Purpose. The purpose of the agency's reply is to inform the Authority and the exclusive representative whether and why it disagrees with any facts or arguments made for the first time in the exclusive representative's response. As more fully explained in paragraph (c) of this section, the Agency is required in the reply to, among other things, provide the reasons why the proposal or provision does not fit within any exceptions to management rights that were asserted by the exclusive representative in its response, and to explain why severance of the proposal or provision is not appropriate.

Time limit for filing. Unless the time limit for filing has been extended pursuant to § 2424.23 or part 2429 of this subchapter, within fifteen (15) days after the date the agency receives a copy of the exclusive representative's response to the agency's statement of position, the agency may file a reply.

Content. You must file your reply on a form that the Authority has provided for that purpose, or in a substantially similar format. You meet this requirement if you file your reply electronically through use of the eFiling system on the FLRA's Web site at www.flra.gov. That Web site also provides copies of reply forms. You must limit your reply to matters that the exclusive representative raised for the first time in its response. Your reply must: State the arguments and authorities supporting your position; cite with specificity any law, rule, regulation, section of a collective bargaining agreement, or other authority that you rely on; and provide a copy of any material that the Authority may not easily access (which you may upload as attachments if you file your reply electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system). You must date your reply, unless you file it electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system. And, regardless of how you file your reply, you must ensure that it includes the following:

Any disagreement with the exclusive representative's assertion that an exception to management rights applies, including:

Whether and why the proposal or provision concerns a matter included in section 7106(b)(1) of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute;

Whether and why the proposal or provision does not constitute a negotiable procedure as set forth in section 7106(b)(2) of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute;

Whether and why the proposal or provision does not constitute an appropriate arrangement as set forth in section 7106(b)(3) of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute;

Whether and why the proposal or provision does not enforce an “applicable law,” within the meaning of section 7106(a)(2) of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute; and

Any arguments in reply to an exclusive representative's allegation in its response that agency rules or regulations relied on in the agency's statement of position violate applicable law, rule, regulation or appropriate authority outside the agency; that the rules or regulations were not issued by the agency or by any primary national subdivision of the agency, or otherwise are not applicable to bar negotiations under 5 U.S.C. 7117(a)(3); or that no compelling need exists for the rules or regulations to bar negotiations.

Severance. If the exclusive representative requests severance for the first time in its response, or if the request for severance in an exclusive representative's response differs from the request in its petition for review, and if the agency opposes the exclusive representative's request for severance, then the agency must explain with specificity why severance is not appropriate.

Service. A copy of the agency's reply, including all attachments, must be served in accord with § 2424.2(g).