92 STAT. 680
Regulations.
Contract.
Review and audit.
Panel.
18 USC 201 et 18 USC 201 note.
PUBLIC LAW 95-372—SEPT. 18, 1978 the claimant may submit the dispute to the Secretary for decision in accordance with section 554 of title 5, United States Code. However, a claimant who has presented a claim to the Fund pursuant to such subsection (b) may elect to commence an action in court against the Fund in lieu of submission of the dispute to the Secretary for decision, that election to be irrevocable and exclusive. (g)(1) The Secretary shall promulgate regulations which establish uniform procedures and standards for the appraisal and settlement of claims against the Fund. (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, the Secretary shall use the facilities and services of private insurance and claims adjusting organizations or State agencies in processing claims against the Fund and may contract to pay compensation for those facilities and services. Any contract made under the provisions of this paragraph may be made without regard to the provisions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5) upon a showing by the Secretary that advertising is not reasonably practicable. The Secretary may make advance payments to a contractor for services and facilities, and the Secretary may advance to the contractor funds to be used for the payment of claims. The Secretary may review and audit claim payments made pursuant to this subsection. A payment to a claimant for a single claim in excess of $100,000, or two or more claims aggregating in excess of $200,000, shall be first approved by the Secretary. When the services of a State agency are used in processing and settling claims, no payment may be made on a claim asserted by or on behalf of such State or any of its agencies or subdivisions unless the payment has been approved by the Secretary. (3) To the extent necessitated by extraordinary circumstances, where the services of such private organizations or State agencies are inadequate, the Secretary may use Federal personnel to process claims against the Fund. (h) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 556 of title 5, United States Code, the Secretary is authorized to appoint, from time to time for a period of not to exceed one hundred and eighty days, one or more panels, each comprised of three individuals, to hear and decide disputes submitted to the Secretary pursuant to subsection (f) of this section. At least one member of each panel shall be qualified to conduct adjudicatory proceedings and shall preside over the activities of the panel. Each member of a panel shall possess competence in the evaluation and assessment of property damage and the economic losses resulting therefrom. Panel members may be appointed from private life or from any Federal agency except the staff administering the Fund. Each panel member appointed from private life shall receive a per diem compensation, and each panel member shall receive necessary traveling and other expenses while engaged in the work of a panel. The provisions of chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, and of Executive Order 11222, as amended, regarding special Government employees, shall apply to panel members appointed from private life. (i)(1) Upon receipt of a request for a decision from a claimant, properly made, the Secretary shall refer the dispute to (A) an administrative law judge appointed under section 3105 of title 5, United States Code, or (B) a panel appointed under subsection (h) of this section.
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