4.7: Special Masters
Engage "Special Masters” to Referee Discussions between Government and Industry. Other Information:
The concept borrows from the civil litigation process of engaging qualified independent third parties to oversee aspects of
litigation, from complex discovery to mediation or arbitration. In the procurement context, the parties to a particular RFP
(agency and bidders or potential bidders) could agree to engage the services of an independent third party to oversee in person
negotiations to ensure the fairness of the discussions. One-onone discussion between the Government and the vendor will allow
the Government to receive more straightforward feedback from industry and assuage industry’s concerns by providing a forum
that allows industry to speak candidly without risking disclosing trade secrets to the competition. This would allow the Government
to get more direct feedback about requirements from industry because the meetings could be conducted with one vendor at a
time (as opposed to industry day where everyone is present and no one speaks). This wouldn't require legislative change. It
would require the consent of the parties, and qualified referees.
Indicator(s):
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