U.S. Department of Education, Contracts and Purchasing Operations, CPO, 7th & D Streets SW, Room 3616, Washington, DC 20202-4443

R -- DEBT COLLECTION SERVICES SOL ED-00-R-0014 POC Tony Williams, Contract Specialist, (202) 708-8602, James Hairfield, Contract Specialist, (202) 708-8529, John King, Contracting Officer (202) 708-8367 The U.S. Department of Education (ED), Office of Student Financial Assistance is seeking industry comments on a planned acquisition for the services of multiple contractors to perform collection activity for student related debts. ED performs collection and administrative resolution activities on debts resulting from non-payment of student loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program: Stafford Loans [formerly the Guaranteed Student Loan Program and including Federally Insured Student Loans], Supplemental Loans for Students, PLUS Loans [formerly Parental Loans for Undergraduate Students], and Consolidation Loans; the William D. Ford Federal Direct Student Loan (Direct Loan) Program (formerly known as the Federal Direct Student Loan Program): Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loan Program, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loan Program, Federal Direct Consolidation Loan, and Federal Direct Plus Loans; and Federal Perkins Loans [formerly National Direct/Defense Student Loans]. ED conducts similar collection and administrative resolution activities on debts resulting from a student's failure to fulfill grant requirements under the Pell Grant Program and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program. ED plans to award, near the end of fiscal year 2000. With some minor changes, it appears that this acquisition could be conducted effectively under the Financial Service schedule of the General Service Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS). If the contracting officer chooses this acquisition technique, ED will work with GSA to amend GSA's solicitation, if needed, and will issue a 2nd CBD notice giving interested parties a reasonable time to submit proposals (about 1 month) and negotiate schedule contracts with GSA (about 2 months). Orders would be competed and placed following the procedures established for the FSS program and the Financial Service schedule. Potential offerors are encouraged to review both the GSA Financial Service schedule SOL FCXB-BE-000001-N at http://www.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS.woa/671610000029081000002816 20000090473/PostingResultDrill.wo/734020000052473/12.5.1/2/10.13.26.55 and the ED draft solicitation at http://www.1800iwillpay.com/rfp/form.htm . Comments and questions on the draft RFP need to be submitted no later than February 4, 2000 via http://www.1800iwillpay.com/rfp/form.htm. The anticipated release date of the RFP is March 2000. The RFP will only be released on the web. ***** Posted 01/13/00 (W-SN415950). (0013)

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