110 STAT. 1321-367 PUBLIC LAW 104-134—APR. 26, 1996 "(4) At the discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury, referral of a nontax claim may be made to— "(A) any executive department or agency operating a debt collection center for servicing, collection, compromise, or suspension or termination of collection action; "(B) a private collection contractor operating under a contract for servicing or collection action; or "(C) the Department of Justice for litigation. "(5) Nontax claims referred or transferred under this section shall be serviced, collected, or compromised, or collection action thereon suspended or terminated, in accordance with otherwise applicable statutory requirements and authorities. Executive departments and agencies operating debt collection centers may enter into agreements with the Secretary of the Treasury to carry out the purposes of this subsection. The Secretary of the Treasury shall— "(A) maintain competition in carrying out this subsection; "(B) maximize collections of delinquent debts by placing delinquent debts quickly; "(C) maintain a schedule of private collection contractors and debt collection centers eligible for referral of claims; and "(D) refer delinquent debts to the person most appropriate to collect the type or amount of claim involved. "(6) Any agency operating a debt collection center to which nontax claims are referred or transferred under this subsection may charge a fee sufficient to cover the full cost of implementing this subsection. The agency transferring or referring the nontax claim shall be charged the fee, and the agency charging the fee shall collect such fee by retaining the amount of the fee from amounts collected pursuant to this subsection. Agencies may agree to pay through a different method, or to fund an activity from another account or from revenue received from the procedure described under section 3720C of this title. Amounts charged under this subsection concerning delinquent claims may be considered as costs pursuant to section 3717(e) of this title. "(7) Notwithstanding any other law concerning the depositing and collection of Federal payments, including section 3302(b) of this title, agencies collecting fees may retain the fees from amounts collected. Any fee charged pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into an account to be determined by the executive department or agency operating the debt collection center charging the fee (in this subsection referred to in this section as the 'Account'). Amounts deposited in the Account shall be available until expended to cover costs associated with the implementation and operation of Governmentwide debt collection activities. Costs properly chargeable to the Account include— "(A) the costs of computer hardware and software, word processing and telecommunications equipment, and other equipment, supplies, and furniture; "(B) personnel training and travel costs; "(C) other personnel and administrative costs; "(D) the costs of any contract for identification, billing, or collection services; and "(E) reasonable costs incurred by the Secretary of the Treasury, including services and utilities provided by the Secretary, and administration of the Account.
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