1-Benefits Broker RFP - 2026.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Employee Benefits Brokerage and Consulting Services Issuing Agency

Spanish Fork City 40 South Main Street Spanish Fork, Utah 84660

Release Date

July 13, 2026

Proposal Due Date

August 26, 2026, 3:00 PM MDT

Proposal Contact

Tyler Jacobson Assistant City Manager Spanish Fork City tjacobson@spanishfork.gov 801.804.4500

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

2. ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

3. OBJECTIVES

4. SCOPE OF SERVICES

5. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

6. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

7. CURRENT PROGRAM DATA

8. REQUIRED PROPOSAL DISCLOSURES

9. EVALUATION CRITERIA

10. FINALIST PRESENTATIONS

11. INCUMBENT BROKER

12. CONTRACT TERM AND TRANSITION

13. PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

14. PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

15. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

16. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

17. QUESTIONS

18. APPENDICES

1. INTRODUCTION

Spanish Fork City ("City") is soliciting proposals from qualified employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms to provide comprehensive employee benefits consulting, brokerage, compliance, enrollment, communication, wellness, analytics, and related services.

The City seeks a strategic partner that will assist in the design, procurement, administration, communication, and ongoing management of employee benefit programs while helping control costs, improve employee engagement, maintain regulatory compliance, and support the City's recruitment and retention goals.

The selected firm will work closely with City administration, Human Resources, Finance, and leadership to ensure benefit programs remain competitive, financially sustainable, and aligned with industry best practices.

Additional resources needed to complete this RFP can be found using the appendices at the end of this document.

2. ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Spanish Fork City is a full-service municipal government serving the residents of Spanish Fork, Utah.

The City currently employs:

● ~ 315 full-time employees (~ 273 of these on City’s health insurance)

● ~ 1,000 seasonal, temporary, and part-time employees

Employee groups include:

● Finance

● Parks and Recreation

● Fire & EMS

● Police

● Public Works

● Library

● Administration

● Legal

● Community Development

● Information Systems

Current Benefits Program

The City's current employee benefits program includes the following; please see the full benefits guide at thislink.

Medical Insurance

● SelectHealth Share Network

● High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with Health Savings Account (HSA)

● Traditional PPO Medical Plan

Health Savings Account (HSA)

● HealthEquity administrator

● Employer HSA contributions

● Wellness-based HSA contribution incentives

Dental Insurance https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hUPe3KP7YEEbbb7e3XYDysiQsMT6A1EJ/view?usp=sharing

● PEHP Premium Dental Plan

Vision Insurance

● EyeMed Vision Care

● Materials Only Option

● Exam and Materials Option

Flexible Spending Accounts

● Health Care Flexible Spending Account

● Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account

● Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Life and Disability Benefits

● Employer-paid Basic Life Insurance

● Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)

● Dependent Life Insurance

● Long-Term Disability (LTD)

● Voluntary Life and AD&D

Voluntary Benefits

● Accident Insurance

● Hospital Indemnity Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

● Intermountain Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Wellness Program

● SelectHealth Healthy Living Program

● Personify Wellness Platform

● Preventive Screening Incentives

● HSA Wellness Contributions

Retirement Benefits

● Utah Retirement Systems (URS)

● 401(k) Plan

● 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan

● Financial Wellness Resources

Benefits Administration

● Bswift online enrollment platform

The City reserves the right to modify benefit offerings at any time.

3. OBJECTIVES

The City's objectives include:

1. Obtaining expert employee benefits consulting and brokerage services including retirement services.

2. Managing healthcare and benefit-related costs.

3. Maintaining competitive benefits to attract and retain employees.

4. Supporting employee wellness and engagement.

5. Enhancing employee understanding and utilization of benefits.

6. Ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

7. Leveraging analytics and benchmarking data to support decision-making.

8. Providing exceptional service to employees and City staff.

9. Developing a long-term strategic benefits roadmap.

10. Maximizing value received from carriers and vendor partners.

4. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected firm shall provide comprehensive benefits brokerage and consulting services including, but not limited to:

Strategic Benefits Consulting

● Annual strategic benefits planning

● Multi-year benefits roadmap development

● Market benchmarking

● Plan design recommendations

● Cost-containment strategies

● Recruitment and retention analysis

● Labor market competitiveness studies

Insurance Marketing and Procurement

● Preparation and management of carrier marketing efforts

● Renewal negotiation and management

● Carrier proposal analysis

● Carrier selection recommendations

● Implementation support during carrier transitions

● Alternative funding and self-funding evaluations when appropriate

Compliance Services

● Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance support

● HIPAA compliance support

● COBRA guidance

● Section 125 and cafeteria plan support

● Medicare-related guidance

● Federal and State regulatory updates

● Required notices and disclosure support

Employee Communication and Enrollment

● Annual open enrollment planning and administration

● Employee benefit guides and communication materials

● Employee meetings and presentations

● New hire enrollment support

● Employee education campaigns

● Decision-support tools

Employee Advocacy and Customer Service

● Claims assistance

● Carrier issue resolution

● Employee advocacy services

● Escalation support

● Dedicated service team

Wellness and Population Health

● Wellness strategy development

● Wellness incentive recommendations

● Population health analytics

● Health risk assessment initiatives

● Wellness engagement campaigns

● Return-on-investment reporting

HSA, FSA and Consumer-Directed Health Plans

● HSA strategy development

● FSA compliance and administration consulting

● Employee education regarding consumer-directed healthcare

● Utilization reporting and recommendations

Technology Support

● Benefits administration platform consulting

● Enrollment technology recommendations

● Data integration support

● Eligibility management processes

● Carrier connectivity support

● Employee self-service tools

Data Analytics and Reporting

● Claims analysis

● Utilization reports

● Renewal forecasting

● Executive dashboards

● Benchmarking studies

● Financial modeling

● Trend reporting

Retirement and Financial Wellness Coordination

● Coordination with retirement vendors

● Financial wellness strategy support

● Employee financial education resources

Public Safety Benefits Expertise

Because Spanish Fork City employs police, fire, EMS, and other public safety personnel, proposers should demonstrate expertise in:

● Public safety benefits programs

● Disability programs

● Wellness and resilience programs

● Critical incident support resources

● Recruitment and retention strategies specific to public safety organizations

Annual Strategic Review

The selected broker shall provide an annual strategic review that includes:

● Claims experience analysis

● Renewal projections

● Market benchmarking

● Cost-containment recommendations

● Wellness outcomes review

● Three-year strategic recommendations

5. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Proposing firms shall:

● Be licensed to conduct business in Utah.

● Have a minimum of five (5) years of employee benefits brokerage experience.

● Have demonstrated experience serving municipalities or other public-sector organizations.

● Maintain all required licenses and professional certifications.

● Have sufficient staffing and resources to support the City.

● Have at least three public-sector clients with more than 200 benefit-eligible employees.

6. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

A. Firm Overview

Provide:

● Company history

● Ownership structure

● Office locations

● Years in business

● Public-sector experience

B. Qualifications and Experience

Describe:

● Municipal and government experience

● Similar-sized clients

● Public safety client experience

● Relevant case studies

C. Service Team

Identify:

● Primary Account Executive

● Account Manager

● Compliance Specialist

● Data Analytics Personnel

● Enrollment Specialists

Include resumes and qualifications.

D. Strategic Approach

Describe:

● Renewal strategy

● Cost management philosophy

● Employee communication approach

● Wellness strategy

● Compliance approach

● Innovation initiatives

E. Technology and Reporting

Describe:

● Benefits administration capabilities

● Reporting tools

● Analytics capabilities

● Employee-facing technology

● Enrollment support solutions

F. References

Provide at least three current municipal or public-sector references including:

● Organization name

● Contact name

● Title

● Phone number

● Email address

● ~ Number of employees

G. Compensation Disclosure

Provide a complete disclosure of all compensation including:

● Commissions

● Consulting fees

● Administrative fees

● Revenue sharing

● Overrides

● Incentive payments

● Contingent compensation

● Any other compensation received directly or indirectly

Please use Appendix E “Proposal Cost Form”at thislinkto provide this information.

The City strongly prefers complete transparency regarding compensation.

H. Carrier and Vendor Relationships

Disclose:

● Relationships with current Spanish Fork City carriers and vendors

● Any preferred partnerships

● Production bonuses

● Incentive programs

● Marketing allowances

● Volume-based compensation arrangements

I. Value Added Services

Describe any additional services provided at no additional cost including:

● Compliance tools

● Benchmarking studies

● Employee communication resources

● Wellness programs

● Educational resources

● HR support tools

7. CURRENT PROGRAM DATA

Workforce Summary

● ~ 306 full-time employees

● ~ 1,000 seasonal and part-time employees

Appendix AIncludes:

● Employee census by age band, gender, and coverage tier https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1H0oPV-3m2NBhUc0ccqeHzKownm9Dy6ddJYeLU6r-NMU/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1H0oPV-3m2NBhUc0ccqeHzKownm9Dy6ddJYeLU6r-NMU/edit?gid=1008877922#gid=1008877922

● Departmental employee counts

Current Benefit Providers

● Medical: SelectHealth

● Health Savings Account: HealthEquity

● Dental: PEHP

● Vision: EyeMed

● Flexible Spending Accounts: National Benefit Services (NBS)

● Life and Disability: Renaissance

● Voluntary Accident and Hospital Indemnity: MetLife

● Employee Assistance Program: Intermountain EAP

● Benefits Administration Platform: Bswift

● Retirement Providers: Utah Retirement Systems (URS) and Empower

Program Information

● Plan year renewal date: July 1

● Wellness program structure aligns with Select Health Share requirements

● Employer contribution strategy

○ Health Insurance- High Deductible Health Plan & HSA- City contributes 100% of premiums + up to $2,200 HSA contributions

○ Retirement- varies by tier -see § 1.20.50.031ofpersonnel policy

Financial Information https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BUN0om83nTkhchtgIcQQa63KbCCxTM8U1NDqcTIGyQE/edit?tab=t.0#bookmark=id.d2y1tdfz8ha3

The City reserves the right to require a confidentiality agreement prior to releasing detailed claims or financial information.

8. REQUIRED PROPOSAL

DISCLOSURES

A. Cost Savings Examples

Provide a total of at least three examples from the past five years demonstrating one or more of the following:

● Healthcare cost reductions achieved

● Claims trend improvements

● Plan redesign initiatives

● Pharmacy management strategies

● Wellness program outcomes

For each example include:

● Client type

● Number of employees

● Specific actions taken

● Quantifiable results achieved

B. Municipal Experience

Provide a list of relevant municipal, county, special district, or governmental clients currently served.

Include:

● Organization name

● Number of employees

● Length of relationship

● Services provided

C. Staffing Commitments

Provide:

● Guaranteed staffing structure

● Account team biographies

● Average client load per account manager

● Service response standards

● Escalation procedures

D. Transparency Statement

Describe your firm's philosophy regarding:

● Compensation transparency

● Fiduciary responsibilities

● Carrier negotiations

● Conflict-of-interest management

9. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Evaluation Category Weight

Experience, Qualifications & References

(Municipal/Public Sector Experience, Qualifications of Service Team, References)

25%

Cost & Value

(Cost Structure and Compensation Transparency, Finalist Presentation)

30%

Strategic Partnership & Innovation

(Strategic Consulting and Innovation, Wellness and Population Health Strategy)

15%

Service Delivery & Account Management

(Employee Service Model)

15%

Compliance, Technology & Analytics

(Compliance and Regulatory Expertise, Analytics and Technology Capabilities)

15%

10. FINALIST PRESENTATIONS

The City anticipates selecting up to three finalists for in-person presentations.

Each finalist presentation should address:

Strategic Assessment

Based upon the information provided, identify:

● Opportunities for improvement

● Potential risks

● Cost-management opportunities

● Wellness opportunities

● Employee communication opportunities

Service Model

Describe:

● Team structure

● Communication process

● Renewal management process

● Employee support process

Innovation

Describe innovative solutions the firm would recommend for Spanish Fork City over the next three years.

Municipal Expertise

Provide examples of:

● Municipal benefit programs managed

● Public safety benefit expertise

● Cost-management successes

● Recruitment and retention initiatives

11. INCUMBENT BROKER

The City's current benefits broker is NFP an AON company.

Inclusion of this information does not imply any preference or advantage during the evaluation process. All proposals will be evaluated using the criteria outlined in this

RFP

12. CONTRACT TERM AND TRANSITION

The City currently maintains employee benefits contracts and plan arrangements that extend through June 30, 2027.

The City anticipates selecting a benefits broker through this RFP process during Fall 2026. The selected broker shall become the City's Broker of Record effective January 1, 2027, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

The selected broker will work collaboratively with City staff during the transition period and will assist the City in evaluating, marketing, negotiating, and implementing employee benefit programs for the plan year beginning July 1, 2027.

The City intends to utilize the period between January 1, 2027, and June 30, 2027, to:

● Conduct a comprehensive review of current benefit programs.

● Analyze claims and utilization trends.

● Benchmark the City's benefit offerings against comparable municipalities and public-sector organizations.

● Evaluate funding alternatives and cost-management strategies.

● Review wellness program opportunities.

● Develop recommendations for the July 1, 2027 plan year renewal.

The initial contract term shall be three (3) years beginning January 1, 2027, and ending December 31, 2029.

Following the initial term, the City may, at its sole discretion, renew this Agreement for one or more additional one-year terms.

Annual performance reviews may be conducted and considered as part of any renewal decision.

13. PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

The City anticipates using the following schedule for this solicitation. The City reserves the right to modify these dates at any time. The City reserves the right to modify the procurement schedule as necessary to serve the best interests of the City.

14. PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The selected broker shall provide ongoing strategic consulting and support throughout the contract term.

Minimum expectations include:

Quarterly Reviews

● Claims and utilization review

● Financial and funding review

● Compliance updates

● Market trend updates

● Strategic recommendations

Annual Strategic Planning Session

The broker shall conduct an annual strategic planning meeting with City leadership that includes:

● Claims analysis

● Renewal forecasting

● Benchmarking against comparable municipalities

● Wellness program outcomes

● Pharmacy trend review

● Multi-year benefits strategy recommendations

Renewal Support

The broker shall lead the annual renewal process including:

● Carrier negotiations

● Alternative funding evaluations

● Plan design recommendations

● Financial modeling

● Executive presentations

● Employee communication planning

Open Enrollment Support

The broker shall provide:

● Employee enrollment meetings

● Benefit guides

● Enrollment communications

● Decision-support resources

● Employee education materials

Service Standards

The broker shall establish measurable service standards, including:

● Response times

● Claims escalation procedures

● Reporting schedules

● Employee service metrics

15. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Spanish Fork City reserves the right to:

● Reject any or all proposals.

● Waive informalities and irregularities.

● Request clarification or additional information.

● Conduct interviews.

● Negotiate terms.

● Cancel or reissue this RFP.

● Select the proposal deemed to be in the best interest of the City.

16. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Submit proposals electronically in PDF format to:

Tyler Jacobson Assistant City Manager Spanish Fork City tjacobson@spanishfork.gov

Proposals must be received no later than:

August 26, 2026, 3:00 PM MDT

Late submissions will not be considered.

17. QUESTIONS

All questions concerning this RFP shall be asked onutah.bonfirehub.com.Under no circumstance shall the contractor contact the City. Any contractor that contacts the City may be disqualified from bidding on this project.

Responses will be viewable to all participating firms.

http://utah.bonfirehub.com/

18. APPENDICES

Appendix A through Appendix E can be found on the tabs in the spreadsheet at thislink.

Appendix A – Employee Census Summary

Appendix B – Current Benefit Plan Summary

Appendix C – Historical Renewal Information

Appendix D – Aggregate Claims Experience

Appendix E – Proposal Cost Form

Appendix F –Required Insurance and Licensing Documentation

Thank you for your interest in serving Spanish Fork City and its employees!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1H0oPV-3m2NBhUc0ccqeHzKownm9Dy6ddJYeLU6r-NMU/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/10WTDxiG1INHiEVoe2iXv-Y6zfVYK_1v9BXpVjaxR1cs/edit?usp=sharing