EEO counseling and mediation services: the contractor shall conduct individual EO counseling and mediations for NASA headquarters employees and applicants for employment in accordance with the eeoc…

EEO counseling and mediation services: the contractor shall conduct individual EO counseling and mediations for NASA headquarters employees and applicants for employment in accordance with the eeoc regulations set forth at 29 C.F.r part 1614.105 and management directive (MD) 110. The contractor will complete the counseling within the required 30 days from the date of contact by the aggrieved person (AP) with the NASA headquarters complaints program manager. Extension of the counseling beyond the 30-day period will be agreed upon by the AP and approved via memorandum by the equal opportunity and diversity management (eodm) director and the AP. The contract company shall be cognizant of the fact that the equal opportunity and diversity management division (eodm) and NASA's office of diversity and equal opportunity (odeo) may both utilize their services. The vendor must avoid conflict of interest issues when assigning contract counselors and/or mediators to eodm cases and to odeo cases. A contract counselor assigned to an eodm case must never be assigned to its subsequent formal stage case at odeo. The contractor shall conduct mediation sessions for a maximum of eight (8) hours unless otherwise approved by the eodm division director. Mediation is to be conducted in accordance with the eeoc regulations set forth at 29 CFR 1614.105 and MD 110. The mediator is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the meditation process during the sessions. All matters discussed during the meditation session must be kept in strictest confidence and no notes will be kept. Before assignment to a NASA HQ case, all counselors must provide certification that they have completed either the initial 32-hour training course or the annual eight hours of refresher training as required by MD 110. The training must include the entire EEO process set-forth under 29 C.P.r part 1614, emphasizing important time frames in the EEO process and providing an overview of counseling class complaints and a review of the roles and responsibilities of an EEO counselor. Counselor certifications must be submitted to the complaints program manager prior to initiating counseling cases involving NASA personnel. The eodm complaints program manager will provide all appropriate EO counseling and mediation forms to the contractor.