MPA 238 - Debt Collection Services

The State of Rhode Island has issued a Master Price Agreement (MPA 238) solicitation for debt collection services, primarily targeting the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, Community College of Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. The procurement seeks to establish a roster of qualified vendors capable of providing comprehensive billing and debt collection services, with potential utilization by other state agencies and political subdivisions. Vendors must submit detailed qualification responses electronically through the Ocean State Procures system by October 12, 2022, with a vendor Q&A period running from August 29 to September 12, 2022. The initial contract term will commence approximately January 1, 2023, for three years, with options to renew for two additional 12-month periods based on vendor performance and funding availability. Prospective vendors must demonstrate substantial capabilities in debt collection, including detailed insurance coverage requirements such as $1 million in general liability, workers compensation, automobile liability, $500,000 in crime coverage, $2 million in professional liability, and $10 million in cyber/privacy insurance coverage.

The solicitation includes specific set-aside requirements mandating a minimum of 10% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) participation of the total contract value. Certified MBE/WBE firms must be used to meet this requirement, and vendors will be required to submit an MBE Utilization Plan for each award. A 1% contract administrative fee will be assessed on all purchase orders issued under the MPA, which will support the state's eProcurement system implementation. While no specific incumbent vendors are mentioned, the solicitation indicates the contract is structured as a Qualified List of Vendors, suggesting multiple vendors may be selected. Vendors must be registered in the Ocean State Procures system and comply with Rhode Island's Affirmative Action policies. Although a specific contract value is not explicitly stated, the broad applicability across multiple state institutions and potential political subdivision usage suggests a significant procurement opportunity for qualified debt collection service providers.