2013 NBLSA | International Negotiations Competition Atlanta, GA - March 6 – 10, 2013
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS General & Substantive 1. Are alternate team members permitted to view and prepare for the International Negotiations Competition? Yes. Please note that should it become necessary to use an alternate team member, the substituting team member must satisfy all competitor eligibility criteria and the National INC director must approve the substitution. 2. Is the same problem used for all teams participating in each round? Yes. 3. When do we find out when each round will be held and the side we are representing? This information will be made available at the competitors’ meeting on Thursday March 7, 2013. 4. Is every team expected to prepare for both sides of all three problems? Yes. 5. It looks like the same problem will be used for multiple rounds. At what point in the competition does the problems change? The first two rounds of competition will use the same negotiating problem. The quarter-final round and semi-final rounds will also use the same problem. The final round problem will only be used once. 6. Will there be 42 teams this year, or fewer? There are 27 registered teams. 7. When are confidential facts revealed to parties? Confidential facts are strategically revealed during the course of the negotiation. 8. Are parties allowed to reveal their facts? Once the confidential facts are disseminated the facts may not be discussed with any other teams (including other teams from the same school) or coaches. We expect that all competitors will act pursuant to the honor system. If it is determined that any individual competitor has revealed information to another team the entire team will be penalized up to and including expulsion from the competition. 8. Are confidential facts released all at once? No. Only advancing teams will receive the confidential facts for the next round. 9. Is there a draft schedule for the events Mar. 6 to Mar. 10? Yes. All competitors will receive the competition schedule at the mandatory competitors meeting on Thursday March 7, 2013.
10. Are coaches permitted to coach the teams after the confidential facts are released but before the rounds starts? No. Team members are prohibited from communicating with their coaches about competition related matters once the confidential facts are distributed. Team members may not discuss the confidential facts with their coaches or anyone else following the competitors’ meeting. 11. With regard to the Zimbabwe problem: a. Why was Sheila approached by the two US educated Zimbabweans? They approached her about finishing the hospital with the expectation of making it a for-profit hospital. b. Is outside research permitted for this problem? Yes. c. Can an organization be a foreign society? There is no mention of Foreign Society in the fact pattern. d. I understand there are three categories of charities and societies: 1) Zimbabwean Charities or Societies, 2) Zimbabwean Resident Charities or Societies, and 3) Foreign Charities? What is the difference between category 1 and 2? One is a resident organization. If you are unfamiliar with this language you may choose to conduct research. e. Is the term “mutual benefit” used interchangeably with “for-profit”? Maybe. This is undefined because the actual code language from each country differs. f. Can the team member acting as a lawyer in the negotiation present legal analysis and knowledge that is not explicit in the facts? Yes. However, I doubt there is any true Zimbabwean lawyer in the group who can speak to having any higher knowledge of the law. g. With regard to issue 4 -- How will funding be handled - will you further define the scope of this question? The scope of the question should come to light during the course of the negotiation. h. Is Article 55, a real source that negotiators can consult outside of these facts or other laws? No. 12. With regard to the IMF problem: a. Is the amount in controversy $12.5 million or $12.5 billion? Billion. 13. Which problem is used for which rounds? Some competitors can deduce this by reading the competition problems and complexity of issues. However, all competitors
will be informed of the first round problem at the mandatory competitors’ meeting. Advancing teams will be notified accordingly. 13. When will competitors know which side they will be representing during the negotiation? Competitors will receive the first round problem and their confidential facts at the mandatory competitors’ meeting. The confidential facts will delineate which side of the bargaining table you’re on.