What do we sign to start, and in what order?

The signing package

The agreement is made of the documents below, and all of them are in the signing package BestPair sends. One signature on the Order Form accepts them all.

The Order Form is signed electronically. Your agency signs first, and BestPair countersigns. The date of the last signature is the Effective Date. Terms in a purchase order or a vendor portal do not apply, so your procurement team does not need to add its own.

The order, from signature to report

1. Fit call. A 45-minute call to check the floor is a fit.
2. Signature. You sign the Order Form, BestPair countersigns, and the readout meeting is booked at the same time.
3. Payment. The $15,000 invoice is raised on the Effective Date and is due within seven days, before any data moves. Payment is by ACH or wire transfer.
4. Transfer. You send your files by encrypted SFTP to a folder BestPair provides, never by email.
5. File checks. BestPair checks the files within two business days. When they pass, BestPair confirms in writing, and that date is your Data Received Date.
6. Report and readout. The report is due four weeks after the Data Received Date, followed by the readout.
7. Stage 2. Live pairing starts on the first day of the month after the readout, with no further signature, unless you opt out in writing within ten business days of the readout.

The Order Form asks for a named contact who can answer data questions within two business days. Delivery dates move by the length of any delay on the agency’s side. What the data looks like.

What your vendor setup team gets

BestPair’s vendor kit is written for your procurement and accounts payable teams. It holds:

• a signed IRS Form W-9
• a bank account verification letter
• the BestPair Security Overview
• the SOC 2 Type 1 report, on request and under NDA
• the Data Processing Addendum and, if you collect healthcare debt, the Business Associate Agreement, both in the signing package

Payment terms are seven days for the Floor Assessment and 30 days from invoice for Stage 2. BestPair will never change its bank details by email. If you receive a request to pay a different account, call BestPair on a number you already hold before paying.

What your counsel will read

BestPair does not provide legal or compliance advice, and whether the terms fit your agency is for your counsel to decide. Four points from the documents, as they state them:

• Order of precedence. The Business Associate Agreement prevails for protected health information, the Data Processing Addendum prevails for personal information, and the Order Form prevails over the Standard Terms.
• Your client agreements. Under the Standard Terms, your agency confirms it holds the rights, notices and consents needed for BestPair to process the data, including under its agreements with its own clients. Whether your creditor clients need to approve a vendor.
• Health information. If your data includes protected health information, the Business Associate Agreement applies to it. The BAA for medical accounts.
• Your collection activity. BestPair changes only which collector works an account. It does not contact consumers, and it does not change whether an account is worked, what a consumer is offered, or any collection terms. Compliance with the FDCPA, Regulation F, the TCPA and state law stays with your agency.