RFR for HIC arbitrator services for SCA - FY25 and beyond

Background
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR), is issuing this Request for Responses (RFR) to solicit bidders for arbitration services as part of the Home Improvement Contractor arbitration program.

The goal of this contract is to establish a list of approved arbitrators who will arbitrate disputes between consumers and registered contractors and subcontractors, in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws.

Work Details
The selected arbitrators will be responsible for conducting arbitration hearings and resolving disputes between consumers and registered contractors/subcontractors. Key responsibilities include:
- Hosting arbitration hearings, which may take place via Teams videoconferencing or in-person at a neutral location.
- Recording hearings using a portable digital recorder and submitting an audible copy of the recording to OCABR.
- Issuing typed decisions with findings of fact within fourteen business days post-hearing.
- Ensuring compliance with public records law by labeling recordings with the arbitrator’s name, case number, and date of hearing.

Arbitrators must have at least three years of legal experience or relevant dispute resolution experience and access to necessary technology for hosting hearings and communicating electronically.

Period of Performance
The anticipated start date for performance is on or about November 1, 2024, with an initial term of approximately one year and options for extension based on satisfactory performance.

Place of Performance
Arbitration hearings may take place in various counties across Massachusetts including Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester.