Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Office of State Procurement (OSP) issues this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on behalf of the ADE-DESE is to establish a list of qualified Impartial Hearing Officers who will conduct hearings, possess knowledge of both Federal and State regulations of the IDEA, render and write decisions in accordance with appropriate, standard legal practice. The Contractor shall attend annual in-service training(s) conducted or sponsored by the Arkansas Department of Education for impartial hearing officers. A. An impartial due process hearing officer shall comply with all legal and contractual timelines. B. Promptly after being assigned a case, the impartial hearing officer shall schedule and hold a prehearing conference, unless the interests of justice require otherwise. 1. At the pre-hearing conference the impartial hearing officer may: a. Advise the parties of Hearing Procedures b. Explain applicable burdens of proof. c. Discuss and clarify the issues on which the hearing will be held. d. Stipulate to facts not in dispute. e. Explore settlement options. f. Discuss the number of witnesses. g. Submit the order of witnesses, showing the expected length of direct and cross examination for each witness.
