NIGP 95238: Employee Assistance Programs (Including Unemployment Compensation Administration Services)

NIGP 95238 Employee Assistance Programs (Including Unemployment Compensation Administration Services), an Item code, encompasses employee benefits counseling, crisis intervention, substance abuse referrals, mental health support, and related human resources administration services that state and local governments procure to support workforce well-being and compliance obligations. Recent solicitations show state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, and transit authorities soliciting EAP services alongside related benefits administration work—broker services, health navigation, benefits consulting, unemployment representation, and deferred compensation plan administration—indicating governments increasingly bundle employee assistance within broader benefits portfolios. The State of Texas, multiple Texas state agencies (Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Texas Historical Commission, Teacher Retirement System of Texas), Montgomery County Maryland, the City of Dallas, and the County of Orange California have all posted EAP or closely related benefits solicitations in the past four months, with several counties and states appearing as repeat buyers across multiple service categories.

Active procurement spans Texas, California, Maryland, Georgia, Florida, and Illinois, with Texas showing particularly dense activity across multiple state agencies and local jurisdictions. Representative recent opportunities include the State of Texas soliciting statewide EAP services with mandatory HUB subcontracting participation (due July 28, 2026, RFQ); the County of Orange, California seeking Employee Assistance Program services for approximately 18,000 county employees through January 1, 2025–December 31, 2027 with potential two-year renewals (due July 16, 2024, RFP); the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs requesting EAP coverage across twelve Texas metropolitan areas with per-employee pricing for approximately 393 employees (due July 6, 2026, RFP); and White County, Georgia issuing a Request for Qualifications for employee benefits broker services covering annual renewals, contract auditing, benefits renewals, COBRA administration, and open enrollment coordination for 272 benefit-eligible employees (due December 11, 2026, RFQ). Pricing models vary—PEPM (per-employee-per-month) structures predominate in multi-agency EAP procurements, while broker and consulting services are often fee-based or commission-based arrangements. Insurance requirements (commercial general liability $500,000–$2 million per occurrence) and compliance certifications (HUB plans, HIPAA Business Associate Agreements, state debarment checks) are standard across jurisdictions. Most contracts run one to three years with optional renewal periods.