(a) An application may be filed whenever the applicant has prevailed in the adversary adjudication or in a significant and discrete substantive portion of the adversary adjudication, but in no case later than 30 days after the Commission's final disposition of the adversary adjudication.

(b) If review or reconsideration is sought or taken of a determination as to which an applicant believes it has prevailed, proceedings for the award of fees shall be stayed pending final disposition of the underlying controversy.