By Dr Kathleen M.J. Harmon;

First published in: (2004) 130(4) Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice 289.

This paper will discuss the dispute review board (DRB) process and in particular the settlement recommendation and the elements thereof that may induce contractual parties to resolve their conflict. The recommendation is a document issued after the contractual parties bring a dispute to the DRB panel that they have failed to resolve. To lay the foundation for the issuance of a recommendation, the DRB process will be briefly described. Also discussed is the groundwork the panel itself must lay to gain the parties trust prior to the issuance of any recommendation. Given the importance of the recommendation as a linchpin of the DRB process, it is surprising to note the death of literature regarding it. This paper will help to partially fill that void.