All pleadings or other submissions must be filed with OHA and served on all other parties or their attorneys. Each submission requires a certificate of service.

(a) Methods of filing and service. E-mail, mail, delivery, and facsimile are all permitted unless a Judge orders otherwise.

(1) E-mail constitutes any system for sending and receiving messages electronically over a telecommunications network. The sender is responsible for ensuring that e-mail software and file formats are compatible with the recipient and for a successful, virus-free transmission.

(2) Mail includes any service provided by the U.S. Postal Service. Mail (except “Express Mail”) is not recommended for time-sensitive filings.

(3) Delivery is personal delivery by a party, its employee, its attorney, or a commercial delivery service.

(4) Facsimile submissions should not exceed 30 pages. Contact OHA before faxing longer submissions. Follow-up originals or “hard copies” are not required unless OHA or another party specifically requests them.

(b) Filing. Filing is the receipt of pleadings and other submissions at OHA. Filers may call OHA to verify receipt. OHA's telephone number is (202) 401-8200.

(1) OHA's address. OHA accepts filings: by e-mail at OHAFilings@sba.gov; by mail or delivery at Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416; and by facsimile at (202) 205-7059.

(2) The date of filing is the date the submission is received at OHA. Any submission received at OHA after 5 p.m. eastern time is considered filed the next business day.

(3) Exhibits. An exhibit, whether an original or a copy, must be authenticated or identified to be what it purports to be. Parties are referred to 28 U.S.C. 1746.

(4) Copies. No extra copies of pleadings or other submissions need be filed. If a document is offered as an exhibit, a copy of the document will be accepted by the Judge unless—

(i) a genuine question is raised as to whether it is a true and accurate copy; or

(ii) it would be unfair, under the circumstances, to admit the copy instead of the original.

(c) Service. Service means sending a copy of a pleading or other submission filed with OHA to another party.

(1) Complete copies of all pleadings and other submissions filed with OHA must be served upon all other parties or, if represented, their attorneys, at their record addresses.

(2) The date of service is as follows: for e-mail and facsimile, the date the copy is sent; for personal delivery, the date the copy is given to the party, its attorney, or the commercial delivery service (if one is used). For mail, date of service is postmark date; in absence of a legible postmark, there is a rebuttable presumption that the copy was mailed five days before the served party's receipt.

(3) SBA address. The correct office(s) of SBA must be served, as required by the applicable program regulations, by other subparts of part 134, or by the instructions on the SBA determination being appealed. If the SBA office for service is not specified elsewhere, serve: Office of General Counsel, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416.

(4) Confidential information. If a pleading or other submission contains proprietary or confidential information, that information may be redacted (deleted) from any copies served upon non-government parties. Counsel for those parties may access the redacted information only under the protective order procedure described in §134.205.

(d) Certificate of service. A certificate of service shows how, when, and to whom service was made. Each submission to OHA must include a certificate of service. The certificate should state: “I certify that on [date], I served the foregoing [type of submission] by [e-mail, mail, Express Mail, personal delivery, commercial delivery service, facsimile] upon the following”. List the name and address of each party served, and either the facsimile number or the e-mail address (if applicable). The individual serving the submission must sign the certificate and either print or type his or her name and title.

[75 FR 47439, Aug. 6, 2010]