(a) The contractor and commission may agree to mediate the dispute at any time 270 days from the date the commission receives a notice of claim of breach of contract, or before the expiration of any extension agreed to by the parties in writing.
(b) A contractor and the commission may mediate the dispute even after the case has been referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) for a contested case. SOAH may also refer a contested case for mediation in accordance with its own rules and guidelines, regardless of whether the parties have previously attempted mediation.

Source Note: The provisions of this §27.111 adopted to be effective February 22, 2001, 26 TexReg 1493; amended to be effective July 3, 2024, 49 TexReg 4768