Financial Services

Achieve higher returns on investment for your programs

For over 40 years, the Maximus Financial Services practice has helped thousands of state agencies, cities, counties, special districts and nonprofit organizations achieve higher returns on investment for the programs they manage. We help you document and quantify the full cost of providing services – so you can make informed decisions about service delivery.

Capitalize on critical insights and current information

With backgrounds as diverse as former analysts, members of accounting firms and state and local officials, our team of experienced consultants delivers critical insights and current information. Identify alternative non ad valorem revenue and improve cost recovery practices. Strengthen non-tax revenue, identify cost trends and develop tools to manage the cost of government. Experience the Maximus difference.

  • Cost Allocation Plans (CAP)

    As the industry leader in the analysis and preparation of complex CAPs, Statewide Cost Allocation Plans (SWCAPs) and Public Assistance Cost Allocation Plans (PACAPs), we know what it takes to deliver plans you can count on. Our cost allocation services result in the recovery of millions of taxpayer dollars each year – while also adhering to all applicable regulations. Partner with Maximus and realize a wealth of benefits, including:

    • Increase general fund revenue by recovering costs expended on federal and state programs; enterprise funds (including water, sewer and airport operations); special purpose districts; and bond funds
    • Recover overhead costs by incorporating indirect cost rates in grant applications
    • Identify the full cost of providing services to other programs
    • Identify central service costs of supporting internal service funds or enterprise funds, including those costs in the rates or fees charged to end-users
    • Understand the costs of providing services and, in turn, being able to control costs more effectively
    • Make more informed decisions regarding privatizing services
    • Enhance transparency and accountability to government and the public
    • Implement a best practice of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
  • User Fee Studies

    Local communities are often faced with federal and state cutbacks and limited revenue growth and, therefore, are on the lookout for ways to avoid reducing valuable services or eliminating programs, positions and projects. User fee studies, which examine program costs and provide a means to determine proper fee structures, often provide a fair and efficient solution to these challenges. Our experienced staff of financial professionals prepares user fee studies that can help governments realize benefits, including:

    • Additional revenue. Comprehensive user fee analyses typically result in substantial additional revenues.
    • Reduced subsidy. When user fees are charged for services being used by individuals from other jurisdictions, those individuals are no longer being subsidized by local taxes.
    • More efficient resource allocation. User fees prevent waste by rationing services and encouraging greater public responsibility.
    • Improved decision making. When full-service costs are known, more educated decisions can be made with respect to resource allocations and/or service delivery.
    • Greater acceptance. Results are more readily accepted when the analysis is performed by an objective outside expert.
  • Random Moment Sampling (RMS) Time Studies

    The RMS process is the mechanism by which agencies measure and document the activities of direct service staff for the purpose of allocating time and effort between benefiting programs. The results of the studies form the statistical basis for claiming federal reimbursement; therefore, the RMS results and the system used to generate and manage the study must be statistically valid and in full compliance with applicable federal and state rules, regulations and requirements, including but not limited to the CAP and 2 CFR Part 200 guidance. WebRMS, our newest RMS application, is a state-of-the-art, web-based system that was developed to meet the demands and expectations of our government clients. WebRMS offers:

    • Compliance with federal and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements
    • Statistically valid time study results
    • Ability to support multiple methods of data collection, including electronic (e-mail/Internet), paper and telephone
    • Validation and verification of time study results
    • A secure and scalable application
    • Application and database hosting by Maximus in our Corporate Data Center Comprehensive system backup and Disaster Recovery (DR) plans
    • A true, 100-percent web-based Software as a Service (SaaS), inclusive of real-time reporting capabilities Ease of use for both participants and administrative users
  • Technology Cost Recovery Services

    Most governmental entities have found that the growth and increasing complexity of their technology service organizations have created very real challenges for their billing systems and overall cost recovery processes. Few have moved very far from traditional models, due in part to the difficulty of defining and standardizing new services. During the last three decades, Maximus has acquired an in-depth understanding of the design, mechanics and impact of cost allocation and rate development processes through our work with numerous state and local government technology service organizations. Our services include:

    • Focused information gathering. Our work with numerous governmental entities has given us specific insight into approaches that benefit our clients and allows us to bring fresh ideas to the table.
    • Alternative evaluation and modeling. We utilize our own software tools to model the leading alternatives in order to assess the financial and operational impact on your cost recoveries.
    • An easy to understand schedule of charges. We are able to present equitable and logical billing rate schedules that effectively communicate the technology services you provide to other agencies.
    • A cost allocation infrastructure that categorizes expenditures by service. A fair, equitable, and repeatable process, our plans are routinely reviewed and approved within the clients’ governance structure as well as federal cost negotiators and auditors.
    • A chargeback structure that takes into account how many units of service are consumed. Billings are based on actual service consumption, accurately and reliably measured, and routinely reported to users.
    • The ability to see the consequences of your usage. Our rate structure reflects opportunities for users to realize economies based on which services they use and how they use them.
    • Cost analysis that allows the client to assess competitive alternatives for service delivery. Costs are carefully calculated, allowing you to focus on instances in which alternative service strategies should be pursued.
    • A cost allocation scheme that is compatible with your goal of optimizing federal cost recovery while remaining compliant with federal rules and regulations. Our cost/rate structure is creative and responsive to today’s technical and service environments, without jeopardizing important federal recoveries.