2223-001 Group Health Insurance SRWMD_RFP 2023 medical.pdf

SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

NO. 22/23-001

GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE

Table of Contents

Section Title Page 1 Introduction 2 2 Proposed Schedule 2 3 Instructions to Proposers 2 4 Key Points 3 5 Scope of Work 5

Suwannee River Water Management District

9225 CR 49

Live Oak, FL 32060 386.362.1001

386.362.1056 (Fax)

800.226.1066 (Florida only) www.mysuwanneeriver.com

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

The Suwannee River Water Management District (District) is conducting this Request for Proposal (RFP) for Group Health Insurance. The District is requesting fully insured proposals from qualified insurance carriers to provide Group Health coverage (currently fully insured through Florida Blue) for employees and retirees of SRWMD under the District’s employee benefits program.

SECTION 2 - PROPOSED SCHEDULE

September 22, 2022 Release of Request for Proposal.

September 29, 2022 Written questions due by 4:00 p.m.

October 3, 2022 Answers posted on the District Website by 5:00 p.m.

October 7, 2022* Proposals must be submitted on DemandStar no later than 3:00 p.m. and will be opened at that time.

October 19, 2022* Selection Committee Meeting at District Headquarters in Live Oak at 11:00 a.m.

November 8, 2022 Governing Board Approval at District Headquarters in Live Oak.

* Denotes a public meeting. All times denote Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Delivery of Proposal:

1. Proposals shall be submitted electronically through DemandStar.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement

For articles and videos to assist you through the DemandStar registry and uploading of documents visit the DemandStar business support page at -https://network.demandstar.com/business-support/

Proposal packages are to be uploaded to the platform no later than 3:00 p.m. October 7, 2022. Proposals received after this time, for any reason, will be rejected.

SECTION 3 - INSTRUCTION TO PROPOSERS

Questions: To provide equal opportunity and ensure the same information is provided to all proposers, any questions should be submitted by email to the District’s insurance broker Ann Edenfield, Area Vice President, Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. at Ann_Edenfield@ajg.com or Tyson Johnson at Tyson@firstchoiceifs.com. The questions with answers will be posted on the District website www.mysuwanneeriver.com, on October 3, 2022 on or before 5:00 PM Questions cannot be answered via telephone or other verbal communication.

RESPONDENTS TO THIS SOLICITATION OR PERSONS ACTING ON THEIR BEHALF MAY

NOT CONTACT, BETWEEN THE RELEASE OF THE SOLICITATION AND THE END OF THE

72-BUSINESS HOUR PERIOD FOLLOWING THE AGENCY POSTING THE NOTICE OF

INTENDED AWARD, ANY EMPLOYEE OR OFFICER OF THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE

EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS OF THE DISTRICT’S BROKER, CONCERNING ANY ASPECT

OF THIS SOLICITATION, EXCEPT IN WRITING AS INDICATED ABOVE. VIOLATION OF

THIS PROVISION MAY BE GROUNDS FOR REJECTING A RESPONSE.

https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/florida/suwannee-river-water-management-district/procurement https://network.demandstar.com/business-support/ mailto:Ann_Edenfield@ajg.com mailto:Tyson@firstchoiceifs.com http://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/

Proposal Document: The District requests that each proposer provide rates for the existing plan designs currently in force and offered to employees. If the proposer is unable to exactly match the benefits, they are requested to match the benefits as closely as possible and notate the deviations from the current benefit structure.

If the Proposer would like to submit alternate plan designs (up to a maximum of 3 alternate plan options), these are encouraged and will be considered.

Delivery of Proposal: It is the obligation of the proposer to ensure that they have reviewed all amendments, addenda, and all questions and answers to this RFP as posted on the District website to ensure that the proposal responds to the most current information before uploading to DemandStar.

SECTION 4 – KEY POINTS

Challenge of Solicitation Process: If a potential respondent protests any provisions of this RFP, a notice of intent to protest shall be filed with the District in writing within 72 hours after the posting of the request for proposal on the District’s website. “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3) Florida Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Challenge of District’s Intent to Award Contract: If a respondent intends to protest District’s intent to award contract, the notice of intent to protest must be filed in writing within 72 hours after posting of a notice of intent to award contract and the respondent shall file a formal written protest within ten (10) days after filing of notice of intent to protest. Any respondent who files a formal written protest pursuant to Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code, and Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes shall post with the District at the time of filing the formal written protest, a bond pursuant to Section 287.042(2)(c), Florida Statutes (2020) Failure to file a notice of intent to protest or failure to file a formal written protest within the time prescribed in Chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code and Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. More specifically, “Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3) Florida Statutes shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of Florida Statutes.”

Americans With Disabilities Act: The District does not discriminate upon the basis of any individual’s disability status. This nondiscrimination policy involves every aspect of the District’s functions including one’s access to, participation, employment, or treatment in its programs or activities. Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Sharon Hingson, Records, Contracts and Procurement Manager at 386.362.1001 or 800.226.1066 (Florida only). The District’s fax number is 386.362.1056.

Minority Business Enterprises: The District recognizes fair and open competition as a basic tenet of public procurement. Respondents doing business with the District are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, handicap, age, or sex. The District encourages participation by minority business enterprises. Whenever two or more service providers are ranked equally, a minority business enterprise shall be given preference in the award process.

Veteran’s Preference: In the absence of minority business enterprise, whenever two or more service providers are ranked equally by the Selection Committee, a veteran-owned business enterprise shall be given preference in the award process.

ADA Compliance: For all electronic deliverables due under the contract resulting from this Contract, Vendor must ensure that those deliverables and all supporting documents are accessible according to 282.603 Florida Statutes and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 relating to the creation and use of electronic documents. This requirement applies to editable formats, such as Microsoft Word, as well as portable document formats (PDF).

Drug Free Workplace Act: The selected PROPOSER shall certify that it has established a drug free workplace.

Public Entity Crime: Section 287.133(2)(a), Florida Statutes, states “A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in s.287.017 for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.”

Scrutinized Company: Section 287.135, Florida Statutes, states “A company is ineligible to, and may not, bid on, submit a proposal for, or enter into or renew a contract with an agency or local governmental entity for goods or services of:

(a) Any amount if, at the time of bidding on, submitting a proposal for, or entering into or renewing such contract, the company is on the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List, created pursuant to s. 215.4725, or is engaged in a boycott of Israel; or

(b) One million dollars or more if, at the time of bidding on, submitting a proposal for, or entering into or renewing such contract, the company:

1. Is on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List, created pursuant to

s. 215.473; or

2. Is engaged in business operations in Cuba or Syria.”

Insurance Requirements: If awarded, PROPOSER shall represent and guarantee that all employees, agents, servants or representatives of the respondent, and all employees, agents, servants, or representatives of subcontractors are covered by workers' compensation insurance.

Prior to entering into contract with the District, respondent agrees to furnish the District certificates of insurance on all insurance, naming District as additional insured for items 2 and 3 below, providing evidence that respondent has in full force and effect the following minimum insurance with insurers authorized to do business in the State of Florida:

1) Workers' compensation insurance as required above;

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0200-0299/0215/Sections/0215.4725.html http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0200-0299/0215/Sections/0215.473.html

2) Motor vehicular liability insurance with limits of not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit which insurance shall be applicable to any and all vehicles utilized by respondent to provide the services requested by District;

3) General liability insurance for all services rendered by respondent for the requested services with a minimum of $1,000,000 personal and advertising injury and $1,000,000 general aggregate.

The certificate of insurance shall also provide that District shall be notified in writing by the carrier at least 30 days prior to any cancellation of said insurance.

Rejection of Responses: The District reserves the right to reject any and all bids or other proposals submitted in response to District invitation. District also reserves the right to waive any minor deviations in an otherwise valid proposal.

RESPONDENTS TO THIS SOLICITATION OR PERSONS ACTING ON THEIR BEHALF MAY

NOT CONTACT, BETWEEN THE RELEASE OF THE SOLICITATION AND THE END OF THE

72-BUSINESS HOUR PERIOD FOLLOWING THE AGENCY POSTING THE NOTICE OF

INTENDED AWARD, ANY EMPLOYEE OR OFFICER OF THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE

EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS OF THE DISTRICT’S BROKER, CONCERNING ANY ASPECT

OF THIS SOLICITATION, EXCEPT IN WRITING AS INDICATED ABOVE. VIOLATION OF

THIS PROVISION MAY BE GROUNDS FOR REJECTING A RESPONSE.

SECTION 5 - SCOPE OF WORK

The Suwannee River Water Management District, hereinafter referred to as “SRWMD” or “The District”, is requesting fully insured proposals from qualified insurance carriers to provide Group Health coverage (currently fully insured through Florida Blue) for employees and retirees of SRWMD under the District’s employee benefits program.

Proposers are requested to match the current benefits with respect to existing lines of coverage.

In the event you are unable to directly match the current benefits, please attempt to match as closely as possible and identify the variance in your proposal.

If the Proposer would like to submit alternate plan designs (up to a maximum of 3 alternate plan options), these are encouraged and will be considered.

The following information will be provided for your consideration in preparing your response:

• Employee/retiree census

• Current plan designs and rates

• No claims experience is available

Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. is the District’s current consulting broker and shall serve as Broker of Record for all lines of coverage under this RFP. Questions and requests for the above information should be directed via email to the following Gallagher representatives:

Lead Consultant – Ann Edenfield Ann_Edenfield@ajg.com Co- Consultant – Tyson Johnson Tyson@firstchoiceifs.com mailto:Ann_Edenfield@ajg.com mailto:Tyson@firstchoiceifs.com

CONTRACT PERIOD

The contract period for group health insurance proposals should include the 12-month period beginning January 1, 2023. Regardless of actual enrollment, the initial rates should be guaranteed for 12 months.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OF PROPOSER

It is desired that proposers have a rating from A.M. Best of “A- “or better. This will be considered by the District as part of its evaluation but will not be a disqualifying criterion.

NEGOTIATIONS

Based on the written proposals, the District may elect to enter into negotiations with one or multiple Proposers. This may include in person or virtual finalist presentations, allowing for best and final offers.

CONTRACT AWARDS

The District anticipates entering into a contract with the Proposer who submits the proposal judged by the District to be most advantageous. Preference will be given to proposals based on rates, benefits, provider networks and financial strength of the organization providing insurance.

FORM OF PROPOSALS

The District requests that each Proposer provide rates for the existing plan designs currently in force and offered to employees. If the proposer is unable to exactly match the benefits, you are requested to match the benefits as closely as possible and notate the deviations from the current benefit structure. If the Proposer would like to submit alternate plan designs (up to a maximum of 3 alternate plan options), these are encouraged and will be considered.

OTHER REQUIRED INFORMATION

Proposers should include in their proposals the following information:

• Network directories for the appropriate products being proposed.

• Explanation for how out of network claims are paid.

• Completion of attached Request for Information (RFI) form.

SRWMD - 2022

RFI.pdf

• Completion of attached form explaining Network Discounts.

SRWMD - Network Discounts 2022.pdf

Any material submitted in response to this RFP (except trade secrets as defined in s. 812.081, FS) will become a public document pursuant to Section 119.07, F.S. This includes material which the responding proposer might consider to be confidential or proprietary a trade secret.

Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, effective after opening pursuant to Section 119.07. Contractor’s refusal to comply with this provision shall constitute sufficient cause for termination of the contract resulting from this RFP.

This procurement is conducted under the rules, policies, and procedures of the Suwannee River Water Management District and the District’s Governing Board. This procurement is not conducted pursuant to Ch. 287, Florida Statutes, except where explicitly provided by law. The District’s rules, policies, and procedures are available by contacting the procurement officer.