Motions for Reconsideration of Previous Decisions

A 'motion for reconsideration' asks the judge to reconsider his/her decision in light of other facts, circumstances, or law that wasn't brought up in the original hearing on the matter.

In the context ASBCA (Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals) decisions, Rule 20 allows such motions to be filed by either party and must set forth specifically the grounds relied upon to grant the motion. Motions must be filed within 30 days of receiving the Board's decision. Opposing parties have 30 days after a motion has been filed to file any cross-motion for reconsideration. Extensions to these times are not granted.

It is well established that motions for reconsideration are not granted lightly. In order to prevail on a motion for reconsideration, a contractor or the Government must demonstrate a compelling reason for the Board to modify its original decision. There are three bases upon which the ASBCA will reconsider a previous decision:

• Newly discovered evidence
• Mistakes in finding of fact
• Errors of law.

Motions for reconsideration are not intended to provide either party, the contractor or the Government, with another chance to again argue its position that was previously raised and denied. In some decisions where motions for reconsideration have been heard, the ASBCA is highly critical of parties that try to do just that - rehash the same arguments.

The probability of success in filing motions for reconsideration are slim. A brief scan of ASBCA decisions involving motions for reconsideration during the last couple of years found none that were not denied. There was one case where the Government argued that an opinion included factual errors as well as legal errors that stemmed from the factual errors. The ASBCA agreed that its decision included one factual error but it viewed the error as immaterial in the circumstances so denied the motion for reconsideration.