REQUEST FOR BENEFIT BROKERAGE AND CONSULTING SERVICES

Transcription

1 REQUEST FOR BENEFIT BROKERAGE AND CONSULTING SERVICES July 25, 2012 I. INTRODUCTION The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is interested in selecting an experienced firm specializing in benefit brokerage and consulting services, to obtain and administer health and welfare plans for our approximately 115 employees. CPB was created pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 396 as the steward of federal funding for noncommercial television and radio stations. It is a private, nonprofit corporation chartered by the District of Columbia. II. SCOPE OF SERVICES CPB seeks to engage a firm or individual to assist in obtaining contracts for an array of health and welfare benefits for the employees of CPB and their families as shown in the table below. It is important that the successful bidder be able to complete the initial project in a timely manner such that all administrative and enrollment processes be completed for the new contract year, beginning January 1, The successful bidder will also be expected to provide reliable expert advice to management and ongoing assistance to employees with individual concerns and/or problems regarding benefits. For calendar year 2013 the brokerage firm must analyze CPB s existing coverage and identify cost saving alternative health and welfare plans, as well as revaluating CPB s coverage annually thereafter. BENEFIT TYPE Medical Prescription Drug Vision Dental Group Life/AD&D/Accidental Travel Short and Long term Disability Flexible Spending accounts Employee Assistance Program CURRENT PROVIDER CareFirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield CareFirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield CareFirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield CIGNA Prudential Prudential PayFlex INOVA Health Systems

2 Core Services A. Annual Renewal Process and Evaluation to be completed by September 30 each year for a January 1 renewal effective date. 1. Review and make cost-saving recommendations regarding the plan designs, benefit levels, premiums, communications and quality of current employee health and welfare plans. 2. Estimate renewal rates to assist CPB in preparation of annual benefits budget. 3. Conduct thorough and applicable market research in preparation for contract renewals and make recommendations for items to negotiate with providers. 4. Represent CPB in all negotiations with providers on various topics, including, but not limited to, premiums, health plan benefit design, performance measures, contractual terms and conditions, and quality assurance standards. 5. Review rate proposals to ensure underlying assumptions are appropriate and accurate. 6. Provide communication materials and support for the annual open enrollment period, new benefit offerings and/or changes to the existing health benefit plan offerings. Attend and assist with an annual Benefits Fair and Open Enrollment meetings, if requested. B. Liaison and Problem Intervention 1. Act as liaison between CPB and health and welfare plan providers. 2. Provide timely customer service and assistance to CPB with issues involving provider billing, research and resolve claims issues, interpretation of contracts and services, changes and general troubleshooting and problem resolution. 3. Attend meetings with CPB as requested and assist in the management and administration of CPB s employee health and welfare plans. 4. Act as an advocate on behalf of CPB in any appeal process, as requested; provide advice when requested to enforce CPB employees or their dependents rights. C. Compliance 1. Assist CPB to ensure that programs are in compliance with state and federal laws, rules and regulations, including HIPAA and provide timely information about applicable new or proposed laws, rules and regulations. Recommend and assist with compliance audits on a periodic basis. 2. Provide onsite training to CPB, as requested, regarding regulatory updates and/or best practice seminars for the effective administration of health plans. 3. Prepare signature-ready Form 5500s and associated schedules required annually, and ensure compliance with all mandated reporting and posting/notice requirements for health and welfare plans. 2

3 D. Analysis and Reporting 1. Provide analysis and recommendations based on utilization, experience trends, changing patterns, and plan-specific data. 2. Provide, maintain and update benchmark analysis of health and welfare plan offerings and costs to determine competitiveness of CPB s benefit plans. 3. Provide various types of reports as needed, such as cost analysis for proposed plan changes, and other statistical, financial, forecasting, trend, negotiations, performance or experience reports. 4. Maintain full and accurate records with respect to all matters and services provided on behalf of CPB s health and welfare plans. 5. Provide CPB with all spreadsheets, assumptions and calculations upon completion of any project performed on behalf of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting health and welfare plans. E. Other Plan Administration Requirements 1. Assist with ongoing health and welfare plan administration. Review and evaluate current administrative processes related to enrollment and billing. Recommend and assist with implementation of administrative process enhancements. 2. Recommend and help develop enhancements and improvements for communications specific to the needs of the CPB employees, including, but not limited to, Summary of Benefits brochures, comparison charts, electronic communications, forms, employee handbooks and employee orientation. 3. Provide timely research and responses to technical questions posed by CPB. 4. Make recommendations for CPB to attend particular broker-sponsored seminars, benefit events and educational forums and roundtables. 5. Facilitate meetings between CPB and plan provider representatives as requested. 6. Manage plan transitions as necessary. Supplemental Services 1. Provide in-depth consulting services, for example, analysis of Health Care Reform s impact on the CPB health programs. III. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION In order to respond to this RFP, firms must submit the questionnaire set forth in Section VI. CPB may reject any proposal that is not responsive to the requirements of this RFP. Questionnaires must be submitted electronically to Cara Dalrymple, at cdalrymple@cpb.org by 3:00 p.m. ET, Friday, August 10, If the questionnaire asks about a service you do not provide, please answer the question with N/A. No firm or individual will be disqualified on the basis of not providing all of the services listed 3

4 herein. Please also provide names and contact information for two references who are current clients, and one terminated client. CPB may request the broker s with the top scores, to meet with and present their proposal to senior management at CPB s offices in Washington, D.C. If so, CPB will notify the selected broker s of the time and date. CPB requires that your organization not lobby CPB, its employees, or Board members regarding this project, nor contact CPB employees regarding the elements of the vendor evaluation. Failure to comply with this condition may disqualify you from the process. The contract shall be for a three (3) year period beginning on or about August 31, 2012 and ending on or about August 31, CPB presently anticipates that the contract will contain a 60-day cancellation clause and will be reviewed at least on an annual basis with regard to the quality and range of products offered as well as measurement against performance standards, including penalties for non-compliance with agreed-upon performance guarantees. All questions must be submitted in writing via to: Cara Dalrymple Vice President, Human Resources Corporation for Public Broadcasting cdalrymple@cpb.org Ms. Dalrymple will post all questions and CPB s responses on CPB s website without identifying the source of the question. Below is the anticipated schedule for evaluating and selecting a provider: Activity Date Proposal s Due August 10, 2012 Proposal Evaluation August 17, 2012 Proposal Selection August 24, 2012 Contracting August 31, 2012 IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criterian. Criteria Quality of Firm Description Provide a brief overview and history of your firm including a description of your firm s experience working with other organizations providing services requested in this RFP. 4

5 Staff Experience Response to Questions References Fee Structure Experience level and background of staff assigned in providing brokerage services. The responses must demonstrate the provider s ability to not only provide the requested services, but provide them at a high level. Quality of the recommendations from current and former clients. Approach to compensation that demonstrates commitment to client interests and services as well as firm s business interests. V. CONTACT AND CLIENT INFORMATION Please provide the following information regarding your organization: Company Name Mailing Address Primary Contact Title Telephone Fax Address Secondary Contact Title Telephone Fax Address 5

6 Please provide contact information on two current client references and one terminated client reference: Reference 1 Name of organization: Name of contact: Contact title/position: Mailing address: Telephone number: Contract initiation date: Number of employees: Reference 2 Name of organization: Name of contact: Contact title/position: Mailing address: Telephone number: Contract initiation date: Number of employees: Terminated Client Name of organization: Name of contact: Contact title/position: Mailing address: Telephone number: Contract initiation date: Contract termination date: Reason for termination: Number of employees: VI. SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION QUESTIONS A. Organization and History 1. Provide the name(s), title(s), address(es), telephone number(s) and address(es) for the individual(s) responsible for responding to this request. 2. Provide a brief overview and history of your firm, including an organizational chart. Please describe any parent/subsidiary/affiliate relationships. 3. Describe your firm s experience working with organizations similar in size to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 6

7 4. Describe what form of professional liability or errors and omissions insurance is currently carried by your organization and the amount of coverage. 5. Explain briefly why your organization should be selected to provide services to our organization. B. Staffing 1. Provide the names, experience and location of each individual that would be assigned to work on our account. Please attach resumes. 2. What type of training does your firm provide to update and build the skills for its employees? C. Client Services 1. Describe your firm s philosophy/approach to client services. 2. How often in a year do you conduct face-to-face client meetings? D. Market Intelligence/Resources/Compliance 1. Describe how you stay up with the trends, best practices and latest developments in the health care industry. 2. What educational programs and training have you offered clients in the past year to assist in expanding their knowledge of the health care industry? 3. Do you prepare Form 5500s for most/some/none of your clients? 4. How will you ensure that our plans remain in legal compliance? Describe your clients access to in-house legal counsel or ERISA counsel advice and review. If there an additional cost for this service, please identify the same. E. Health Plan Strategy and Plan Design 1. Briefly describe your approach/process for assisting clients in the development of an integrated employee benefits strategy. 2. What are the options you have generally developed and presented to clients for adoption with regard to health care programs? 3. Are you able to provide options in all health and welfare plan areas identified in this proposal? If not, list the plan areas you do service. 4. What resources do you use for benchmarking? F. Vendor Selection and Management 1. Describe a typical renewal process. What is your recommendation as to the number of vendors that should be solicited? 2. How do you monitor the ongoing performance of insurance carriers? 7

8 G. Data Analysis, Reporting and Tools 1. What services do you offer to help your clients manage their claim dollars? 2. Describe any customized or ad hoc reporting capabilities. H. Human Resources Due Diligence 1. Does your firm assist with technical questions in regards to COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA and IRC Section 125 and will it promptly notify CPB of legislative changes and take proactive steps to address them? 2. Do you publish newsletters, surveys and other informative publications that are routinely provided to your clients? Please provide samples. 3. Do you provide any employee communications assistance to your clients? If so, please provide examples. I. Fees/Performance Guarantees 1. Please provide a detailed breakdown of your firm s commission and/or fee schedule for the services noted above. 2. Describe any additional actual or potential compensation that your firm would or could receive, such as contingent commissions, overrides, commissions or fees to or from affiliated firms, etc. How do you disclose fees or commissions received? 3. Please describe any expenses not included in the above. 4. If performance guarantees are routinely included in your service contracts, please provide a detailed description of the same. J. Other Relevant Information 1. Please include any additional information that the firm deems appropriate. VII. GENERAL CONTRACT TERMS Proposals submitted in response to this RFP by an applicant ( Offeror ) shall be valid for at least 90 days following the closing date of proposals. Proposals shall be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of the Offeror's proposals to meet the requirements of this RFP. Neither multiple nor alternate proposals will be accepted. An Offeror should give specific attention to the clear identification of those portions of its proposal that it considers confidential, proprietary commercial information or trade secrets. 8

9 The selected Offeror shall be responsible for all products and services required by this RFP. Subcontractors must be identified and a complete description of their role relative to the proposals must be included in the Offeror s proposals. By submitting an offer in response to this RFP, an Offeror, if selected for award, shall be deemed to have accepted the terms of this RFP. Any exceptions to this RFP must be clearly identified in the proposal. A proposal that takes exception to these terms may be rejected. As part of the RFP review process, CPB may share materials, data, other information and analyses (collectively, Information ) with Offerors. As a condition of receiving such Information, Offerors responding to this RFP shall be deemed to agreed to protect, preserve and maintain all such Information on a strictly confidential basis, and to promptly return to CPB upon its request all tangible copies of such Information in your possession. CPB is not responsible for loss or damage to material submitted with or in support of this RFP. Any submission to CPB shall become the property of CPB (not including any intellectual property rights contained in such submission), and CPB is not required to return any submitted materials to any Offeror. CPB is not responsible for any violation of copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other rights that may result from disclosure made by response to this RFP. Solicitation by CPB of proposals does not constitute an agreement by CPB to extend funding to any party for the project under consideration. CPB may, in its sole discretion, elect not to pursue this project in any manner. By submitting a proposal, each Offeror grants to CPB the right to duplicate, use, disclose, and distribute all of the materials submitted for purposes of evaluation, review, and research. In addition, each Offeror guarantees that the Offeror has full and complete rights to all of the information and materials included in the proposal. Each Offeror also guarantees that all such materials are not defamatory and do not infringe upon or violate the privacy rights, copyrights, or other proprietary rights of any third party. If a proposal in response to this RFP is selected for funding, Offerors will be required to sign a binding agreement. Until both parties have signed an agreement, no express or implied commitment has been made to provide financial support. Offerors are not authorized to commence work until the agreement is fully executed. If Offerors opt to commence work, they do so at their own risk. No oral or written statement other than the signed, written agreement will govern or modify the relationship. As a condition of agreement, Offerors must guarantee that, among other things, any work they undertake on behalf of CPB is not defamatory and will not violate or infringe upon the privacy rights, copyrights, or other proprietary rights of any third party. Offerors must also agree to indemnify CPB against any loss resulting from breach of any of the guarantees contained in the agreement. 9

10 Those receiving funds from CPB must be able to comply with a number of requirements that will be included in the operative agreement. These requirements include but are not limited to: (1) A demonstration of adequate financial support to complete the work for which they have been contracted and to deliver reports and/or other intellectual property created pursuant to the Agreement; (2) Maintenance, for 3 years following receipt of relevant funds, of all financial records to the project, which records shall be accessible to CPB, and to the U.S. Comptroller General or other representatives for examination and audit purposes. (Offerors will additionally ensure that any subcontractors or consultants under the agreement shall also maintain such records for the period specified and under the same terms); (3) Maintenance, for 3 years after approval of a final financial report, of a complete file of all subcontracts and other agreements, licenses, clearances, and other documents related to the work undertaken, copies of which shall be made available to CPB on request; (4) Submission to CPB of a copy of any U.S. Comptroller General final audit report in connection with the project; (5) Compliance with equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination laws and policies; (6) Offerors will be required to provide documentation as to actual costs, and provide supporting detail demonstrating that all costs are reasonable, necessary and allocable to the requirements and objectives of the work undertaken; and (7) All research and materials created, developed, compiled or produced pursuant to or as a result of this project (including but not limited to all reports) will be considered ordered and commissioned by CPB as works made for hire under the copyright laws, and made in the course of services rendered. If, for any reason, the proposed research and materials to be provided are not considered works made for hire under the copyright laws, then the Offeror will be required to assign all right, title and interest in and to such research and materials to CPB. Offerors further agree that neither they, nor any of their subcontractors, will have any copyrights or other intellectual property rights whatsoever in any research and/or materials created, developed, compiled or produced by them or by any subcontractor, or by any third party participating in the preparation of research or materials for this project. (8) The agreement will be governed by construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia without regard to its conflict of law provisions. 10

11 Other material terms and provisions will be set forth in the documents provided to the Offeror that successfully completes the selection process. CPB will have complete rights to the reports created as deliverables for this project. CPB will not be responsible for any costs incurred by an Offeror in preparing and submitting a proposal, or in performing any other activities relative to this solicitation. *** 11