Agency: 
United States Postal Service
Scheme Nickname: 
Postal Board of Contract Appeals

The Postal Board of Contract Appeals (Board) hears appeals from disputes of contracts entered into by the United States Postal Service and the Postal Regulatory Commission. The Board also has jurisdiction over certain cases under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA).

The Board has three different procedures for hearing cases: the standard (long-form) procedure, an Expedited Procedure (for Small Claims), and an Accelerated Procedure. In the Expedited and Accelerated Procedures, procedural requirements are relaxed, and the Board has a goal of issuing decisions within 120 days and 180 days, respectively.

In case following the standard and Accelerated procedures, parties can file a motion for reconsideration (such a motion is not possible under the Expedited procedure unless there has been fraud). After reconsideration, Board decisions are final.

Comments/Notes on Adjudication Structure: 
The three USPS schemes relate to each other as follows: Hearings and appeals for all case types within USPS are held in the Judicial Officer Department. The Judicial Officer Department has two divisions, the "Judicial Officer and Office of Administrative Law Judge (Office)" and the "Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals." Two schemes are heard by the Office. USPSJOAJ0001 includes cases in which the initial hearing officer is an ALJ. These cases can be appealed to the Judicial Officer. USPSJOJO0002 includes cases in which the case is heard by the Judicial Officer, and cannot be appealed. These two schemes include the bulk of the case types within USPS. The third scheme is heard by the "Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals." USPSPCBA0003 involves appeals from contracts made between the USPS and contractors for procurement or disposal of property or procurement of services.
Types of Adjudication: 
Type B
Comments/Notes on Related Schemes: 
The Judicial Officer is the hearing officer in USPSJOJO0002 and hears appeals of cases in USPSJOAJ0001.
Resources & Articles: 
Judicial Officer Department: http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/judicial/welcome.htm
Board Decisions: http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/judicial/board-contract-appeals-decisions/welcome.htm
Verified by Agency: 
Verified
Is this a Major Adjudication: 
Yes