Application for Third-Party Notice Providers

The Administrative Office, with the assistance of the Bankruptcy Noticing Working Group, developed the guidelines and application for third-party notice providers as a result of amendments to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. The first operative amendment is Rule 2002(g)(4) which allows entities and notice providers to agree on the manner and address to which service may be effected. FRBP 2002(g)(4). Rule 9001 was amended to add a definition of "notice provider" as "any entity approved by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to give notice to creditors under Rule 2002(g)(4)." Fed R. Bankr. P. 9001(9).

All entities interested in serving as third-party notice providers will be required to complete an application. The application serves as an entity’s self-certification that it can comply with the guidelines. The application need only be completed by third-party entities (e.g., claims/notice agents) that enter into separate arrangements with creditors for delivery services comparable to those provided through the Bankruptcy Noticing Center program’s National Creditor Registration Service (NCRS). The NCRS provides options for notice recipients to specify a preferred U.S. mail, e-mail address, or fax number to which bankruptcy notices should be sent. Under Rule 2002(g)(4), the creditor and third-party notice provider can agree upon any method of delivery.

The list of approved third-party notice providers is available at http://www.uscourts.gov/bankruptcycourts/approvedNoticeProviders.html.