Historically, Indian tribes have had serious difficulties protecting and promoting their interests in transactions with the non-Indian world. There are countless examples during the last several hundred years in which Indian tribes were inadvertently forgotten and by-passed, or intentionally misinformed, outmaneuvered and deceived. In addition, there have been many recent examples in which the parties came to the “table” with the best of intentions but fumbled the opportunity because they were unprepared to deal with the cultural differences and the complexity of the transaction.
Since the inception of IDRS, we have provided skills training, hands-on coaching, and the services of facilitators/mediators to both tribal and non-Indian teams to enhance their effectiveness in “government to government” consultations and negotiations.
IDRS Provides Practitioners Experienced In “Government to Government” Consultations and Negotiations
IDRS staff and associate mediators have intervened at all levels of complex “government to government” consultations and negotiations. They have extensive experience and expertise in undertaking each and all of the following operations associated with these transactions:
- Evaluate the feasibility and appropriateness of ADR processes
- Convene and facilitate multi-party meetings and conferences
- Blend multi-cultural perspectives and interests
- Identify, contact, “enlist” and convene stakeholders
- Engage in “fact-finding” and assess the nature and scope of the conflict
- Provide training and coaching in consensus building skills and processes
- Assist each party prepare for negotiations, including reaching internal consensus within the negotiation team and with those they are representing
- Facilitate consultations and mediate complex bilateral negotiations
- Prepare summary reports and recommendations as requested
- Design and implement ongoing collaborative and dispute resolution processes
