U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Arbitration Panels

Arbitration Panel Policies and Procedures

Sections 107d-1, and 107d-2 of the Randolph-Sheppard Act require the U.S. Department of Education to convene arbitration panels to arbitrate disputes between either a blind vendor and State Licensing Agency, or a State Licensing Agency and Federal agency.  This document contains the Department’s interim policies and procedures for carrying out its responsibilities to convene arbitration panels under the Randolph-Sheppard Act.  

Federal Register Notices

On November 3, 2021, the Department published a notice in the Federal Register indicating that the following seven arbitration panel decisions have been published: 

  1. Bird v. Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission, Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired        
  2. Bragg v. Tennessee Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services         
  3. Kneip v. Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired   
  4. Stelmach v. Michigan Bureau of Services for Blind Persons
  5. Maryland State Department of Education v. United States General Services Administration          
  6. Altstatt v. Oklahoma Division of Rehabilitation Services                
  7. Murphy et al. v. California Department of Rehabilitation

On January 23, 2023, the Department published a notice in the Federal Register indicating that the following 11 arbitration panel decisions have been published: 

  1. South Carolina Commission for the Blind v. U.S. Marine Corps
  2. Balani et al. v. California Department of Rehabilitation
  3. Bechtel v. Washington State Services for the Blind
  4. Utah Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired v. U.S. Department of the Air Force, Hill Air Force Base
  5. Kneip v. Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
  6. Mitchell v. Louisiana Workforce Commission
  7. Missouri Department of Social Services, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind v. U.S. Department of the Army, Fort Leonard Wood 
  8. Henderson v. Missouri Department of Social Services, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind
  9. Crocker v. California Department of Rehabilitation
  10. Brown v. Illinois Department of Human Services
  11. Oregon Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired v. General Services Administration 

Arbitration Panel Decisions

Under section 107d-2(c) of the Randolph-Sheppard Act, the Secretary publishes the decisions of arbitration panels selected to adjudicate disputes over the administration of vending facilities on Federal and other property. These decisions are listed below and also grouped by common keywords. On December 6, 2022, RSA updated these decisions and common keywords.