PRG-Schultz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRGX) the world’s
largest recovery audit firm, today announced that the company has been
notified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that it
was not selected to serve as a recovery audit contractor in the national
rollout of the Medicare Recovery Auditing Contractor (RAC) Program. CMS
has advised the company that contracts were awarded in the four RAC
regions to the lowest contingency fee bidder that satisfied CMS’s
minimum technical requirements, with no single bidder being eligible for
a contract award in more than one region. The company understands from
CMS that it received one of the highest technical scores, but was not
awarded a contract because it ultimately did not have the lowest
contingency fee bid in any region.
"We are obviously disappointed in CMS’s
decision and believe our proposal offered the best value to suit CMS’s
recovery audit program needs,” said James B.
McCurry, chairman, president and CEO of PRG-Schultz International. "Our
next step is to receive a debriefing from CMS. Once we have reviewed the
details behind the selections, we will evaluate all of our options
related to the RAC procurement.”
"Regardless of the ultimate outcome of the RAC
procurement,” continued McCurry, "the
company remains financially very strong, with over $20 million in cash
on hand and a very profitable, very strong worldwide leadership position
in accounts payable recovery audit. We also continue to pursue other
opportunities, including new services to existing clients and services
that leverage our proven recovery audit capabilities in healthcare.”
Conference Call Tomorrow
Management will hold a conference call tomorrow at 9:00AM (EDT) to
discuss this announcement. To access the conference call, listeners in
the U.S. and Canada should dial (866) 825-3209 at least 5 minutes prior
to the start of the conference. Listeners outside the U.S. and Canada
should dial (617) 213-8061. To be admitted to the call, listeners should
use passcode 86642663. A replay of the call will be available
approximately one hour after the conclusion of the live call, extending
through November 5, 2008. To directly access the replay, dial (888)
286-8010 (U.S. and Canada) or (617) 801-6888 (outside the U.S. and
Canada). The passcode for the replay is 18493940.
This teleconference will also be audiocast on the Internet at www.prgx.com
(click on "(NASDAQ: PRGX)”
under "Investor Relations”).
A replay of the audiocast will be available at the same location on www.prgx.com
beginning approximately one hour after the conclusion of the live
audiocast, extending through November 5, 2008. Please note that the
Internet audiocast is "listen-only." Microsoft Windows Media Player is
required to access the live audiocast and the replay and can be
downloaded from www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer.
About PRG-Schultz International, Inc.
Headquartered in Atlanta, PRG-Schultz International, Inc. is the world’s
leading recovery audit firm, providing clients throughout the world with
insightful value to optimize and expertly manage their business
transactions. Using proprietary software and expert audit methodologies,
PRG industry specialists review client purchases and payment information
to identify and recover overpayments.
Forward Looking Statements
In addition to historical information, this press release includes
certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include both
implied and express statements regarding the company's evaluation of its
options regarding CMS’s selections for the
RAC program, the company’s financial strength
and profitable worldwide leadership position in accounts payable
recovery audit, and the company’s
opportunities to provide new services to existing clients and in
healthcare. Such forward looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the
company to differ materially from the historical results or from any
results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks
that could affect the company's future performance include the company's
ability to successfully challenge CMS’s
selections for the RAC program, the company’s
ability to retain personnel and take advantage of future opportunities,
revenues that do not meet expectations or justify costs incurred, the
company's ability to replace the declining revenues from its core
accounts payable services, uncertainty in the credit markets, changes in
the market for the company's services, client bankruptcies, loss of
major clients, and other risks generally applicable to the company's
business. For a discussion of other risk factors that may impact the
company's business, please see the company's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K filed on March 12,
2008. The company disclaims any obligation or duty to update or modify
these forward-looking statements.