Private Counsel Debt Collection, Illinois Northern District

The Department of Justice is seeking attorneys to litigate debt collection cases for various Federal agencies. Using negotiated procedures authorized in Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15, the Department of Justice (DOJ) contemplates to award one contract with a private practitioner of law for debt collection services on behalf of the United States in the counties that comprise the Federal Judicial District for the Northern District of Illinois. The DOJ launched the Private Counsel Program following the passage of the Federal Debt Recovery Act of 1986 which first authorized the use of private law firms for this purpose. The Debt Collection Management Staff manages the program with legal oversight by the United States Attorney's Offices at the district level. The program is currently running in 19 districts nationwide, with further expansion planned. This procurement is strictly limited to attorneys who are licensed to practice law in the Northern District of Illinois. Contractors will be required to pursue debt collection activities which parallel existing industry procedures that have proven to be effective and efficient; to interact with government representatives at defined stages of the collection process (i.e., settlement, compromise, etc.); and to input relevant case data in a computer database maintained by the Government. Contract payments will be based primarily on contingency fee payments for unsecured debt collection. The anticipated period of performance for each contract will be a base year with up to four option years. The solicitation will be available only on the Federal Business Opportunities website, www.fbo.gov, and is anticipated to be released on or about February 1, 2016. Amendments to the solicitation, if any, issued prior to the receipt of proposals will also be posted on www.fbo.gov. Interested parties are responsible for monitoring this site for access to the solicitation. All responsible sources meeting the eligibility requirements may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Government. It is highly recommended that, prior to submitting a proposal, interested parties obtain a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number and register in the System for Award Management (SAM), www.sam.gov, as these requirements are mandatory for any firm selected for a contract award.