dered consists of the appeal file described in Rule 4, and, to the extent the following items have been filed, pleadings, pre-hearing conference memoranda or orders, prehearing briefs, depositions or interrogatories received in evidence, admissions, stipulations, transcripts of conferences and hearings, hearing exhibits, post-hearing briefs, and documents which the Board has specifically designated to be made a part of the record. The record will at all reasonable times be available for inspection by the parties at the office of the Board.

(b) Except as the Board may otherwise order in its discretion, no proof shall be received in evidence after completion of an oral hearing or, in cases submitted on the record, after notification by the Board that the case is ready for decision.

(c) The weight to be attached to any evidence of record will rest within the sound discretion of the Board. The Board may in any case require either party, with appropriate notice to the other party, to submit additional evidence on any matter relevant to the appeal.

14. Discovery-Depositions-(a) General policy and protective orders. The parties are encouraged to engage in voluntary discovery procedures. In connection with any deposition or other discovery procedure, the Board may make any order which justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, and those orders may include limitations on the scope, method, time and place for discovery, and provisions for protecting the secrecy of confidential information or documents.

(b) When depositions permitted. After an appeal has been docketed and complaint filed, the parties may mutually agree to, or the Board may, upon application of either party and for good cause shown, order the taking of testimony of any person by deposition upon oral examination or written interrogatories before any officer authorized to administer oaths at the place of examination, for use as evidence or for purpose of discovery. The application for order shall specify whether the purpose of the deposition is discovery or for use as evidence.

(c) Orders on depositions. The time, place, and manner of taking depositions shall be as mutually agreed by the parties, or, failing such agreement, governed by order of the Board.

(d) Use as evidence. No testimony taken by deposition shall be considered as part of the evidence in the hearing of an appeal unless and until such testimony is offered and received in evidence at such hearing. It will not ordinarily be received in evidence if the deponent is present and can testify personally at the hearing. In such instances, however, the deposition may be used to contradict or impeach the testimony of the wit

ness given at the hearing. In cases submitted on the record, the Board may in its discretion receive depositions as evidence in supplementation of that record.

(e) Expenses. Each party shall bear its own expenses associated with the taking of any deposition.

15. Interrogatories to parties; inspection of documents; admission of facts. Under appropriate circumstances, but not as a matter of course, the Board will entertain applications for permission to serve written interrogatories upon the opposing party, applications for an order to produce and permit the inspection of designated documents, and applications for permission to serve upon the opposing party a request for the admission of specified facts. Such applications shall be reviewed and approved only to the extent and upon such terms as the Board in its discretion considers to be consistent with the objective of securing just and inexpensive determination of appeals without unnecessary delay, and essential to the proper pursuit of that objective in the particular case.

16. Service of papers. Service of papers in all proceedings pending before the Board may be made personally, or by mailing the same in a sealed envelope registered, or certified, postage prepaid, addressed to the party upon whom service shall be made and the date of delivery as shown by return receipt shall be the date of service. Waiver of the service of any papers may be noted thereon or on a copy thereof or on a separate paper, signed by the parties and filed with the Board.

17. Where and when held. Hearings will ordinarily be held in Washington, D.C., except that upon request seasonably made and upon good cause shown, the Board may in its discretion set the hearing at another location. Hearings will be scheduled at the discretion of the Board with due consideration to the regular order of appeals and other pertinent factors. On request or motion by either party and upon good cause shown, the Board may in its discretion advance a hearing.

18. Notice of hearings. The parties shall be given at least 15 days notice of the time and place set for hearings. In scheduling hearings, the Board will give due regard to the desires of the parties, and to the requirement for just and inexpensive determination of appeals without unnecessary delay. Notices of hearing shall be promptly acknowledged by the parties. A party failing to acknowledge a notice of hearing shall be deemed to have submitted his case upon the Board record as provided in Rule 11.

19. Unexcused absence of a party. The unexcused absence of a party at the time and place set for hearing will not be occasion for delay. In the event of such absence, the hearing will proceed and the case will be re

garded as submitted by the absent party as provided in Rule 11.

20. Nature of hearings. Hearings shall be as informal as may be reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances. Appellant and respondent may offer at a hearing on the merits such relevant evidence as they deem appropriate and as would be admissible under the generally accepted rules of evidence applied in the courts of the United States in nonjury trials, subject, however, to the sound discretion of the presiding member or examiner in supervising the extent and manner of presentation of such evidence. In general, admissibility will hinge on relevancy and materiality. Letters or copies thereof, affidavits, or other evidence not ordinarily admissible under the generally accepted rules of evidence, may be admitted in the discretion of the presiding member or examiner. The weight to be attached to evidence presented in any particular form will be within the discretion of the Board, taking into consideration all the circumstances of the particular case. Stipulations of fact agreed upon by the parties may be regarded and used as evidence at the hearing. The parties may stipulate the testimony that would be given by a witness if the witness were present. The Board may in any case require evidence in addition to that offered by the parties.

21. Examination of witnesses. Witnesses before the Board will be examined orally under oath or affirmation, unless the facts are stipulated, or the Board member or examiner shall otherwise order. If the testimony of a witness is not given under oath the Board may, if it seems expedient, warn the witness that his statements may be subject to the provisions of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 287 and 1001, and any other provisions of law imposing penalties for knowingly making false representations in connection with claims against the United States or in any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency thereof.

22. Copies of papers. When books, records, papers, or documents have been received in evidence, a true copy thereof or of such part thereof as may be material or relevant may be substituted therefor, during the hearing or at the conclusion thereof.

23. Posthearing briefs. Posthearing briefs may be submitted upon such terms as may be agreed upon by the parties and the presiding member or examiner at the conclusion of the hearing. Ordinarily they will be simultaneous briefs, exchanged within 20 days after receipt of transcript.

24. Transcript of proceedings. Testimony and argument at hearings shall be reported verbatim, unless the Board otherwise orders. Transcripts of the proceedings shall be supplied to the parties at such rates as may be fixed by contract between the Board and the reporter. If the proceedings are re

ported by an employee of the Government, the appellant may receive transcripts upon payment to the Government at the same rates as those set by contract between the Board and the independent reporter.

25. Withdrawal of exhibits. After a decision has become final the Board may, upon request and after notice to the other party, in its discretion permit the withdrawal of original exhibits, or any part thereof, by the party entitled thereto. The substitution of true copies of exhibits or any part thereof may be required by the Board in its discretion as a condition of granting permission for such withdrawal.

REPRESENTATION

26. The appellant. An individual appellant may appear before the Board in person, a corporation by an officer thereof, a partnership or joint venture by a member thereof, or any of these by an attorney at law duly licensed in any State, Commonwealth, Territory, or in the District of Columbia.

27. The respondent. Government counsel designated by the various departments to represent the departments, agencies, directorates, and bureaus cognizant of the disputes brought before the Board, may in accordance with their authority represent the interests of the Government before the Board. They shall file notices of appearance with the Board, and notice thereof will be given appellant or his attorney in the form specified by the Board from time to time. Whenever at any time it appears that appellant and Government counsel are in agreement as to disposition of the controversy, the Board may suspend further processing of the appeal in order to permit reconsideration by the contracting officer: Provided, however, That if the Board is advised thereafter by either party that the controversy has not been disposed of by agreement, the case shall be restored to the Board's calendar without loss of position.

DECISIONS

28. Decisions of the Board will be made in writing and authenticated copies thereof will be forwarded simultaneously to both parties. The rules of the Board and all final orders and decisions (except those required for good cause to be held confidential and not cited as precedents) shall be open for public inspection at the offices of the Board in Washington, D.C. In accordance with paragraph 3 of the Charter, decisions of the Board will be made upon the record, as described in Rule 13.

MOTIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION

29. A motion for reconsideration, if filed by either party, shall set forth specifically the ground or grounds relied upon to sus

tain the motion, and shall be filed within 30 days from the date of the receipt of a copy of the decision of the Board by the party filing the motion.

DISMISSALS

30. Dismissal without prejudice. In certain cases, appeals docketed before the Board are required to be placed in a suspense status and the Board is unable to proceed with disposition thereof for reasons not within the control of the Board. In any such case where the suspension has continued, or it appears that it will continue, for an inordinate length of time, the Board may in its discretion dismiss such appeals from its docket without prejudice to their restoration when the cause of suspension has been removed. Unless either party or the Board acts within three years to reinstate any appeal dismissed without prejudice, the dismissal shall be deemed with prejudice.

31. Dismissal for failure to prosecute. Whenever a record discloses the failure of the appellant to file documents required by these rules, respond to notices or correspondence from the Board, comply with

orders of the Board, or otherwise to indicate an intention to continue the prosecution of an appeal filed, the Board may issue an order requiring appellant to show cause within thirty days why the appeal should not be dismissed for lack of prosecution. If the appellant shall fail to show such cause, the appeal may be dismissed with prejudice.

EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS

32. No member of the Board or of the Board's staff shall entertain, nor shall any person directly or indirectly involved in an appeal submit to the Board or the Board's staff, off the record any evidence, explanation, analysis, or advice, whether written or oral, regarding any matter at issue in an appeal. This provision does not apply to consultation among Board members nor to ex parte communications concerning the Board's administrative functions or procedures.

[32 FR 15751, Nov. 16, 1967; 35 FR 1238, Jan. 30, 1970, as amended at 39 FR 8158, Mar. 4, 1974]