§ 6101.0 - Foreword.

(a) The General Services Administration Board of Contract Appeals was established under the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, 41 U.S.C. 601-613, as an independent tribunal to hear and decide contract disputes between government contractors and the General Services Administration (GSA) and other executive agencies of the United States.

(b) As an agency board established under the Contract Disputes Act, the Board is required to “provide to the fullest extent practicable, informal, expeditious and inexpensive resolution of disputes.” 41 U.S.C. 607(e). The rules in part 6101 represent the Board's concerted effort to be responsive to this charge in standard proceedings. In further response to this mandate, the Board also uses a variety of techniques intended to shorten and simplify, when appropriate, the proceedings normally used to resolve contract disputes. These techniques are described in part 6102.

(c) As indicated in part 6102, the Board fully supports the use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in all appropriate cases. To encourage the prompt, expert, and inexpensive resolution of contract disputes as promoted by the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, Public Law 103-355, 108 Stat. 3243, the Board will also make a Board Neutral available for an ADR proceeding, as described in 6102.4, either before or after the issuance of a decision by a contracting officer of any agency if a joint written request is submitted to the Office of the Clerk of the Board by the parties.

(d) The Board also conducts proceedings as required under other laws. In all matters before it, the Board will act in accordance with this part and Part 6102 and applicable standards of conduct so that the integrity, impartiality, and independence of the Board are preserved.