on the panel;
    (2) Within four (4) days of their selection, the two panelists shall 
select a neutral third panel member to create a tri-partite panel;
    (3) The tri-partite panel shall, at a minimum, review the proposed 
text of the NASDO and any explanatory material provided to the funding 
parties by the NASDO, the comments and any alternative text provided by 
the funding party seeking dispute resolution, any relevant standards 
which have been established or which are under development by an 
accredited-standards development organization, and any comments 
submitted by other funding parties;
    (4) Any party in interest submitting information to the panel for 
consideration (including the NASDO, the party seeking dispute resolution 
and the other funding parties) shall be asked by the panel whether there 
is knowledge of patents, the use of which may be essential to the 
standard or generic requirement being considered. The fact that the 
question was asked along with any affirmative responses shall be 
recorded, and considered, in the panel's recommendation; and
    (5) The tri-partite panel shall, within fifteen (15) days after 
being established, decide by a majority vote, the issue or issues raised 
by the party seeking dispute resolution and produce a report of their 
decision to the funding parties. The tri-partite panel must adopt one of 
the five options listed below:
    (i) The NASDO's proposal on the issue under consideration;
    (ii) The position of the party seeking dispute resolution on the 
issue under consideration;
    (iii) A standard developed by an accredited standards development 
organization that addresses the issue under consideration;
    (iv) A finding that the issue is not ripe for decision due to 
insufficient technical evidence to support the soundness of any one 
proposal over any other proposal; or
    (v) Any other resolution that is consistent with the standard 
described in section 64.1703(a)(6).
    (6) The tri-partite panel must choose, from the five options 
outlined above, the option that they believe provides the most 
technically sound solution and base its recommendation upon the 
substantive evidence presented to the panel. The panel is not precluded 
from taking into account complexity of implementation and other 
practical considerations in deciding which option is most technically 
sound. Neither of the disputants (i.e., the NASDO and the funding party 
which invokes the dispute resolution process) will be permitted to 
participate in any decision to reject the mediation panel's 
recommendation.
    (b) The tri-partite panel's recommendation(s) must be included in 
the final industry-wide standard or industry-wide generic requirement, 
unless three-fourths of the funding parties who vote decide within 
thirty (30) days of the filing of the dispute to reject the 
recommendation and accept one of the options specified in paragraphs 
(a)(5) (i) through (v) of this section. Each funding party shall have 
one vote.
    (c) All costs sustained by the tri-partite panel will be 
incorporated into

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the cost of producing the industry-wide standard or industry-wide 
generic requirement.