(a) When NASA determines that there is a need to contract for collection services, the following conditions shall apply:

(1) The authority to resolve disputes, compromise claims, suspend or terminate collection action, and refer the matter for litigation must be retained by NASA.

(2) The contractor shall be subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, to the extent specified in 5 U.S.C. 552a(m), and to applicable Federal and State laws and regulations pertaining to debt collection practices—for example, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692), and 26 U.S.C. 6103(p)(4) and applicable regulations of the Internal Revenue Service;

(3) The contractor must be required to account strictly for all amounts collected; and

(4) The contractor must agree to provide any data contained in its files relating to collection actions and related reports, current address of debtor, and reasonably current credit information upon returning an account to NASA for subsequent referral to the Department of Justice for litigation.

(5) The debt must not be subject to mandatory transfer to the Department of the Treasury for collection. See 31 CFR 901.5(a) and (b).

(b) NASA shall use Government-wide debt collection contracts to obtain debt collection services provided by private collection contractors. See 31 CFR 901.5(b).

(c) NASA shall fund private collection contractor contracts in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3728(d) or as otherwise permitted by law. See 31 CFR 901.5(c).

[45 FR 48104, July 18, 1980, as amended at 82 FR 29385, June 29, 2017]