Certification to ACA's Professional Practices Management System (PPMS)

To be certified to ACA’s PPMS^TM, agencies need to demonstrate they have implemented ACA’s PPMS. Certification requires: Agency to have an independent CPA come to their office and attest to the required information and send it to an independent third-party auditor (who ACA will hire) for review. If the information meets the requirements, certification will be granted.

1. Requirements – Setup and Maintain a documented “Professional Practices” Manual for third party accounts receivables.
   
   • Compliance Check – Annually submit a copy of the title page and table of contents of the Manual along with a signed statement that the content complies with the ACA’s PPMS. The Manual should follow the numbering system (i.e. element numbers) of the PPMS.
2. Requirements – Annual executive management review of the PPMS. Continuous improvements to be pursued in the next 12 months. Review results of internal audits and non–conformances. Review industry, customer and code of ethics requirements.
   
   • Compliance Check – Annually submit signed copies of the following: (1) Signed copy of the continuous improvement program. (2) Signed copy of NCN trends by element. (3) Signed copy that the industry and code of ethics review has taken place.
3. Requirements – Develop a continuous improvement program based on: (1) Analysis of customer satisfaction including customer feedback information. (2) Trends from non–conformances notes (NCN’s). (3) Internal audit feedback. (4) New industry requirements.
   
   • Compliance Check – Annually submit a signed list of continuous improvements that are planned for the following 12 months.
4. Requirements – Setup an internal auditing program. All elements of the ACA’s PPMS will be audited at least once a year.
   
   • Compliance Check – Annually submit signed copy of ACA audit checklist.
5. Requirements – Corrective action program: (1) Setup a system to effectively handle complaints and non–conformances (i.e., customer and consumer), (2) Investigate the causes of complaints and non–conformances (NCNs), (3) Determination of corrective action needed to eliminate the cause of complaints and NCNs, (4) Application of controls to ensure corrective action is implemented and effective
   
   • Compliance Check – Annually submit signed copy of the non–conformance and complaint log (i.e., the log need not be traceable to trends or need not identify the actual complaint or NCN by description).
6. Requirements – Training, Identify training needs and provide for the training of all personnel performing activities affecting delivery of services.
   
   • Compliance Check – Prior to certification – Attendance at ACA’s foundational training program for agencies (i.e., one person must attend prior to certification). Annually submit a signed copy of training log.

Certification to ACA’s PPMS Approximate Costs
(Contact ACA for nonmember rates)

• Initial Certification Fees (Year 1): $1,794. Includes $399 required seminar registration fee for training seminar. Does not include local CPA fees or internal costs incurred by the agency.) Contact ACA for multi–site fees.
• Surveillance Fees (Year 2, 3 and 4): $695. (Does not include internal costs incurred by the agency.)
• Re-certification Fees (Year 5): $1,390. (Does not include local CPA fees or internal costs incurred by the agency.)