State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Arkansas > Title-20 > Subtitle-5 > Chapter-86 > 20-86-105

20-86-105. Proposals.

(a) (1) The Department of Workforce Services shall enter into contracts with one (1) or more fiduciary organizations pursuant to the provisions of this section in such a manner that different regions of the state are served by one (1) or more fiduciary organizations.

(2) (A) An organization based in this state which desires to enter into such a contract shall submit a proposal to the department for the right to be approved as a fiduciary organization.

(B) Proposals shall be made upon forms prescribed by the department and shall contain such information as the department may require.

(b) Organizations' proposals shall be evaluated and contracts awarded by the department on the basis of such items as geographic diversity and an organization's:

(1) Ability to market the project to potential account holders;

(2) Ability to leverage additional matching and operating funds;

(3) Ability to provide safe and secure investments for individual accounts;

(4) Overall administrative capacity, including, but not limited to, the certifications or verifications required to assure compliance with eligibility requirements, authorized uses of the accounts, matching contributions by individuals or businesses, and penalties for unauthorized distributions;

(5) Capacity to provide financial counseling and other related service to potential participants;

(6) Capacity to provide other activities designed to increase the independence of individuals and families through home ownership, small business development, enhanced education and training, saving for retirement, and automobile purchase, or to provide links to such other activities; and

(7) Operating costs.

(c) (1) For each contract entered into pursuant to the provisions of this section, the contract shall begin no later than October 1 of each year.

(2) (A) The fiduciary organization shall use not less than seventy percent (70%) for matching funds and not more than thirty percent (30%) for operating and administrative costs.

(B) Administrative costs shall be limited to ten percent (10%) of the contract.

(d) Responsibilities of a fiduciary organization shall include, but not be limited to, marketing participation, soliciting matching contributions, counseling project participants, conducting basic economic and financial literacy training and individual development account use training for project participants, and conducting required verification and compliance activities.

(e) Neither a fiduciary organization nor an employee of or person associated with a fiduciary organization shall receive anything of value, other than compensation for services, for any act performed in connection with the establishment of an individual development account or in furtherance of the provisions of this subchapter.