(a) Within 30 days after the close of the hearing, each interested person at the hearing may file with the administrative law judge an original and four copies of a statement containing proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, together with reasons for such proposals. The administrative law judge shall, immediately following the termination of the thirty-day period provided for the filing of proposed findings and conclusions, certify the complete record to the Administrative Review Board.

(b) Upon the basis, and after consideration, of the whole record, the Administrative Review Board may issue a tentative decision. The tentative decision shall become part of the record, and shall include: (1) A statement of findings and conclusions, with the reasons and bases therefor, upon all material issues of fact, law, or discretion presented on the record, and (2) any proposed wage determination. Any tentative decision shall be published in the Federal Register.

(c) Within twenty-one days following the publication of any tentative decision in the Federal Register, any interested person may file an original and four copies of a statement containing exemptions to the tentative decision, together with supporting reasons.

(d) Thereafter, the Administrative Review Board may issue a decision ruling upon each exception filed and including any appropriate wage determination. Any such decision shall be published in the Federal Register after it becomes the final action of the Department.

[26 FR 8945, Sept. 22, 1961, as amended at 61 FR 19988, May 3, 1996; 85 FR 13041, Mar. 6, 2020]