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SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO DEFINITIONS.
Section 571 of title 5, United States Code, is amend-
ed—
(1) in paragraph (3)—
(A) by striking ‘‘, in lieu of an adjudication
as defined in section 551(7) of this title,’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘settlement negotiations,’’;
and
(C) by striking ‘‘and arbitration’’ and in-
serting ‘‘arbitration, and use of ombuds’’; and
(2) in paragraph (8)—
(A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘deci-
sion,’’ and inserting ‘‘decision;’’; and
(B) by striking the matter following sub-
paragraph (B).
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO CONFIDENTIALITY PROVISIONS.
(a) LIMITATION OF CONFIDENTIALITY APPLICATION
TO COMMUNICATION.—Subsections (a) and (b) of section
574 of title 5, United States Code, are each amended in
the matter before paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘any informa-
tion concerning’’.
(b) DISPUTE RESOLUTION COMMUNICATION.—Sec-
tion 574(b)(7) of title 5, United States Code, is amended
to read as follows:
‘‘(7) except for dispute resolution communica-
tions generated by the neutral, the dispute resolution
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communication was provided to or was available to
all parties to the dispute resolution proceeding.’’.
(c) 
ALTERNATIVE
CONFIDENTIALITY
PROCE-
DURES.—Section 574(d) of title 5, United States Code,
is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(d)’’; and
(2) by adding at the end thereof the following
new paragraph:
‘‘(2) To qualify for the exemption established under
subsection (j), an alternative confidential procedure under
this subsection may not provide for less disclosure than
the confidential procedures otherwise provided under this
section.’’.
(d) EXEMPTION FROM DISCLOSURE BY STATUTE.—
Section 574 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by amending subsection (j) to read as follows:
‘‘(j) A dispute resolution communication which is be-
tween a neutral and a party and which may not be dis-
closed under this section shall also be exempt from disclo-
sure under section 552(b)(3).’’.
SEC. 4. AMENDMENT TO REFLECT THE CLOSURE OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCE.
(a) PROMOTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE DISPUTE RES-
OLUTIONS.—Section 3(a)(1) of the Administrative Dis-
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pute Resolution Act (5 U.S.C. 571 note; Public Law 101–
552; 104 Stat. 2736) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(1) consult with the agency designated by, or
the interagency committee designated or established
by, the President under section 573 of title 5, Unit-
ed States Code, to facilitate and encourage agency
use of alternative dispute resolution under sub-
chapter IV of chapter 5 of such title; and’’.
(b) COMPILATION OF INFORMATION.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 582 of title 5,
United States Code, is repealed.
(2) TECHNICAL
AND
CONFORMING
AMEND-
MENT.—The table of sections for chapter 5 of title
5, United States Code, is amended by striking the
item relating to section 582.
(c) FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERV-
ICE.—Section 203(f) of the Labor Management Relations
Act, 1947 (29 U.S.C. 173(f)) is amended by striking ‘‘the
Administrative Conference of the United States and other
agencies’’ and inserting ‘‘the agency designated by, or the
interagency committee designated or established by, the
President under section 573 of title 5, United States
Code,’’.
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SEC. 5. AMENDMENTS TO SUPPORT SERVICES PROVISION.
Section 583 of title 5, United States Code, is amend-
ed by inserting ‘‘State, local, and tribal governments,’’
after ‘‘other Federal agencies,’’.
SEC. 6. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONTRACT DISPUTES ACT.
Section 6 of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (41
U.S.C. 605) is amended—
(1) in subsection (d) by striking the second sen-
tence and inserting: ‘‘The contractor shall certify the
claim when required to do so as provided under sub-
section (c)(1) or as otherwise required by law.’’; and
(2) in subsection (e) by striking the first sen-
tence.
SEC. 7. AMENDMENTS ON ACQUIRING NEUTRALS.
(a) EXPEDITED HIRING OF NEUTRALS.—
(1) COMPETITIVE REQUIREMENTS IN DEFENSE
AGENCY CONTRACTS.—Section 2304(c)(3)(C) of title
10, United States Code, is amended by striking
‘‘agency, or’’ and inserting ‘‘agency, or to procure
the services of an expert or neutral for use’’.
(2) COMPETITIVE REQUIREMENTS IN FEDERAL
CONTRACTS.—Section 303(c)(3)(C) of the Federal
Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949
(41 U.S.C. 253(c)(3)(C)), is amended by striking
‘‘agency, or’’ and inserting ‘‘agency, or to procure
the services of an expert or neutral for use’’.
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(b) REFERENCES
TO
THE ADMINISTRATIVE CON-
FERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES.—Section 573 of title
5, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(c) The President shall designate an agency or des-
ignate or establish an interagency committee to facilitate
and encourage agency use of dispute resolution under this
subchapter. Such agency or interagency committee, in con-
sultation with other appropriate Federal agencies and pro-
fessional organizations experienced in matters concerning
dispute resolution, shall—
‘‘(1) encourage and facilitate agency use of al-
ternative means of dispute resolution; and
‘‘(2) develop procedures that permit agencies to
obtain the services of neutrals on an expedited
basis.’’; and
(2) in subsection (e) by striking ‘‘on a roster es-
tablished under subsection (c)(2) or a roster main-
tained by other public or private organizations, or
individual’’.
SEC. 8. ARBITRATION AWARDS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW.
(a) ARBITRATION AWARDS.—Section 580 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking subsections (c), (f), and (g); and