THE MEDIATION RULES OF CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL DISPUTE
RESOLUTION ASSOCIATION (CIDRA)

ARTICLE 4 - INITIATION OF MEDIATION 
1) Any party may initiate a mediation proceeding under 
these Rules by submitting to CIDRA, together with 
the appropriate filing fee, an initiating document 
labeled as a "Mediation Submission Agreement", or 
a "Request to Mediate", or a "Request for Issuance 
of an Invitation to Mediate". A Mediation Submission 
Agreement is an initiating document signed by all 
parties to a dispute indicating their desire to 
mediate a resolution of their differences, whether 
or not they have previously agreed to mediate under 
a mediation clause of a commercial contract. CIDRA's 
form Mediation Submission Agreement appears in 
Appendix B to these Rules. A Request for Mediation 
is an initiating document triggering the provisions 
of a mediation clause of a commercial contract between 
or among the parties. A Request for Issuance of an 
Invitation to Mediate is an initiating document 
requesting CIDRA to invite other parties to a dispute 
to participate in a mediation proceeding, where the 
parties have entered into no preagreement to mediate 
a dispute arising under a commercial contract between 
or among them. A properly-executed Mediation Submission 
Agreement is a precondition to the mediation of any 
dispute under these Rules. 
2) To the extent possible, a Request to Mediate or a 
Request for Issuance of an Invitation to Mediate 
("Requests") shall contain: 
  a) A statement requesting that the dispute be referred 
	to mediation; 
  b) The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the 
	parties to the dispute and of all counsel, 
	representatives and persons providing assistance 
	to the parties, if known; 
  c) A reference to and a copy of the mediation clause or 
	the separate mediation agreement that is invoked, 
	if applicable; 
  d) A reference to and copy of the contract out of or in 
	relation to which the dispute arises, if applicable; 
  e) A statement of facts supporting any claim and an 
	indication of the amount involved, if any; 
  f) The points at issue; 
  g) The relief or remedy sought, if known; 
  h) A proposal as to a mediator, if parties have not 
	previously so agreed; 
  i) The submission or written request may also include: 
  j) A proposal as to the place of mediation, if parties 
	have not previously so agreed; 
  k) A proposal as to the language(s) of mediation, if 
	parties have not previously so agreed. 

3) The requesting party may attach to the Request any other 
relevant documents or may include a reference to such 
relevant documents in the Request. 

4) CIDRA shall send forthwith a copy of a Request to Mediate 
or a Request for Issuance of an Invitation to Mediate and 
any attached documents to the other party or parties 
to the dispute.