The entity or each entity (if there are two or more) that enters into a contract with the City as a result of this RFP (the “Successful Applicant” or the “Provider”) will be required to utilize inform. ..

The City of Philadelphia's Department of Revenue and Law Department is requesting proposals for collection services for delinquent real estate tax receivables and other municipal claims eligible for sheriff sale, with proposals due April 30, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Philadelphia Time and a mandatory pre-proposal meeting on April 9, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. The RFP encourages responses from certified Local Business Entities (LBEs), Minority-, Woman-, and Disabled-Owned Businesses (M/W/DSBE), and Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), with local business status considered a significant evaluation factor. M/W/DSBE participation goals are projected at 11–14% for MBEs, 4–7% for WBEs, and best and good faith efforts (BGFE) for DSBEs.

The City seeks law firms and joint ventures to collect delinquencies in compliance with Pennsylvania Municipal Claim and Tax Lien Law and Philadelphia Code provisions. Providers must establish and maintain a toll-free customer service line, accept multiple payment methods excluding cash, maintain a two-way automated interface with the Philadelphia Revenue Information System Manager (PRISM), and provide read-only database access to the City. Compensation is structured solely as contingency fees based on a percentage of collections, with applicants permitted to propose different fee percentages for lock box deposits versus direct City payments. The statutory contingent fee under Philadelphia Code (currently up to 18%) belongs to the City and is excluded from the contractual contingency fee calculation. The City will not reimburse provider expenses, though expenses properly charged to debtors under applicable law will be reimbursed if collected.

The contract term runs from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, with the City retaining the option to renew for up to four additional one-year terms. The City anticipates awarding contracts to two providers and reserves discretion to award to one or more than two providers. Incumbent providers are Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP and Goehring, Rutter & Boehm, P.C., currently operating under the 18% contingent fee structure. Questions are due April 7, 2025 at 5:00 p.m., with answers posted by April 11, 2025. Applicant interviews and presentations are anticipated during the week of May 5, 2025, with selection the week of May 15, 2025 and contract execution by June 15, 2025.