General Dispute Resolution Process. If a dispute arises between DCF and County under this Contract, including disputes arising from DCF's finding of non-compliance, payment adjustments, or other remedial measures, the following dispute resolution process and timelines will be used. The timing of steps identified in this process may be extended by mutual agreement of the Department and the County.
General Dispute Resolution Process. During the term of this Agreement, GE and SonoSite agree to resolve their future disputes, with the exception of disputes related to this Agreement, in accordance with the following procedure: First, if either party requests in writing a dispute resolution meeting, authorized representatives from each company shall conduct face-to-face negotiations to attempt to resolve the dispute. If the company representatives are unable to resolve the dispute within [**] ([**]) [**] of the date of the initial request for a dispute resolution meeting (the “DR Start Date”), a senior manager from each company shall conduct face-to-face negotiations to attempt to resolve the dispute, and shall identify and reserve the services of an independent, impartial mediator who will be available in the event that senior management is unable to resolve the dispute and a demand for non-binding mediation is made. If senior management is unable to resolve the dispute within [**] ([**]) [**] of the DR Start Date, either party may make a written demand for non-binding mediation within [**] ([**]) [**] after the date that senior management fails to resolve the dispute. If such a demand is made, the previously identified mediator shall conduct at least a one-day mediation, which shall commence no later than [**] ([**]) [**] after the date that senior management fails to resolve the dispute, or the earliest date of availability for the identified mediator. The parties each shall designate a representative(s) to meet with the mediator in good faith in an effort to resolve the dispute. The specific format for the mediation shall be left to the discretion of the mediator and the designated party representatives. If the parties are unable to resolve the dispute within [**] ([**]) [**] after the date that senior management fails to resolve the dispute, then (a) the parties may, at their sole discretion, agree to resolve such dispute through other informal procedural means, including, without limitation, referral to an independent, neutral third party expert, or arbitration, or (b) either party shall be entitled to exercise its rights and remedies at law and in equity if the dispute resolution process described in this Section 6.1 fails to resolve the dispute. For clarity, the time period for the process described in this Section 6.1 shall not exceed [**] ([**]) [**] after the DR Start Date, unless the parties mutually agree in writing to extend such [**]-[**] period.
