(a) Upon his own motion or the motion of the parties, the Administrative Law Judge may direct the parties or their counsel to meet with him for a conference to consider:

1. (1) Simplification of the issues;
2. (2) Necessity or desirability of amendments to pleadings for purposes of clarification, simplification, or limitation;
3. (3) Stipulations, admissions of fact and of contents and authenticity of documents;
4. (4) Limitation of number of witnesses;
5. (5) Scheduling dates for the exchange of witness lists and of proposed exhibits;
6. (6) Such other matters as may tend to expedite the disposition of the proceedings.