Section 354.11 - Prehearing conference(a)(1) If an administrative hearing has been requested, the presiding official will direct the parties to attend a prehearing conference to consider:(i) Simplification of issues;(ii) Obtaining stipulations of fact and of documents to avoid unnecessary proof;(iii) Settlement of the matter;(v) Such other matters as may expedite the disposition of the proceedings.(2) Any relevant and significant stipulations or admissions will be incorporated into the initial decision.(b) If a prehearing conference is impractical, the presiding official will direct the parties to correspond with each other or to confer by telephone or otherwise to achieve the purposes of such a conference.