Why Does Anyone Mediate if Mediation Risks Psychological Dissatisfaction, Extra Costs and Manipulation? Three Theories Reveal Paradoxes Resolved by Mediator Standards of Ethical Practice

Published in cooperation with the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolutio

Mitigating Spirals of Conflict in DoD Source Selections

Government contracting is rife with opportunities for miscom- munication and misperception. This can undermine trust and fuel spirals of conflict. For this article, the authors interviewed participants and analyzed Government Accountability Office (GAO) bid protest decisions involving Department of Defense source selections. They found agency, vendor, and GAO prac- tices that trigger and fuel these spirals. Contracting agencies and GAO can take steps to improve communication, reduce inconsistencies, and reduce perceptions of bias, thereby miti- gating costly bid protests

Understanding and Mitigating Protests of Department of Defense Acquisition Contracts

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

The Fox and the Henhouse: On the Wisdom of GAO Audits of the Federal Reserve

Is assigning the GAO to protect against political favoritism by the Fed like asking the fox to guard the henhouse? According to Steve Maser and Fred Thompson's work it is: they find that Congressional pressure has a large impact on GAO decision making.