441CA1BC-A59E-E520-9F472E421C5515A7.pdf

Commissioner Erica C. Crawley Commissioner John O’Grady Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce President

Franklin County, Ohio

Request for Proposal No. 2025-06-09

Voluntary Programs: Short and Long Term Disability, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance

Proposal Due Date: October 15, 2025 at 3:00 P.M. EST ~Vendor should submit this cover page with their proposal~

Company Legal Name:

Including all DBAs

Address:

City, State, Zip Code:

Telephone No.:

Contact Name, Title:

Contact Email:

Contract Approver Name, Title, & Email:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1.0 General Information

1.1 Purpose……….…………………………………..…………………… 3

1.2 Organization Background and Overview……….……………………. 3

1.3 Project Timeline/Calendar of Events…………………………………. 5

1.4 County Contact and Communication Protocol….…………………….. 5

Section 2.0 Administrative Requirements

2.1 General Requirements………………………………………………… 6

2.2 Submittal Process and Instructions...…………………………………. 7

2.3 Evaluation Process and Criteria………………………………………. 9

Section 3.0 Scope of Work………………………………………………………………….. 12

Section 4.0 Appendices

4.1 Affidavits ……...……………………………………………………….. 19

4.1.1 Lobbyist Affidavit……………………………………………… 20

4.1.2 Small and Emerging Business Enterprise Information Form &

Affidavit …

4.1.3 Delinquent Personal Property Tax Affidavit…………………… 26

4.2 Form W-9 ……………………………………………………………….. 27

4.3 Pricing Document Disability and Voluntary Programs ………………… 27

4.4 Questionnaire Attachment References………………

4.5 Reserved……………………..……………………………………….…. 27

4.6 Draft Contract (for reference) ………………………………………….. 28

4.7 Reserved………………………………………………………………… 41

4.8 Question Submittal Form ………………………………………………. 41

4.9 Questionnaire_Disability and Voluntary Programs (requested for vendor to provide)…………………………………………………………………. 42

4.10 Questionnaire Attachments (provided for vendor to complete) ……..… 42

4.11 Background Files (provided for vendor to develop proposal) …………. 42

Section 5.0 Proposal Instructions and Checklist………………………………………………. 43

Note:

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued under the provisions of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Sections 307.86 to

307.92. All proposals submitted in response to this RFP shall comply with Ohio law. The laws of the State of Ohio will govern any disputes arising under this RFP and subsequent contract(s). All contract terms, conditions, and specifications set forth in this RFP shall become part of the contract documents.

Section 1.0 General Information

1.1 Purpose

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners (County) serves as the administrator of the Franklin County Cooperative Health Improvement Program (Cooperative). The County is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to seek proposals from qualified vendors to provide the following programs: Short and Long Term Disability, Legal Plan, Pet Insurance and ID Theft.

USI Insurance Services, Inc. (USI) has been retained by the County to provide consultation on this

RFP.

1.2 Organization Background and Overview

Franklin County formed the Cooperative in 2004 and entered into Intergovernmental Agreements with multiple other local government organizations (agencies). The majority of Cooperative members reside in Franklin County. A small number of employees reside in contiguous counties. Agencies may enter and exit the Cooperative at the sole discretion of Franklin County.

All employee benefits and wellness programs are administered by Franklin County Human Resources

– Benefits & Wellness (B&W), whose mission is ‘to provide affordable and sustainable health and wellness benefits to members of the Franklin County Cooperative with the ultimate goal of improving the physical and emotional health of those that we serve’. Goals include developing sustainable programs that optimize quality, access and cost effectiveness, that are valued by plan participants and advance member health through data-driven, evidence-based design. Objectives include lifting barriers to positive behavior change, influencing cost-drivers that impact Cooperative programs and being a responsible steward of the public funding that supports the Cooperative.

The Cooperative offers members a comprehensive health and wellness program that includes medical, behavioral health, prescription drug, dental, vision, EAP, basic life/ADD life insurance and a broad array of wellness programming. Voluntary programs currently available to employees include FSA, supplemental life insurance, short and long term disability, legal and pet insurance. A handful of agencies purchase these coverages on behalf of their employees. The Cooperative is contemplating additional voluntary programs including ID theft. (Click here for a Health Benefits Guide that illustrates all available benefits.)

A benefits eligible employee is defined as a full-time employee scheduled to work at least 30-hours a work week. A subset of employees who are Elected Officials or are in other specialized roles are also considered benefits eligible. For the purpose of determining benefits eligibility, an employee is identified as either Active (scheduled to work at least 30-hours a work week) or Inactive (not employed by a Cooperative agency). Benefits eligible employees may participate in any voluntary program regardless of enrollment in the health plan. There are no retired employees included in the Cooperative census. Retirement benefits are provided through the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System.

All current voluntary programs are provided by MetLife. It remains the County’s intent to contract with one vendor partner. The selected vendor partner is responsible for managing all subcontracted https://77100729.flowpaper.com/HealthBenefitsGuide/ work on behalf of the Cooperative and any subcontractor or third-party contracts must be executed with the Vendor, not the County. HR-Benefits & Wellness will not assume additional responsibilities for the management or administration of the program due to a vendor’s inability to bring all desired components under one contract.

A key component to the success of Cooperative programming is the collaboration between our vendor partners. Below is a current list of contracted vendor partners. Contracted vendor partners are subject to change based solely on Cooperative need.

• Medical: United Healthcare/Optum

• Behavioral Health: Optum/United Behavioral Health

• Prescription: OptumRx

• Dental PPO and DMO: Aetna

• Vision: VSP

• EAP: Optum/United Behavioral Health

• FSA: WEX

• Short and Long Term Disability: MetLife

• Legal: MetLife

• Pet Insurance: MetLife

• Basic and Supplemental Life insurance: Standard

• Wellness: OhioHealth Employer Solutions (OHES)

• Benefits and COBRA Administration: WEX

The Cooperative encourages all vendor partners to collaborate with one another as needed to create a cohesive employee benefits and wellness approach. This includes joint meetings and projects, data sharing and working independently of the County to establish processes that support program goals.

Informative aspects of the Cooperative:

• Covers approximately 6,500 employees, 2,500 spouses/domestic partners and 5,300 dependent children

• Includes employees from 40+ agencies, many with their own HR, policies, culture, etc.

• Employees represent a variety of shifts, work environments (i.e., hybrid, “on the road”), and professions (i.e., elected officials, Sheriff’s deputies, etc.)

• Includes employees from over a dozen unions, i.e. AFSCME, OFT, FOP Capital City Lodge, etc.

• Offers traditional PPO medical and behavioral health plans

• Benefit, wellness and fiscal years run calendar year

Appendixes 4.11.b (FC Ancillary Mapping 2025) and 4.11.c (FC Structure STD.LTD.PET.LEGAL) illustrate the structure and program administration for the three programs currently offered (Disability, Legal and Pet).

For more information about the programs and benefits provided through the Cooperative, visit:

https://bewell.franklincountyohio.gov/.

https://bewell.franklincountyohio.gov/

1.3 Project Timeline/Calendar of Events

The timeline for this RFP is provided below. Please note that the dates, times, and information provided are subject to change at the discretion of the County. Vendors will be given notice of such changes, as applicable.

1.4 County Contact and Communication Protocol

All inquiries related to this RFP must be directed, in writing, to:

Robert Zalimas, Senior Purchasing Coordinator Franklin County Purchasing Department 373 S. High Street, 25th Floor

Columbus, Ohio 43215-6315 Office: (614) 525-3750 Fax: (614) 525-3144 Email: rjzalimas@franklincountyohio.gov

All communication from interested vendors shall go through the Franklin County Purchasing

Department. Vendors should not attempt to communicate directly with other County representatives, or USI Insurance Services, Inc. consultants, with regard to this RFP at any point during the procurement process up to the award of contract(s).

During the advertising period and up to the deadline for proposal submission, the County, through the

Purchase Department, may issue written communications to vendors via the Purchasing website.

Key Dates/Times: Event:

September 11, 2025 Advertising period begins

September 11, 2025 through October 15, 2025 Release date; RFP document posted to Franklin County Purchasing website

September 18, 2025, 1:00 P.M. EST Pre-Proposal Meeting

September 23, 2025, by 5:00 P.M. EST Written questions due to Franklin County.

September 30, 2025, by 5:00 P.M. EST Answers posted to the Franklin County Purchasing website.

October 15, 2025, 3:00 PM EST Deadline for proposal submission; Proposals are opened by the County.

8/1/2026 -1/1/2027 depending on implementation timeline Contract/Service estimated start date.

During the proposal review phase, the County, through the Purchasing Department, may initiate contact with a vendor if the County determines that clarification is needed from the vendor to complete the evaluation process.

Section 2.0 Administrative Requirements

2.1 General Requirements

2.1.1 Registration with Franklin County:

Vendors interested in doing business with the County should register with the County online at https://purchasing.franklincountyohio.gov/Businesses/Vendor-Registration. Vendors must register with the County in order to access competitive opportunities and download documents.

2.1.2 Certificate of Good Standing:

Vendors that are registered in the State of Ohio will be required to provide a Certificate of Good Standing prior to contract award. Vendors that are not registered in the State of Ohio will be required to provide a Certificate of Good Standing from their respective state of incorporation. To obtain an Ohio certificate of Good Standing, please visit:

https://www.ohiosos.gov/businesses/business-reports/

2.1.3 Contract Components:

The resulting contract(s) will consist of the complete RFP, including the contract terms and conditions, Scope of Work, all documents requiring vendor’s signatures, any written amendments or clarifications, the vendor’s proposal and supporting information and documents, and applicable resolutions and purchase orders.

2.1.4 Oral Instructions:

The County will not be bound by oral explanations or instructions given at any time during the competitive process or after contract award.

2.1.5 Conflict of Interest:

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, vendor affirms that neither vendor or any persons that works for or on behalf of vendor, have any conflict of interest (e.g., employed by Franklin County, etc.). The County reserves the right to reject a proposal in which a conflict is disclosed or cancel an awarded contract if any interest is later discovered that could give the appearance of a conflict.

2.1.6 Representations:

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, vendor warrants the accuracy of information submitted and acknowledges that the County will rely on the vendor’s information in making an award.

2.1.7 Compliance with Specifications:

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, vendor affirms that they are in full compliance with the RFP, including the requirements outlined herein, all terms and conditions, and the Specifications.

https://purchasing.franklincountyohio.gov/Businesses/Vendor-Registration https://www.ohiosos.gov/businesses/business-reports/

2.1.8 Proposal Preparation Costs:

The County will not be liable for any costs incurred by a vendor prior to the award of any contract resulting from this RFP, including but not limited to any cost related to the vendor’s preparation of their proposal.

2.1.9 Intended Contract Award(s):

It is the intent of the County to award one contract under this RFP. However, if the County believes it is in the County’s best interest to award more than one contract, the County reserves the right to do so in its complete and sole discretion.

2.2 Submittal Process and Instructions

2.2.1 Pre-Proposal Conference:

A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held during the date and time listed in Section 1.3 Project Timeline/Calendar of Events. Attendance is not mandatory but is highly suggested. This conference will provide interested parties with an opportunity to learn more about the County’s service needs, the Scope of Work outlined herein, and the proposal submission process.

The Pre-Proposal Conference will held via the Microsoft Teams virtual platform. To access this meeting, please use the following codes:

Meeting ID: 282 388 874 461 7 Passcode: wC7w4Wm6

OR

Dial in by phone +1 380-900-7428,,730048293# United States, Columbus Phone conference ID: 730 048 293#

2.2.2 Submittal of Questions:

Vendors seeking clarification from the County must submit questions in writing to:

Robert Zalimas, Senior Purchasing Coordinator, at rjzalimas@franklincountyohio.gov.

All questions are due no later than the date and time listed in Section 1.3 Project Timeline/Calendar of Events.

2.2.3 Amendments and Clarifications:

Amendments and clarifications to this RFP will be posted on the Franklin County Purchasing website (https://bids.franklincountyohio.gov/). While the website is designed to email amendments and clarifications to those who have downloaded the RFP from the Purchasing website, it is ultimately the responsibility of all interested parties to monitor this website for those additional documents. Amendments and clarifications become a part of the RFP and any subsequently awarded contract(s).

2.2.4 Proposal Submittal:

Sealed proposals must be submitted to the Franklin County Purchasing Department before the deadline provided in Section 1.3 Project Timeline/Calendar of Events. The timestamp in the Franklin County Purchasing Department will serve as the official record of the time and date tel:+13809007428,,730048293 mailto:rjzalimas@franklincountyohio.gov https://bids.franklincountyohio.gov/ that sealed proposals are received and will be the sole factor in determining if a sealed proposal has been submitted in time for consideration.

Proposals delivered in-person or sent via USPS, UPS, or FedEx must be delivered to the following address:

Franklin County Purchasing Department Attn: Robert Zalimas 373 South High Street - 25th Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215-6315 Re: RFP # 2025-06-09, Voluntary Programs: Short and Long Term Disability, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance

The RFP PROJECT NAME, NUMBER and COMPANY NAME must be clearly marked on proposal submissions. A proposal that is not properly and clearly marked and is inadvertently opened before the scheduled RFP opening time may be disqualified without additional consideration.

Faxed and emailed submittals are not acceptable.

Proposals received after the deadline will be considered late and will not be opened. Proposals received through a courier service after the deadline will not be accepted from the courier service. Proposals received through the mail after the deadline will be returned to the sender, unopened. The County will not accept proposals with postage due.

The proposal opening will be held on the Microsoft Teams virtual platform, at which time the proposals will be opened and the names of the submitting vendors will be read aloud.

Attendance is not mandatory, however, interested parties may join by phone or by following the link provided below:

Meeting ID: 229 501 444 452 4 Passcode: ss2F7Zr2

OR

Dial in by phone +1 380-900-7428,,275579539# United States, Columbus Phone conference ID: 275 579 539#

The County reserves the right to change the proposal opening date and/or time at the County’s sole discretion.

2.2.5 Proposal Rejection and RFP Cancellation:

Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §307.862, the County reserves the right to:

1. Reject any proposal in which the vendor takes exception to the terms and conditions of the RFP; fails to meet the terms and conditions of the RFP, including but not limited to, the standards, specifications, and requirements specified in the RFP; or submits prices that the contracting authority considers to be excessive, compared to existing market conditions, or determines exceed the available funds of the County;

2. Reject, in whole or in part, any proposal that the County has determined, using the factors and criteria outlined herein, would not be in the best interest of the County;

tel:+13809007428,,275579539

3. Conduct discussions with vendors who submit proposals for the purpose of clarifications or corrections regarding a proposal to ensure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, the requirements specified in the RFP.

Further, the County may cancel or reissue the RFP if any of the following apply:

1. The supplies or services offered through all of the proposals submitted to the County are not in compliance with the requirements, specifications, and terms and conditions set forth in the request for proposals;

2. The prices submitted by the vendors are excessive compared to existing market conditions or exceed the available funds of the County;

3. The County determines that award of a contract would not be in the best interest of the County.

2.2.6 Proposals are Firm for 180-Days:

Unless stated otherwise, once opened, all proposals are irrevocable for one hundred eighty

(180) days. Beyond one hundred eighty (180) days, vendors will have the option to honor their proposal or make a written request to withdraw their proposal from consideration.

2.3 Evaluation Process and Criteria

2.3.1 Proposals will be evaluated in the following phases:

1. Phase 1: Initial review of the proposals for compliance The County will review each proposal that is received before the deadline for responsiveness in terms of format, completeness, and compliance with instructions.

2. Phase 2: Full evaluation of proposals

The County will review each responsive proposal based upon established criteria. At any time during this phase, the County may request clarifications from any vendor and provide such vendor(s) with an opportunity to correct defects in their proposal if, in the County’s sole determination, doing so does not provide an unfair advantage to the vendor(s) and it is in the County’s interest to do so.

The County may disqualify a vendor with an offshore presence in a specific country with which the United States has a declaration of war by Congress or the President has authorized war on a specific country. Vendor may submit documentation that provides the County with additional information that addresses this disqualification and whether it is relevant to the contract.

2.3.2 Evaluation Criteria:

For each proposal, the County will award points based upon the strength of the proposal in its responsiveness to the requirements and criteria included in this RFP.

Evaluation criteria includes, but is not limited to, the following elements (not ranked below in any particular order of importance or weighting):

1. Completeness and responsiveness of proposal;

2. Confirmation of compliance with the requirements, Scope of Work, and the terms and conditions of the RFP and the Contract.

3. Strength of financial offer

4. Background information and experience

5. Financial underwriting

6. Account management

7. Claim submission and intake process / Claim adjudication / Claim administration

8. Program administration

9. Ongoing claim and disability case management

10. Member service and disability claim call center

11. Employee self-service tools / Employee portal

12. Employer self-service tools / Administrator poral

13. Reporting

14. Compliance / Security

15. Implementation

16. Renewal and termination terms

17. Disability, legal, pet and id theft programs

18. Workplace benefits

19. Subcontractors

20. References

21. Plan Deviations

22. Scope of Work Deviations

23. Performance Guarantees

Local Preference: an additional number of points may be awarded to a vendor with no offshore presence.

The proposal evaluation will result in a point total being calculated for each proposal. The County reserves the right to move directly into contract negotiations with the vendor submitting the highest-ranked proposal following Phase 2 of the evaluation process. Or, at the County’s sole discretion, the County may elect to invite a certain number of vendors submitting the highest-ranked proposal into Phase 3 Interviews, as outlined in Section 2.3.3 below.

2.3.3 Interviews

Upon completion of Phase 2 as detailed in Section 2.3.1(2) above, the County reserves the right, but is not obligated, to enter into Phase 3 Interviews with a certain number of vendors submitting the highest-ranked proposals.

This Phase 3 will offer the County and the vendor an opportunity to ask questions, clarify responses, and gain a deeper assessment of areas of evaluation, including demonstrations of self-service tools / portals.

The County will award points for each interview based on the strength of information presented related to established criteria.

It is the intent of the County to award one contract to the vendor with the highest overall ranking after completion of all applicable evaluation phases. However, if the County believes it is in the County’s best interest to award more than one contract, then the County may award more than one contract to any number of vendors with the highest overall rankings. Such multiple awards shall be at the County’s sole and complete discretion.

Section 3.0 Scope of Work

The following services are key characteristics desired in Vendor’s offering. Failure to provide these services does not disqualify your proposal but may negatively impact the evaluation of your proposal.

Unless otherwise noted on the Scope of Work (“SOW”) Deviations attachment, the vendor selected by the evaluation team will be contractually obligated to meet or exceed all services according to the Scope of Work.

The Cooperative is seeking proposals for Short-Term Disability Insurance, Long Term Disability Insurance, Legal Insurance, Pet Insurance and Identity Theft Insurance from qualified firms that offer following:

Strategy and Partnership:

1. Demonstrate a firm understanding of the Cooperative’s culture, programs, and goals.

a. Recognize the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (“DEIB”) initiatives and incorporate equity goals within your own organization, seeking subcontractors who do the same.

b. Incorporate policies, programs, and resources, when possible, that acknowledge the influence of Social Determinants of Health (“SDoH”) on physical and emotional well-being.

2. Collaborate with the Cooperative’s other vendor partners, as requested, to support cross-promotion of programs, member engagement, analysis and reporting.

3. Provide an acceptable replacement for the programs identified in this RFP.

4. Provide multi-year rate guarantees and aggressive renewal options.

5. No requirement for the County to enter into contract with any agent or broker.

6. Adhere to the County’s offshore requirements illustrated in Appendix 4.6 Draft Contract.

Account Management:

1. Assign to the Cooperative a designated multi-level Account Management Team with an innovative, solution-focused mindset. Team characteristics.

a. Account Executive

i. Responsible for overall administration and success of the plan, including services provided by subcontractors and third-party service providers.

ii. Must be able to advise for all plans: disability, legal, pet, ID theft.

iii. Advances opportunities to collaborate with the County’s other vendor partners.

iv. Manages contract/renewals on behalf of Vendor.

v. At least four years of tenure in an account executive role at Vendor.

b. Account Manager

i. Responsible for the day-to-day needs of the County.

ii. Must be able to manage all plans: disability, legal, pet, ID theft.

iii. Provides assistance with escalated claim issues.

iv. At least two years of tenure in an account manager role at Vendor.

c. Implementation Manager

i. Applicable to any new implementations

ii. Must be able to manage all plan implementations: disability, legal, pet, ID theft

iii. At least two years of tenure in an implementation manager role at Vendor

iv. Maintain a log of implementation/operational/account issues to be shared with the Cooperative team no less than 24 hours prior to any implementation meeting, unless otherwise advised

2. Attend virtual/onsite meetings as requested by the Cooperative, including but not limited to bi-weekly meetings, quarterly, mid-year and annual program review, vendor summits, benefit fairs and open enrollment events.

a. Materials for quarterly, mid-year and annual reviews provided at least 5 business days in advance of the meeting

b. Quarterly meetings held within 15 days of the end of the quarter; annual meetings held within 60 days of the end of the plan year

Voluntary Programs Requested:

1. Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance.

a. Match or improve plan of benefits

i. See the policy/certificates/amendments provided in Appendix 4.11 for current plan design

b. Agree to the Cooperative’s eligibility and enrollment rules

i. See the policy/certificates/amendments provided in Appendix 4.11 and Health

Benefits Guide [Click here] or (https://77100729.flowpaper.com/HealthBenefitsGuide/#page=1)

c. Available to employees only, i.e. no dependent coverage requested

d. Provides coverage for qualifying disabilities or accidents occurring off the job

e. Benefits paid directly to the insured

f. No loss, no gain

g. No pre-existing condition exclusion if met under prior carrier

h. Enrollment, change and disenrollment permitted at hire, annual open enrollment and qualified life event

i. No minimum participation

j. Self-billed program

i. 10% minimum enrollment rule applies

ii. Premiums collected via payroll deduction

iii. Single deduction code currently used to collect both STD and LTD premiums limiting ability to report volume/premium by age band on the invoice

k. Quote both employer paid premiums and voluntary premiums

l. See Appendixes 4.11.b (FC Ancillary Mapping 2025) and 4.11.c (FC Structure

STD.LTD.PET.LEGAL) for additional information

2. Legal Insurance.

a. Match or improve plan of benefits

i. See the policy/certificates/amendments provided in Appendix 4.11 for current plan design

b. Agree to the Cooperative’s eligibility and enrollment rules

i. See the policy/certificates/amendments provided in Appendix 4.11 and Health Benefits Guide [Click here] or (https://77100729.flowpaper.com/HealthBenefitsGuide/#page=1)

c. Robust panel of outstanding attorneys in Franklin County and adjacent Counties with immediate (48-72 hours) availability for appointments

i. Provide both in-person and tele-visit options https://77100729.flowpaper.com/HealthBenefitsGuide/ https://77100729.flowpaper.com/HealthBenefitsGuide/#page=1 https://77100729.flowpaper.com/HealthBenefitsGuide/ https://77100729.flowpaper.com/HealthBenefitsGuide/#page=1

d. Must cover a comprehensive list of services and case types

i. Access to self service education and forms, tax preparation through tax service

(currently Turbo Tax) and digital estate planning

e. Extended coverage for certain family members including parents and parent-in-laws

f. No exclusion for existing legal cases upon transfer

g. Quote both employer paid premiums and voluntary premiums

h. Enrollment, change and disenrollment permitted at hire, annual open enrollment and qualified life event

i. No minimum participation

j. Self-billed program

i. 10% minimum enrollment rule applies

ii. Premiums collected via payroll deduction

k. See Appendixes 4.11.b (FC Ancillary Mapping 2025) and 4.11.c (FC Structure STD.LTD.PET.LEGAL) for additional information

3. Pet Insurance:

a. Must provide a comprehensive list of covered services

i. Accident, illness and wellness/preventive

ii. In-person and tele-visits options

iii. Pet training videos, pet education, pet first aid and pet discount programs

b. No medical necessity or accident documentation required

c. Flexibility in coinsurance, deductibles, maximum coverage, type and number of covered pets

d. Specific requirements

i. No specific dog breed exclusions

ii. Multi-pet discount or “family-plan” required

iii. Any waiting period after enrollment no more than 30 days

iv. Pre-existing condition terms clearly identified

v. No pre-existing condition exclusion for current policyholders

e. Reimbursement within 7 business days by member’s choice of check or direct deposit

f. Enrollment, change and disenrollment permitted at hire, annual open enrollment and qualified life event

g. No minimum participation

h. Billing options must include both member direct billing and/or payroll deduction

i. Enrollment census provided by benefits administrator for direct bill

ii. 10% minimum enrollment rule applies

4. Identity Theft Protection:

a. No current plan of benefits currently in place

b. Services to include but not be limited to:

i. Credit monitoring, fraud alerts, warnings and mitigation, credit lock

ii. Identity, social security, address and criminal activity alerts

iii. Credit education, dark web surveillance, social network monitoring, access to credit reports, phone takeover alerts and lost wallet assistance

iv. Identity theft insurance, identity theft monitoring

c. Offer optional levels of coverage, i.e. single and family

d. Quote both employee paid and employer paid options

e. Enrollment, change and disenrollment permitted at hire, annual open enrollment and qualified life event

f. No minimum participation

g. Billing options must include both member direct billing and/or payroll deduction

i. Enrollment census provided by benefits administrator for direct bill

ii. 10% minimum enrollment rule applies

5. The scope of this RFP does not include:

a. FMLA and ADA Administration

b. EAP services

c. Life/AD&D Insurance

d. Travel Accident Assistance Benefits

Program and Claims Administration:

1. Assume claims fiduciary responsibilities including benefits determination and review of denied claims, including appeals.

2. Administer according to the 10% participation rule.

a. 10% enrollment for each program required in order to payroll deduct

b. Less than 10% enrollment for a program requires direct member billing

i. Payable by check/ACH, credit card or debit card

ii. Disclose all transaction fees in proposal

3. Administer the plan according to the Cooperative’s eligibility rules and dependent definitions.

a. Program enrollment, change and disenrollment requested through the Cooperative’s benefits administrator, unless otherwise requested and agreed

b. Cooperative not financially responsible for employees who fail to pay required premiums for coverage

c. Accept and upload weekly eligibility file within 2 business days of receipt

4. Accommodate the potential expansion of the Cooperative without restrictions or additional costs.

Communications:

1. Professionally designed, user-friendly, creative materials, customized to the Cooperative’s communication needs, including but not limited to a video and customized flyers, mailings, emails and pamphlets for each program (disability, legal, pet and ID theft).

a. Responsible for all print and fulfillment of hard copy or mailed materials and content for all digital or email materials

b. All materials provided, free of charge for open enrollment, introduction of new products or changes to products, and new hire enrollment

c. Subject to editing and approval prior to being distributed or used

d. No mail or email campaigns without prior Cooperative approval

2. Annual member satisfaction survey with results reported to the Cooperative with a summarization of member comments.

3. Agree not to publish member SSNs on any communication materials.

4. Agree to co-brand materials and cross-promote programs of other Cooperative vendor partners.

Compliance:

1. Meet or exceed all standards, regulations, laws and ordinances as adopted by federal, state and local authorities by any governing body under which the County may operate now or in the future.

2. Secure and encrypted file transfers to ensure necessary protection for PII.

3. Maintain the Cooperative’s claims and eligibility history for 48 months and maintain this data on-line for at least 18 months after claim payment and an additional 48 months in Vendor’s normal accessible storage archive.

4. Escheatment of unclaimed funds/uncashed checks on behalf of the Cooperative according to the governing state law at no additional cost.

5. Provide SOC and Bridge letters if requested, on an annual basis, with no additional requirement to sign documents for their release and no additional cost. .

6. Produce electronic W-2’s and W-2 reports at the agency level, for no additional cost, for any current or future employer paid programs.

7. Conduct security awareness training of staff and subcontractors with access to the Cooperative’s data and the environment in which it is stored at least annually.

Platform and Technology:

1. Provide comprehensive administrator and member web portals configured specific to Cooperative plan specifications and branded to the Cooperative.

a. Integration of programs provided by subcontractors of the vendor, as needed

b. Mobile optimized (or offer mobile app)

c. Available to members no less than 99.9% of the time (excluding scheduled down time), with notification to the County of any scheduled downtime in advance and any unscheduled downtime within 4 hours of each occurrence

2. Track and provide quarterly reporting on mutually agreeable statistics related to member traffic to the web portal.

3. Member portal secure registration elements (username and password) mutually agreed upon by Vendor and Cooperative.

a. Member password reset function without Vendor or County involvement

Member Call Center:

1. Establish a dedicated toll-free phone line branded to the Cooperative with a customized Cooperative-identifiable greeting for all member calls.

a. Recording of 100% of calls

b. Language and hearing assistance for the hearing impaired as required by law

2. Designate a service team committed to the County.

a. Knowledgeable about the details of the Cooperative program and responsible for responding to all member program inquiries

b. Supported after-hours with a messaging system and returned responses within one (1) business day

c. Ability to warm transfer to the Cooperative and the Cooperative’s other vendor partners as needed

Technology and Data:

1. Provide a secure information technology structure, with appropriate allocation of IT (“Information Technology”) personnel to oversee the storage, processing, security, and transmission of County data.

2. Data feeds as authorized and directed by the Cooperative, with other Cooperative vendor partners.

a. All reasonable requests for customization accommodated

b. Exchanged via a SFTP (“Secure File Transfer Protocol”)

3. All County data and confidential information is, and shall remain, the property of the County and will not be shared in detail or aggregate without written approval from the County.

Standard Reporting:

1. Standard reporting that includes but not limited to the following:

a. Disability:

i. Biweekly reporting for pended or suspended cases

ii. Annual result reporting including but not limited to incurred loss ratio, top disability categories, average length of disability aggregate, by agency and by category, average cost by category, agency and aggregate, average time for approval and denial statistics

b. Legal, ID Theft and Pet Insurance:

i. Quarterly usage reporting at the agency level and at the aggregate level

2. ADHOC and custom reporting as requested.

3. Reporting available at the aggregate and at the agency level.

4. Standard service reports include but are not limited to:

a. A weekly log of all open issues with supporting detail and resolution timeline

b. Quarterly performance guarantee metric measurement

Performance Guarantees:

1. Offer significant fees at risk for attaining implementation milestones, including website readiness and communications.

2. Agree to place significant fees at risk based on performance guarantees for ongoing program administration, operational performance, account management and overall account satisfaction.

3. Provide performance reports each quarter, within 45 days of the close of the quarter, and remit payment for failed guarantees within 90 days of the close of the applicable period.

4. Administer an annual member satisfaction survey, specific to the Cooperative, at no additional charge.

Transition and Open Enrollment Preparedness:

1. Implementation

a. Assign an Implementation Manager and include senior members of the Account

Management Team on a fully staffed Implementation Team

b. Develop an implementation plan acceptable to the Cooperative, with trackable milestones

c. Notify the Cooperative of any potential issues and delays that would impact the go-live date

d. Assure no disruption of service if transitioning to a new vendor or program

2. Termination

a. Not take any action that results in the interruption of member care

b. Provide all documentation and data feeds necessary for transition, in an acceptable format, at no cost

3. Open Enrollment

a. Provide open enrollment readiness support including training Cooperative and agency staff on any changes, accurate implementation of changes, including communication

b. Perform testing of customer service calls to measure accuracy of responses and systems and services impacted by any program change

Audit Rights:

1. County’s right to audit at any time during the term of this contract and within two (2) years after termination of the contract, at no cost for reports, system access, space or any other expense in connection with the audit.

2. No limits to size or scope, including but not limited to benefit payments, claim determination, third party recoveries, invoicing, enrollment and eligibility, and member service telephone calls.

3. Restitution for deficient performance and make necessary modifications to correct performance issues identified in the audit.

4. Require any auditor performing an audit to sign a reasonable confidentiality agreement

Section 4.0 Appendices

4.1 Affidavits

4.1.1 Lobbyist/Consultant Declaration Statement

4.1.2 Small and Emerging Business Enterprise Information Form and Affidavit

4.1.3 Delinquent Personal Property Tax Affidavit

Appendix 4.1.1 Lobbyist/Consultant Declaration Statement

Did any lobbyist(s) or consultant(s) assist your firm with this contract? Vendor must select one and provide all required information.

CHECK

ONE:

□ No

□ Yes

I certify that the information provided herein is correct:

Proposer Name/Title (Printed)

Proposer Signature Date

If ‘Yes,’ please submit the information below for each lobbyist or consultant (if more than one lobbyist or consultant assisted, a separate form should be submitted for each):

Lobbyist/Consultant Name

Lobbyist Company Name

Lobbyist Company Address

Address:

City, State:

Zip:

Contact Name

Phone Number

Fax Number

Appendix 4.1.2 Small and Emerging Business Enterprise Information Form

Franklin County is seeking, for statistical purposes, information of the size and demographic type of Vendors responding to its contracting opportunities. This information will not be used as part of the evaluation process and will not be given any consideration with regard to an award.

With the exception of the Small and Emerging Business Enterprise (SEBE) designation, Vendor shall only select designation(s) below if Vendor is formally certified by one of the following certifying bodies:

• 8(a) Business Development (SBA)

• City of Columbus

• Columbus City Schools

• Department of Administrative Services (DAS)

• Diversity Chamber of Central Ohio (DCCO) – a local affiliate of the National Gay and

Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)

• Ohio Unified Certification Program (ODOT)

• Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council (OMSDC)

• US Department of Veterans Affairs (Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization)

• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

If Vendor is self-reporting that it meets the requirements outlined in the Small and Emerging Business Enterprise (SEBE) designation, Vendor shall complete and submit the Small and Emerging Business Enterprise Affidavit in lieu of a formal certification by a certifying body.

Additionally, the County will recognize and accept certifications from other appropriate certifying bodies approved by the Small and Emerging Business Coordinator.

CHECK ALL THE APPROPRIATE CERTIFICATIONS THAT APPLY:

8(a) Business Development Program

In order to help small, disadvantaged businesses compete in the marketplace, the SBA created the 8(a) Business Development Program. The 8(a) Business Development Program is a business assistance program for small disadvantaged businesses. The 8(a) Program offers a broad scope of assistance to firms that are owned and controlled at least 51% by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

Participation in the program is divided into two phases over nine years: a four-year developmental stage and a five-year transition stage.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

DBEs are for-profit small business concerns where socially and economically disadvantaged individuals* own at least a 51% interest and also control management and daily business operations. (*African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific and Subcontinent Asian Americans, and women are presumed to be socially and economically disadvantaged). Other individuals can also qualify as socially and economically disadvantaged on a case-by-case basis. To participate in the DBE program, a small business owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals must receive DBE certification from the relevant state– generally through the state Uniform Certification Program (UCP).

To be regarded as economically disadvantaged, an individual must have a personal net worth that does not exceed $1.32 million. To be seen as a small business, a firm must meet SBA size criteria AND have average annual gross receipts not to exceed $22.41 million. Size limits for the airport concessions DBE program are higher. The Department has issued a final rule amending its disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) program at 49 CFR part 26.

Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (EDGE)-Certified Business Enterprise (“EDGE”)

An EDGE-certified business must be owned and controlled by a U.S. citizen who is a resident of Ohio. A business may qualify for EDGE certification if either (a) its owner is both socially and economically disadvantaged, or (b) the business is located in a qualified census tract and the owner is economically disadvantaged. A business enterprise that is eligible for EDGE certification must (1) have been in business for at least one year prior to applying; and (2) be at prior to the date of determination in connection with the County’s contracting or procurement activities and that meets certain size limitations based on the Federal Small Business Administration Regulations set forth in 13 C.F.R. §121.201 and the revisions thereto. The enterprise must be local, having (a) its principal place of business within Franklin County, Ohio as determined by the payment of real or personal property taxes on property located in such county for not less than one taxable year immediately prior to the date of determination or (b) more than 50% of its full-time employees residing within the boundaries of Franklin County; and must be economically disadvantaged such that the enterprise is at least 51% owned and controlled directly or indirectly by one or more individuals, each with a personal net worth equal to or less than $750,000.

Personal net worth of an individual includes the personal net worth of the individual’s spouse, if any, but does not include (1) the individual’s ownership interest in the enterprise being considered in connection with the County’s contracting and procurement activities or (2) the individual’s equity in his or her primary residence. Additionally, a contingent liability does not reduce an individual’s personal net worth.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Business Enterprise (“LGBTBE”)

An independent business concern that is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned and controlled by one or more LGBT persons who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, or in the case of any publicly-owned business, at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the equity of which is owned and controlled by one or more LGBT persons who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; and whose management and daily operation is controlled by one or more of the LGBT owners.

Local Economically Disadvantaged Enterprise (LEDE)

A sole proprietorship, partnership, company, corporation or joint venture that has been in business for at least one year prior to the date of determination in connection with the County’s contracting or procurement activities and that meets certain size limitations based on the Federal Small Business Administration Regulations set forth in 13 C.F.R. §121.201 and the revisions thereto. The enterprise must be local, having (a) its principal place of business within Franklin County, Ohio as determined by the payment of real or personal property taxes on property located in such county for not less than one taxable year immediately prior to the date of determination or (b) more than 50% of its full-time employees residing within the boundaries of Franklin County; and must be economically disadvantaged such that the enterprise is at least 51% owned and controlled directly or indirectly by one or more individuals, each with a personal net worth equal to or less than $750,000. Personal net worth of an individual includes the personal net worth of the individual’s spouse, if any, but does not include (1) the individual’s ownership interest in the enterprise being considered in connection with the County’s contracting and procurement activities or (2) the individual’s equity in his or her primary residence.

Additionally, a contingent liability does not reduce an individual’s personal net worth.

Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)

Minority business concern, as used in this definition, means a small business concern (1) which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more minorities or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more minorities; and (2) whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more minorities. “Minority business enterprise” means Blacks or African Americans, American Indians, Hispanics or Latinos, and Asians as defined in the Ohio Revised Code.

Please select the proper designation of Minority Business Enterprise:

Black or African American American Indian Other: ________________ Hispanic or Latino Asian

Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE)

A veteran business enterprise is defined as a business concern (1) which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more veterans or service-disabled veterans, or in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more veterans or service-disabled veterans; and (2) whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more veterans or service-disabled veterans. “Veteran” means a veteran of the U.S. military, – either active duty or reservist – from all five Service Branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard).

Women Business Enterprise (WBE)

Women-owned business concern, as used in this definition, means a small business concern (1) which is at least 51 percent owned by one or more women or, in the case of any publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more women; and (2) whose management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women.

Please include a copy of your certificate from the appropriate certifying body(ies) for the above demographic definitions with your submission.

Small and Emerging Business Enterprise (SEBE) Definition

A small and emerging business enterprise is defined as a business concern, operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR Part 121.201. Such a concern is “not dominant in its field of operation” when it does not exercise a controlling or major influence on a national basis in a kind of business activity in which a number of business concerns are primarily engaged). The County’s SEBE self-certification requires the owner to swear, attest or affirm that the business entity is a Small and Emerging Business Enterprise (SEBE) that meets the criteria and size standards set-forth in 13 CFR Part

121.20 (Vendor must complete and notarize the attached Small and Emerging Business Enterprise Affidavit only if this category is solely applicable).

If your business does not meet one of the above designations, please select “None of the Above” in the box below.

None of the Above

CERTIFYING AGENCIES

This project will recognize and accept certifications from the following certifying bodies in addition to other agencies approved by the County:

• 8(a) Small Business Administration - Business Development www.sba.gov/oh/columbus

• MBE

City of Columbus - Minority Business Enterprise City of Columbus (diversitycompliance.com)

• LEDE

Columbus City Schools - Local Economically Disadvantaged Enterprise http://www.ccsoh.us/Vendors.asp

• LGBTBE

Diversity Chamber of Central Ohio - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Business Enterprise http://diversitycolumbus.org/

• EDGE & MBE

Ohio…