(a) Time for filing. A charged party shall have twenty (20) days from the date of service of the charging letter within which to file a written response to the allegations made in the charging letter unless otherwise ordered by the administrative law judge.

(b) Form and content. Each response shall be under oath and signed by the charged party or its duly authorized officer, attorney, or agent, with the name, address, and telephone number of the same. Each charged party shall respond to each allegation in the charging letter, and may set forth a concise statement of the facts constituting each ground of defense. There shall be a specific admission or denial of each fact alleged in the charging letter, or if the charged party is without knowledge of any such fact, a statement to that effect.

(c) Request for confidentiality. The response shall contain a statement as to whether the charged party seeks an order to maintain the confidentiality of all or part of the proceedings to the extent practicable, pursuant to §207.105 of this subpart.