Written Statement of Dispute by District and Nonbinding Mediation. Within 10 business days following the conclusion of the meet and confer conference, if the Claim or any portion of the Claim remains in dispute, the District shall provide the Contractor a written statement identifying the portion of the Claim that remains in dispute and the portion that is undisputed. Any payment due on an undisputed portion of the Claim shall be processed and made within 60 days after the District issues its written statement. Any disputed portion of the Claim, as identified by the contractor in writing, shall be submitted to nonbinding mediation, with the District and the Contractor sharing the associated costs equally. The District and Contractor shall mutually agree to a mediator within 10 business days after the disputed portion of the Claim has been identified in writing. If the parties cannot agree upon a mediator, each party shall select a mediator and those mediators shall select a qualified neutral third party to mediate with regard to the disputed portion of the Claim. Each party shall bear the fees and costs charged by its respective mediator in connection with the selection of the neutral mediator. If mediation is unsuccessful, the parts of the Claim remaining in dispute shall be subject to applicable procedures outside this section.
