(a)

1. (1) The dispute resolution process shall commence upon receipt by the administrator of a written request from a loan recipient, a qualified rural community, or the Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board to resolve any dispute that:

   1. (A) Has arisen between the parties; or
   2. (B) Relates to the loan contract.
2. (2) Such requests shall be served upon the administrator of the board by certified mail.
3. (3) The request shall be in writing and shall be signed by the person or persons making said request.

4. (4) The written request shall contain the following information:

   1. (A)

(i) The full name, address, electronic mail address, and telephone number of the loan recipient, or, in the case of a request filed by a qualified rural community, the name of the community, full name and address of the community contact representative along with a telephone number.

1. (ii) All requests for submission to the dispute resolution process shall also contain the names and addresses of all other parties to the loan contract;

   1. (B) The written request should also include, if known, the name and contact information for any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or public or private organization of any character that may have an interest in the subject matter at issue in the dispute resolution process;

   2. (C)

      1. (i) Identification of the board action or decision that is being appealed and a brief description of the:

(b) (b) Issues to be resolved.

1. (ii) In the event that the request does not involve the appeal of a board decision, then the request shall simply contain a brief description of the:

(b) (b) Issues to be resolved; and

1. (D) Copies of any contracts, agreements, or other documentation that may be relevant to a successful resolution of the dispute in question.

(b)

1. (1) Upon receipt of the written request for participation in the dispute resolution procedure, the administrator for the board shall mail a copy of the request for participation to all other parties to the contract (“responding parties”) along with copies of all attachments provided by the party requesting participation in the dispute resolution process (“requesting party”).
2. (2) The copy of the request received by the board shall be mailed to the responding party or parties by certified mail at the parties’ last known address.
3. (3) The responding party must file a written response to the request for participation in the dispute resolution process.
4. (4) This response must be mailed via certified mail to the administrator for the board within twenty (20) days from the date of the responding party’s receipt of the written request.
5. (5) The responding parties must include a brief description of the nature of the dispute and issues to be resolved in their response, along with any contracts, agreements, or other relevant documentation that was not provided by the requesting party.

6. (6) A copy of the response shall also be mailed to all other parties to the loan contract by certified mail.

   1. (c)

7. (1) No later than twenty (20) days after the administrator's receipt of the responding party’s written response, the administrator shall:

   1. (A) Informally communicate with the parties; and
   2. (B) Identify and request any additional documentation or information from the parties that he or she believes may be relevant to resolving the dispute.
8. (2) The information requested by the administrator shall be produced by the applicable party within ten (10) days of the date of the administrator's written request.

9. (3) The administrator will:

   1. (A) Evaluate the request, response, documentation, and other information provided by all parties; and

   2. (B) Communicate informally with the parties to determine whether the disputes can be satisfactorily resolved.

      1. (d)
10. (1) If the parties are unable to resolve a dispute through communications facilitated by the administrator, all parties will be required to attend at least one (1) informal settlement conference moderated by the administrator in a location agreed upon by the participants.
11. (2) The informal settlement conference shall be held no later than sixty (60) days from the date when the administrator receives the initial written request for participation in the dispute resolution process.
12. (3) At their option, the parties and the board may be represented by counsel or any representative.

13. (4)

    1. (A) The purpose of the informal settlement conference will be to facilitate an environment where the parties may meet in person to resolve the dispute informally with the assistance of the administrator.
    2. (B) The conference is not a hearing and no witnesses, arguments from counsel, and submission of evidence will be permitted.