REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BROKER OF RECORD - EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELFARE BENEFITS

Transcription

1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BROKER OF RECORD - EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELFARE BENEFITS RFP Number: Addendum Number: 1 Date: November 30, 2015 LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT Contracts Office 770 Wilshire Boulevard, 6 th Floor Los Angeles, California NOTICE TO BIDDERS: THIS ADDENDUM SHALL BECOME PART OF THE IFB, AND BIDDERS SHALL ACKNOWLEDGE, IN WRITING, RECEIPT AND INCORPORATION OF ALL ADDENDA AND CLARIFICATIONS IN THEIR RESPONSE. FAILURE OF THE BIDDER TO RECEIVE ADDENDA SHALL NOT RELIEVE THE BIDDER FROM ANY OBLIGATION UNDER ITS BID AS SUBMITTED. THE BIDDER SHALL IDENTIFY AND LIST IN ITS BID ALL ADDENDA RECEIVED AND INCLUDED IN ITS BID; FAILURE TO DO SO MAY BE ASSERTED BY THE DISTRICT AS A BASIS FOR DETERMINING THE BID NON-RESPONSIVE. CLARIFICATIONS AND RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY POTENTIAL BIDDERS Number Question 1 Please provide the information below: a complete census providing a list of all eligible employees, not just those currently insured (this would include age, sex, dependent status, and ZIP code for each employee and dependent) 2 Please provide the information below: employer contribution levels 3 Please provide the information below: current benefits LACCD Response This RFP is requesting proposals from firms wishing to serve as the District s Broker of Record for Employee Health and Welfare Benefits. Therefore, Employee Census data will only be provided to the firm being awarded a contract to perform services as the District s Broker of Record for Health and Welfare Benefits. This RFP is requesting proposals from firms wishing to serve as the District s Broker of Record for Employee Health and Welfare Benefits. Therefore, Employee Census data will only be provided to the firm being awarded a contract to perform services as the District s Broker of Record for Health and Welfare Benefits. With respect to District Contribution levels, those contribution levels may differ by type of benefit, and will only be provided to the firm being award a contract to perform services as the District s Broker of Record for Employee Health and Welfare Benefits. The RFP speaks for itself regarding all current benefits. Please review the RFP for all current benefits, including but may not be limited to the following:

2 Medical Dental Vision Life Voluntary life Whole life Pet Assurance HCA s: FSA & DCA Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA) EAP Wellness 403b 457b 4 Who is Current Broker/consultant for each line of coverage? Current Broker of Record is Wells Fargo Insurance Services, for all employee health and welfare benefits, except medical which is obtained by the District through CalPERS PEMHCA; 5 Are they currently receiving Fee or Commission? The District views this question as vague and overbroad, and not subject to response by the District, since the District is not privy to all of the contracts for Wells Fargo Insurance Services. 6 How much did current Broker/consultant make for 2015? The District views this question as vague and overbroad, and not subject to response by the District, since the District is not privy to the total income of Wells Fargo Insurance Services 7 We d be servicing in excess of 10,000 employees per the RFP Retirees also? Are they included in this number? The District views this question as a complex question, and vague and overbroad. The District responds as follows: 1. Yes, the RFP indicates benefits are for current employees and retirees; 2. Retirees have interest in retiree benefits per the collective bargaining agreements, which may change from time to time. 3. Selected Broker shall be required to manage, implement, counsel, coach, advise, the District and Joint Labor Management Benefits Committee on all benefits, and comply with all various collective bargaining agreements now in place, or as may amended from time to time, and from prior existing collective bargaining agreements, and CalPERS resolutions on file with CalPERS 8 Can LACCD award this contract/rfp to multiple firms? The District takes the position the RFP speaks for itself. 9 The Additional Cost Item Newsletter Can we sub out? Will you The proposer may submit their response to the RFP as

3 need qualifications of sub? 10 LACCD is asking for creation of EAP/wellness program, with NO THIRD PARTY VENDOR. Does one exist now? Who? they deem appropriate. The District views this question as complex question, vague and overbroad, and misstates the RFP. The District responds as follows: 1. The RFP speaks for itself on this item; 11 What information will you require on the legal/compliance officer? The RFP speaks for itself. Proposer to submit their response as they deem appropriate. 12 Who is the incumbent consulting firm? This question has been asked and answered, see question #4, above 13 Please provide the performance-based fee structure referred to in section G3 of the RFP. The RFP is unclear how the consulting firm s performance will affect the fixed total flat fee. 14 Is this RFP being released to satisfy the District s procurement policies? 15 Are there service or resource issues the District is specifically looking to address through this RFP? 16 How long has the District worked with Wells Fargo Insurance Services? 17 What is the anticipated number and type of onsite meetings the broker/consultant should plan to attend annually (e.g., Board of Trustees, JLMBC, JLMBC sub-committees, other District meetings, Open Enrollment, Health Fairs, etc.)? In Section IV, G-3, the RFP states vendor shall perform in order to receive payment; As a clarification the requirement is that performance is required prior to billing/invoicing for quarterly services. There is no performance payment bonus eligible for this services. Yes.. 4 years The RFP speaks for itself, and the firm awarded this contract must be able to attend all meetings as requested and/or required by the District. The JLMBC meets Monthly, with occasional subcommittee meetings; Newsletter preparation meets several times each quarter; Open Enrollment occurs once per year to coincide with CalPERS PEMHCA open enrollment, in addition the District has several events at several colleges each year showcasing benefits, JLMBC, Wellness and EAP Services. 18 How many hours are estimated for each meeting type noted above? The typical JLMBC meeting may take up to three hours once per month; committee meetings may take several hours each; newsletter drafting and preparation meetings may take up to three hours; all other meetings take anywhere from 1 6 hours depending on the type of meeting. 19 During the past two plan years, what was the average number of hours reported by your current broker/consultant to service the District s employee benefits program? The LACCD has not requested the average number of hours to be reported by current broker/consultant. 20 During the past two plan years, what was the total compensation paid The District views this question as vague and overly

4 to the District s broker/consultant for services associated with the employee benefits program? 21 Do any of the District s employee benefits coverages currently include commissions? 22 Do the District s procurement rules require that each line of coverage be bid within a certain number of years? If so, how many years? 23 When is the last time the District competitively bid each of its vendor partners utilizing a formal RFP process? 24 Are there any unique public procurement procedures that the broker/consultant must adhere to? If so, what are they? 25 Does the District maintain any self-insured benefit plans? If so, when was the last claims audit performed for each self-insured benefit plan? broad, and not subject to response by the District. The District does not know how much compensation was earned by Wells Fargo Insurance Services associated with their employee benefits consulting program. The current contracted rate is fixed fee/flat rate. Lines of coverage are reviewed through the JLMBC (utilization reports/plan design), and JLMBC will help determine when carriers or coverages need to change. Each line of coverage if reviewed by the District s Risk Manager and Broker, including utilization/cost/plan Each line of coverage is separately managed and reviewed. RFP was conducted approximately 2 years prior for one line of coverage. The District views this question as vague and overly broad; as well as too complex to respond in this fashion. However, the firm being awarded a contract will be provided training from the District s Contract Unit regarding public purchasing rules for request for proposals for health and welfare insurance benefits if needed or required The District views this as multiple questions and responds as follows: 26 Who is responsible for managing employee benefits communications on behalf of the District? 27 What is the District s current annual budget for employee benefit communications? 1. Any self insured plans? Yes 2. When was claims audit performed? The RFP speaks for itself, and proposer to submit their response as they deem appropriate highlighting and showcasing their services under the RFP and proposed The RFP speaks for itself in this regard developing ongoing communication. However, The District s Risk Manager manages the Broker/Consultant in preparation and mailing of the quarterly newsletters. Content is developed and proposed by JLMBC committee; Broker/Consultant shall check all newsletter content for Compliance purposes and develop and compliance check all FAQs; The RFP speaks for itself regarding cost fee proposal and separate cost fee for employee benefits communications (I.E. Quarterly Newsletters). 28 Who are the District s primary spokespersons for benefit issues? The District s Risk Manager 29 Whom would the consultant work with on communications strategy District Risk Manager; with input and review by the

5 and deliverables? 30 Who is the current consultant providing communication services to the District? 31 What percentage of employees does the District estimate have access to the internet at work and at home? 32 Does the District conduct employee surveys or focus groups to obtain employee input and opinions on benefits-related issues? If not, would the District be interested in offering these opportunities to employees as part of communications planning/strategy for ? 33 Will the broker/consultant be required to create new Plan documents or perform consultative and technical reviews of existing Plan documents? 34 Does the District print its own communication materials? If not, what third party do you use? 35 Does the District brand and synchronize its employee benefits and wellness communications? If not, is the District interested in creating a brand as part of this proposal? 36 When does open enrollment take place and is it an active enrollment (everyone must participate) or a passive enrollment (only those who are new or making changes must participate)? 37 What materials do employees currently receive in advance of and during open enrollment? 38 Do you conduct employee enrollment meetings either in person or online? If meetings are conducted in person, how many meetings do you anticipate? 39 What would be the District s preferred method(s) of communicating benefit and wellness information to its employees in the future (e.g., mail, online, , social media, etc.)? 40 Does the District provide its employee with personalized total compensation statements? If not is their interest in providing this resource? JLMBC The District currently contracts with Wells Fargo Insurance services to serve as Broker of Record for health and welfare benefits 100% of employees have access to internet Yes The District currently contracts with Wells Fargo Insurance services to serve as Broker of Record for health and welfare benefits, who may use a third party for print services of newsletter and delivery The District s open enrollment coincides with CalPERs PEMHCA open enrollment (estimated during September through October), with a passive open enrollment process Newsletters, CalPERS materials, various materials from each provider regarding plan changes or ACA compliance issues. The District conducts live open enrollment seminars during CalPERS Open Enrollment period at three campus events, in addition to several other campus events for Wellness & EAP workshops. Enrollment however, is conducted through a District electronic portal where the District makes a laptop available to Health Benefits Staff to assist colleagues with online enrollment.

6 41 This question pertains to the newsletter requirement. Will there be electronic and hard copy distribution? If so, will it be the same content? 42 This question pertains to the newsletter requirement. There are three classifications of recipients of this newsletter, if I am correct (active, adjunct, retiree) Do they all get the same correspondence? 43 This question pertains to the newsletter requirement. Are the posted examples on the LACCD.EDU website, what is currently, and in the past been used? 44 This question pertains to the newsletter requirement. Did your current consultant/broker produce the posted newsletters? The District views this a compound question, and responds as follows: 1. Will there electronic distribution? YES 2. Will there be hard copy distribution? YES 3. Will it be same content? YES The District views this as a compound question, and attempts to respond as follows: 1. Do Active, Adjunct, Retiree get the same correspondence? NO. Each newsletter contains information specific to that group of employees, along with information that is similar to all groups of employees (I.E. Retiree newsletter has primary focus on Medicare, ACA, Part B; coverage issues; along with similar information for retirees who are not eligible for Medicare and remain on the CalPERS BASIC health plans. Similarly, for ADJUNCT employees, the focus is on ADJUNCT process, eligibility, enrollment, employer portion and employee portion(pro-rata cost), along with all basic plan information The LACCD does post its various newsletters on its Health Benefits webpage The Newsletters are drafted by JLMBC subcommittee; with broker performing compliance and content review; Broker produces the final product at the direction of the District s Risk Manager and Chair of the JLMBC.