Section 668.115 - Prehearing conference(a) In the event that the hearing official considers a prehearing conference necessary, he may convene a prehearing conference.(b) The purpose of a prehearing conference is to allow the parties to settle or narrow the dispute. A prehearing conference consists of-(1) A telephone conference call;(2) An informal meeting of the parties with the hearing official; or(3) The submission and exchange of written materials by the parties.(c) All prehearing conferences requiring appearances by the parties shall take place in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.52 FR 30115, Aug. 12, 1987, correctly designated at 52 FR 46354, Dec. 7, 1987, as amended at 57 FR 47753, Oct. 19, 1992 Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1094