Contracting Decision Criteria Study Group Members/Associates: Representatives of State Agencies (DAS, Revenue, Judicial, Justice, Transportation), Private Collection Agencies, Willamette University Graduate School of Management, Institute of Modern Government Goal: To establish decision criteria for collections work regarding scoring and contracting with private collections agencies.

Agencies with the largest debt are Judicial, Revenue, Justice, PERS, and Employment. Judicial, Revenue, Justice, Transportation, Human Services and Consumer & Business Services have revenue agents and do significant locate work. Need to ensure a central point of authority regarding collections. Average age of debtor accounts referred to private collections agencies is significantly older than non-governmental accounts received by private collections agencies.

Purpose of data sought is to identify decision criteria. This describes whether or not there are types of debt, debtors or collectors that lend themselves to improved collections. We are seeking a debt scoring criteria template. Need to clarify this information to meet a unit cost type measure and compare

Working with Rep. Berger’s staff on Legislative Counsel draft legislation to address: Accounts Receivable practices, Collection of Social Security Numbers, Accounting Report Changes, Clarity of authority to settle, Technical assistance & Training. Given action on the legislative concepts and related recommendations, there is an opportunity to consider a new Request For Proposals.

Seeking to gain access to data and identify data-based guidance for decision criteria. Statewide Financial Management Application does not appear to have all the data we are seeking so need to identify data held centrally and what critical agencies accounting detail is held separately. Work with several persons responsible for elements of financial reporting indicates we can glean useful information from current systems.

Seeking to identify characteristics of debt and whether certain elements are best collected by private collection agencies or state agencies. This includes characteristics and authority of debt collectors and characteristics of debtors. Characteristics of the debtor and aging information are available but access will be challenging.

Data points are needed in categories of groups of people, situations of debtors and debt profiles (who they are), showing the kind of debt and the age of the debt.