Attachment_A_-_Scope_of_Services.pdf

Attachment A - Scope of Services

The Agency shall accept for collection all unpaid accounts for Seminole County Utilities Water & Sewer and Parks & Recreation departments.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS & SCOPE OF SERVICES:

1. The Agency shall implement collection procedures to achieve maximum recovery of debts.

Such procedures should include a reasonable number of contacts via telephone and mail efforts. Skip-tracing procedures should be instituted as required to determine if debtor is still located in the area. Written notification by the Agency of any type, verbiage, or format changes must be approved by the County.

2. The services to be provided will be a complete review of outstanding receivable referred to the Agency by the County. The County will turn accounts over to the Agency as specified by the different areas and the Agency will engage in the appropriate activities required to collect the outstanding receivable within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt and will apply whatever means have been approved by the County.

3. The Agency shall accept initial transactions, additions and/or updates to previously reported transactions electronically, preferably in the County’s preferred file format.

4. The Board of County Commissioners is the general administrative body for Seminole County, Florida, a political subdivision of the State of Florida. Florida Statute 27.562 Court ordered repayment of services provided by Court appointed attorney, Public Defender;

and sections pursuant to Florida Home Rule give the Board of County Commissioners the authority to contract with a collection agency for purposes of collecting outstanding receivables. (s. 938.29, Florida Statute 257.261); refer also Confidentiality: Interpreting the Amended Law.

5. Unless prohibited by applicable law, the County retains all rights to all data, reports, programs, designs and other results of this contract. The Agency or its agent shall not produce or otherwise use the products of this contract without the written consent of the County. The County reserves first publications rights to any products of this contract and the County may place the products in the public domain without permission of the Agency.

Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the application of Florida Statutes, Chapter 119, the Public Records Act, by the Agency to the materials produced in connection with the contract. Failure by the Agency to abide by provisions of Public Records Law may result in termination of this contract.

6. Payment will be remitted to the Agency for its services on a monthly basis. The County will reimburse the Agency for its mutually agreed percentage share of collections for all accounts.

7. The Agency will adhere to all Federal, State, local laws, and collection regulations which are applicable to collection procedures. The Agency submitting this proposal agrees to maintain and make available its working papers to any Federal, State, and/or local governmental agency upon appropriate request, and in accordance with Federal, State, and local governmental agency upon appropriate request, and in accordance with Federal, State, and local provisions.

8. The Agency will provide monthly statements detailing the collections received. This information must be received within ten (10) days after the end of each month. The information may be mailed to the Board of County Commissioners, County Finance, P.O.

8080, Sanford, Florida 32772-8080 and copied to financial contacts in the Utilities Water & Sewer and Parks & Recreation departments.

9. Payments will be remitted to the Agency only when collections are made.

10. Confidentiality:

A. Customer information provided by the County to the Agency is of a confidential nature. Agency shall not disclose such information in whole or in part to any governmental body, non-governmental body or private party without the prior written consent of the County, except as required by law, or upon order of a Court or regulatory agency of competent jurisdiction. Agency shall limit access to confidential information to only those of its employees who require the information in the course and scope of their official duties.

B. The Agency shall be fully responsible for all work performed under the contract.

Unless otherwise required by the Florida Sunshine law, all information acquired by the Agency in the course of performing services shall be confidential, and shall not be open to examination by the public for any purpose without prior approval from the County. The Agency shall maintain off-site backup storage of County files and records that is secure from environmental and other hazards. All information provided to the Agency is to be used solely for the purpose of collection of those accounts. The Agency shall be required to assume responsibility for the safety and security of all records provided by the County. All information must be securely stored in a manner to prevent access by unauthorized persons.

11. Reports: Reports to be provided shall include, but not be limited to:

These reports and all data shall be provided in hard copy and electronically in Microsoft Excel format via email or FTP.

A. An Acknowledgement Report verifying that the Agency has received the account. This report shall be sent to the referring Department/Division electronically, hard copy and other acceptable methods within twenty-four (24) hours of transmittal of account. This report shall indicate the number of accounts, date received and total amount referred. (Monthly).

B. A Remittance Statement with each check indicating, at a minimum, customer name, account number, bill date, amount referred, amount paid, date paid, balance due, the cumulative total for each account, and Payer type. (Monthly).

C. A detailed Status Report, at the beginning of each month, providing the most recent activity for the previous month on each account shall be provided to the referring Department/Division indicating at a minimum, the name, account number, status, original amount and modified amount due, amount paid last month, amount paid to date for each case. Status of accounts shall be indicated such as full payments, partial pays, canceled and returned, letters sent on each account. All amounts shall be totaled. (Monthly).

D. A Cancellation Report shall be provided by account number, showing the reason for return to the County and outstanding balance. This report shall include legal action recommendations, bankruptcy, deceased, or accounts recalled. If debtor is bankrupt, the bankruptcy case number shall be indicated. If deceased, an indication as to the status of estate. The report shall indicate if collection activity has stopped for any other reason than those outlined above. All original bankruptcy paperwork shall be forwarded to the County within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt. (Monthly).

E. An Annual Report shall be provided by the Agency which summarizes the activity of all assigned accounts during the previous year. The annual report shall cover the period of October 1st through September 30th and must be submitted no later than October 31 of the following year. (Annual).

F. A Performance Report shall be provided with a summary of aged receivables by category of debt and a report that shows the number of accounts assigned, collected, collection rate, and number and percentage returned. Invoices and other material needed for payment must be in written form so they can be sent to the County Finance Department. (Monthly).

G. The Agency shall prepare an invoice for the fee. In addition to other information required by the County, monthly invoices must indicate, at a minimum, Contract Number, gross amount collected last month and fee according to the contract.

Agency will provide one consolidated invoice listing the gross amount collected for each Office by account. (Monthly).

12. Disputes of debt by debtor must be referred to the County.

13. In order to satisfy future requirements, the Agency should attempt asset location in order to satisfy judgments.

14. The Agency shall not settle any account for anything other than for the full amount unless otherwise directed by the County.

15. The Agency shall perform collection services for any account referred by the County without regard to the amount of the debt.

16. The Agency shall suspend either temporarily or permanently on any account placed by the County upon receipt of notification to do so. The County shall have the right to request the return of an account for any reason.

17. The Agency shall not refer any account to any attorney for action, file a lawsuit, place a lien on property, refer any account to another Contractor, or take any other legal action against the debtor on behalf of the County without written approval by the County.

18. All copying, faxing, postal costs, etc. of any kind are to be provided by the Agency and reflected in the submitted costs. The sole compensation to the Agency shall be at the rates specified in the resultant contract.

19. The Agency shall be responsible for contacting the sender of monies when there is insufficient information to identify which case the payment is for.

20. The Agency agrees to not assess or impose “a fee on fee” cost. The Agency shall not add a charge of any kind to an assigned account except for the aforementioned bad check charges.

21. The Agency shall be responsible for collecting on any dishonored items received and processed by the Agency. All checks must clear the bank before the Agency sends payment to the County. As a collection agency for the County, the Agency may collect the service fee for any dishonored check, authorized by Florida Statute 125.0105.

22. The Agency shall inform customers to make remittance to be collected by the Agency payable to the Agency. Agency may take credit card payments. There shall be no additional charges to the County for credit card payments accepted by the Agency.

23. The Agency shall adjust official account balances only from receipts of payment and information received from the County. At no time shall the Agency accept information supplied by a debtor or any other source as evidence to support an account balance. In the case of a dispute by the debtor, the Agency shall direct the debtor to the County. The Agency may, however, update information such as addresses and telephone numbers obtained through skip-tracing efforts.

24. The Agency shall provide the County with a copy of all letters of complaint within ten (10) days of receipt, and indicate what action was taken to achieve an acceptable resolution.

25. If partial payment is received by the Agency, follow up will not be done by the County. The Agency must attempt to collect the full balance due.

26. There will be no charge to the County if the Agency is unable to recover monies on accounts assigned. No adjustment to the fee will be made during the term of the contract.

27. All unusual and customary costs incurred as a result of collecting accounts shall be the sole responsibility of the Agency. Any costs of automation equipment, installation of data lines, printing, postage and equipment costs, etc. will be borne by the Agency.

28. In the event the Agency receives payments for service which are later disallowed by the

County, such as bad checks paid directly to the Clerk, or adjustments, the County may offset the amount disallowed from any payment due the Agency.

29. If the contract is terminated, all accounts will be returned to the referring

Department/Division regardless of payments made on account or arrangements made.

Any fee due at the time will be paid by the County.

30. Liaison

A. Agency’s staff will work with County staff to facilitate transmission of pertinent information between the County and Agency. The Agency must be able to receive and send data electronically or any agreeable method.

B. The Agency shall designate a Collection/Project Manager who will have responsibility for the Agency’s performance and will be directly responsible for coordinating efforts with County staff.

C. The Agency must provide for immediate telephone contact with the Collection/Project Management during County Business hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00

PM. A maximum of one hour turnaround time for responses to inquires will be required.

D. A written response shall be provided to all complaints received by the County of all alleged action taken by the Agency and/or its agents. The response shall be provided by the Collection/Project Manager and shall be received by the County within ten (10) days from the date the request is sent to the Agency. The response shall address all questions and statements made by the County concerning the alleged actions.

31. Personnel shall be competent, qualified and experienced to assure an aggressive, vigorous collection effort with a substantial likelihood of success. Agency shall have bilingual capability in Spanish and English, with a preference for multilingual services.

32. Agency must be fully automated for electronic sending and receiving of files as well as providing, for the County, on-line near real time access to County accounts during normal business hours electronically. When requested by the County, Agency shall provide files of specific customer calls for review.

33. Agency shall have the capability to effect collections in all 50 states, U.S. Territories or commonwealths, Caribbean nations and Canada. Agency shall meet interstate collections requirements which may include being certified, insured, licensed, registered and/or bonded in the state where collection is being attempted or having a resident office in that state.

34. County Responsibilities:

A. The County shall notify the Agency when collection action is to be canceled and returned or suspended temporarily or permanently.

B. The County will inform the Agency of adjustments or corrections made to the amount due by referring Department/Divisions.

C. Upon the assignment of accounts to the Agency, the County will not be expected to provide any further assistance in the collection of these accounts.

D. The County reserves the right to change any portion of the work, outlined herein if there are changes in federal or state law or County ordinance, written rule, resolution or administrative policy or procedure that make it necessary.

DEPARTMENT/DIVISIONS:

1. Utilities Water and Sewer Department:

Accounts which have outstanding balances greater than one (1) month and a minimum of $50.00, upon review by the County and referred to the Agency, are to be collected.

NSF payments outstanding for more than 30 days from point of contact and exceeding $50.00 will be turned over to the Agency.

Financial Contact: Customer Service and Billing Manager

2. Parks and Recreation Department:

Accounts which have outstanding balances greater than one (1) month and a minimum of $50.00, upon review by the County and referred to the Agency, are to be collected.

NSF payments outstanding for more than 30 days from point of contact and exceeding $50.00 will be turned over to the Agency.

Financial Contact: Financial Business Administrator

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS & SCOPE OF SERVICES: