Specifications include, but are not limited to: Conduct hearings within the deadline (60 calendar days after the date any agency office receives a written request for a hearing). This includes: Schedule the hearing and within 10 calendar days of being assigned the case, notify the client/participant (and any representative) and the agency representative in writing of the hearing date, time, and place (usually the local agency office where the client/participant is served) and the parties’ rights; Request the appearance of agency staff and client/participant (but not others) requested by the client/participant or Hearing Officer; Conduct any pre-hearing conferences (this may include a pre-hearing conference to schedule the hearing); Communicate with all parties in a manner that avoids ex parte communication, such as ensuring that anything provided to the Hearing Officer in writing by one party at any time during the hearing process is copied to the other party and not discussing hearing issues with one party when the other party is not present; Document the outcome of any pre-hearing conference in writing to both parties within 10 calendar days; Dismiss a case for a party’s non-appearance at a scheduled hearing unless the party shows good cause to the Hearing Officer’s satisfaction; Record the hearing proceeding verbatim and providing the recording directly to DARS and DBVI hearing coordinators. Should contacts change the Hearing Officer shall be notified as soon as possible: