Private Collection Agencies

A private collection agency, or PCA, is a private company that specializes in collecting overdue (delinquent) debts from individuals, businesses, and other entities. We use PCAs as part of our Cross-Servicing program to collect delinquent nontax debts owed to federal agencies.

PCA Duties

The PCA tries to find and contact the debtor by searching various databases, making phone calls, and sending collection letters.

When the PCA reaches the debtor, it may help resolve the debt by:

• negotiating full or partial payment,
• setting up an agreement for how the debtor will pay over time,
• administrative wage garnishment (an employer pays the debt over time by withholding a predetermined amount from the debtor's wages), or,
• finding that the debt may be resolved administratively.

Current PCAs

Fiscal Service PCA contracts

Fiscal Service awards contracts to PCAs for debt collection services under a General Services Administration Schedule.

The following PCAs provide debt collection services through Fiscal Service’s Cross-Servicing program:

The CBE Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 2040
Waterloo, IA 50704-2040
Phone number for consumer debts: 1-866-895-4766
Phone number for commercial debts: 1-855-459-1134

ConServe, Inc.
P.O. Box 1528
Fairport, NY 14450
Phone number for consumer debts: 1-866-547-0501
Phone number for commercial debts: 1-866-562-3255

Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc.
P.O. Box 189
Arcade, NY 14009
Phone number for consumer debts: 1-877-907-1820
Phone number for commercial debts: 1-888-261-7783

Coast Professional, Inc.
P.O. Box 246
Geneseo, NY 14454
Phone number for consumer debts: 1-800-963-5258
Phone number for commercial debts: 1-800-963-4793

Transworld Systems, Inc.
P.O. Box 15616
Wilmington, DE 19850
Phone number: 1-800-550-5069

Oversight of PCA Contractors

PCA oversight is conducted by a dedicated staff in Fiscal Service. The following describes the major parts of the oversight program.

• Debtor protections
  • PCAs must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including but not limited to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Privacy Act of 1974, and the Federal Claims Collection Standards.
  • PCAs must comply with any special rules or policies of agency programs pertaining to collection of debts owed to that agency
  • PCAs must record all collection calls and provide Fiscal Service with access to the call recordings. We use these recordings to verify the PCAs’ compliance with applicable contract terms and to investigate debtor complaints.
  • PCAs must grant Fiscal Service web access to accounts on its collection system.
• PCA compliance review process:
• Complaints against PCAs are rare.
• Between October 1, 2021 – April 30, 2024:
• Fiscal Service received complaints against less than 0.02% of debts distributed to PCAs for collection.
• Very few were substantiated (0.00% of total debts distributed to PCAs).
• Fiscal Service takes all complaints seriously and thoroughly reviews each one.
• Fiscal Service reviews all PCA activities on accounts with complaints and listens to phone calls.
• Fiscal Service may request removal of a PCA employee from a contract if they have 2 or more complaints that we find concerning.
• Fiscal Service may recall debts from the PCA for substantiated complaints or other compliance concerns.
• PCAs are expected to take needed corrective actions.
• Fiscal Service dedicated staff perform regular PCA compliance reviews:
  • Fiscal Service samples accounts and uses a checklist that covers contract requirements.
  • Fiscal Service issues a formal findings memo and PCAs must respond to each finding in writing with corrective actions.
  • Failure to address areas of non-compliance can lead to discontinuing debt distributions, recalling accounts, up to terminating the contract.
• If you have a complaint about a PCA, you may:
• Contact the Cross-Servicing call center or mail or fax a letter to Fiscal Service.
• Submit a complaint directly to the PCA using the contact information listed above.