5-P-2089496 - Amendment 3.pdf

DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT

DALLAS, TEXAS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION

1. SOLICITATION NO.:

P-2089496

2. AMENDMENT NO.:

3. EFFECTIVE DATE:

August 15, 2025

4. BRIEF SOLICITATION DESCRIPTION:

Leave of Absence Programs Services

5. REVISED OFFER SUBMISSION DUE DATE AND TIME:

(Note: Unless identified below, this solicitation amendment does not change the Offer Submission Date and Time.)

The date and/or time specified for receipt of offers is changed as follows: DATE: August 22, 2025 TIME: 2:00 P.M. Central Time (Dallas, Texas Time)

6. REVISED PRE-BID/PROPOSAL CONFERENCE:

(Note: Unless identified below, this solicitation amendment does not change the Pre-Bid/Proposal Conference, if a conference is scheduled.)

The scheduled pre-bid/proposal conference is changed as follows: DATE:

TIME:

LOCATION:

7. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION:

The Solicitation identified in Block 1, above, is hereby amended as described in Block 11, below. Except as provided herein, all other provisions of the solicitation, or as heretofore amended, remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

8. REQUIREMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AMENDMENT:

Offerors must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the deadline specified in the solicitation for receipt of offers by one of the following methods:

a. By signing this amendment in Block 9, below, and returning one signed copy;

b. By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on the Solicitation, Offer and Award form; or,

c. By separate letter or telegram that includes a reference to this solicitation and amendment number.

WARNING: Failure of an Offeror to acknowledge receipt of this Amendment, as described herein, may result in

REJECTION OF THE OFFER.

NOTE: For Invitations for Bids the terms "Offer" and Offeror" shall mean "Bid" and "Bidder", respectively; and for Requests for Proposals the terms "Bid" and "Bidder" shall mean "Offer" and "Offeror", respectively, in this solicitation and any associated exhibits.

9. OFFEROR'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENT:

Name & Title: Signed Acknowledgment:

(Print/Type)

Offeror: Date Acknowledged: / /

10. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL CONTRACTS SPECIALIST:

Name: Coquice Logan Telephone No.: 214-749-2677 clogan@dart.org

11. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT:

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMENDMENT IS AS FOLLOWS:

• To extend offer submission due date and time in box 5 of this Amendment.

• Exhibit H, DART Form 33.H is replaced in it’s entirety attached to this Amendment.

All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

[END OF AMENDMENT 3]

Form 33.207 (01/06) Page 1 of 1 mailto:clogan@dart.org

Amendment 3 August 15, 2025

Solicitation No. P-2089496

EXHIBIT H

STATEMENT OF WORK

(LEAVE OF ABSENCE PROGRAMS SERVICES)

Form 33.H Page 1 of 5 Exhibit H

1. Introduction/Background

a. DART provides full benefits, including job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Short-term and Long-term Disability coverage. The disability programs cover all eligible DART employees. Eligible employees are all regular full-time salaried and hourly employees who work at least 40 hours weekly. An employee who does not have regular work hours but has worked an average of 40 hours per week during the preceding 12 calendar months will be considered an eligible employee. Currently, DART has a population of 3700 employees eligible for Short-Term and Long-Term Disability benefits.

b. The Short-Term disability program is 100% self-insured. DART pays an administrative fee, typically per employee, to have a qualified insurance carrier administer this program. Under the current program, pricing is based upon a fourteen-day waiting period. In addition, salaried employees must use at least 50% of their remaining Personal Time Off (PTO) days, and hourly employees must use at least 80% of their remaining sick leave before they will be eligible for benefits.

c. The Long-Term Disability Program is fully insured under a non-participating contract. Under this program, eligible employees are divided into two classes: Operators, including both bus and rail, and All Other Employees. The duration of benefit eligibility varies between the classes.

Operators are eligible for Long-Term disability benefits for a maximum of two years. All other employees are eligible for benefits until age 65 or retirement, which comes first. The premium for this coverage has been calculated as a blended rate per $100 of eligible monthly payroll.

d. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a Department of Labor leave entitlement that provides employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave. Employees are eligible for FMLA when they have worked with an employer for more than 12 months, have accumulated over 1,250 work hours, and have a qualifying condition such as a serious health condition.

e. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amended Acts and Pregnant Worker’s Fairness Act (PWFA) claims. This SOW outlines the scope of work, deliverables, and terms for this engagement. Programs cover all eligible DART employees.

Form 33.H Page 2 of 5 Exhibit H

Eligible employees are all regular full-time salaried and hourly employees who have worked at least 30 hours weekly. If an employee does not have regular work hours but has worked an average of 30 hours a week during the preceding 12 calendar months will be considered an eligible employee. DART has an employee population of approximately 3,700 eligible for benefits under these programs.

The ADA defines an individual with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

2. Objective/Purpose

a. As a public agency, DART must be conscientious of its fiscal responsibilities to its employees and stakeholders, who provide most of the funding for DART operations. Effective stewardship of public funds requires periodic review of DART’s benefits package to ensure that the money available for these programs is utilized to its best advantage. DART requires periodic remarketing efforts for all benefit programs to demonstrate effective utilization of funds.

b. DART solicits proposals from qualified vendors for the FMLA, ADA, STD Administration, and LTD Insurance policy. The intent is to replicate the existing benefit levels and current substantive plan provisions. See Attachment A for an overview of the benefits and critical requirements of both the Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Programs. Attachment B summarizes the services to administer the self-insured Short-Term Disability Program. Attachment C includes FMLA Fact Sheet #28, which provides a general overview of the law, and #28 D, Employer Notification Requirements under the Family and Medical Leave Act, addresses employer compliance.

c. Besides replicating the existing benefit levels and substantive plan provisions, the Contractor is encouraged to request alternative proposals from the insurance companies based on knowledge of the current benefit market. Any alternative proposals aim to maximize efficiencies and reduce program costs. Alternative proposals shall be identified, and any innovations, benefits, or cost savings that DART would realize, along with the impact any proposed changes would have on eligible employees, will be discussed.

Form 33.H Page 3 of 5 Exhibit H

3. Description/Scope of Work

a. DART is looking for vendors who demonstrate creative and effective claims administration processes that are streamlined and user-friendly, leverage technology, have a strong customer service focus, solid reporting capabilities, proactive and consistent management of employee occupational and non- occupational absences, competitive rates and fees, and an ability to comply with DART’s performance standards.

b. DART is interested in vendors integrating the Family Medical Leave Act, ADA Accommodations, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Workers’ Compensation claims management.

c. DART’s Risk Management Department manages the FMLA, STD Administration, and LTD Insurance policies, including contract administration of the TPA agreement(s). DART’s Employee Labor Relations Department oversees the ADA administration, including the TPA agreement's contract administration.

d. DART expects the successful insurance carrier to administer the FMLA, ADA, and Short-Term and Long-Term disability programs. All prospective insurance companies shall have a Best Rating of A—or better unless DART Risk Management approves. If the Contractor recommends a company with a rating of less than A-, they must include the process used to evaluate the company's financial strength and capabilities.

e. The Contractor shall provide a list of recommended insurance companies and a timeline for significant activities required during the marketing process to DART Risk Management for discussion and approval. Any changes to the proposed timeline arising from this discussion shall be incorporated into a revised timeline within one day of the shift and resubmitted to DART Risk Management. The FMLA, ADA, STD, and LTD programs expire on 12/31/2025. To ensure that new programs are in place upon the expiration of the existing programs, DART Risk Management must have quotes, along with the Contractor’s recommended insurance provider, no later than 09/25/2025. The timeline must be developed with this date in mind.

f. Following the agreed-upon timeline, the Contractor shall prepare a list of all underwriting information needed to prepare a comprehensive underwriting submission for the insurance companies.

Form 33.H Page 4 of 5 Exhibit H

Upon approval from DART Risk Management, the Contractor may contact the incumbent carrier for information or clarification if the required information is unavailable from DART.

g. DART has an Alternative Duty Program that is mandatory for all employees after they have missed ten or more workdays. The goal is to return employees to productive work as soon as possible. We work hard to ensure every level of restriction can be accommodated if the employee can work at least four hours a day. In addition to any other required underwriting information, the contractor shall provide insurance companies with information about this program for consideration when they prepare their quotes.

DART expects that the recommended insurance carrier will coordinate their rehabilitation efforts with DART to determine an employee’s ability to perform work-related activities.

h. The Contractor shall clarify in the underwriting submission that DART may be required to conduct an independent audit of the insurance carrier’s STD claim files. A third-party audit firm shall conduct any required audit. The insurance carrier is expected to cooperate fully with any audit request and provide all information necessary to facilitate the audit process. Fees or administration costs incurred by the insurance carrier shall be considered part of the program rate and will not be paid by DART.

i. The Contractor shall present the completed underwriting submission to DART for review and approval before releasing it to the insurance companies. In addition to providing every recommended insurance carrier with a complete copy of the underwriting submission, the Contractor shall make personal contact with each carrier to verify that the submission was received, gauge the insurance company’s interest, reinforce the deadline for receipt of quotes, and respond to any request for clarification or additional information.

j. Within thirty days of receipt of all quotes, the Contractor shall complete a spreadsheet comparing each quote and, if applicable, any alternative quotes submitted by the insurance companies for review and discussion with DART. The comparison should point out any deviations from DART’s current programs, significant terms and conditions; any quotes the Contractor determined to be nonresponsive to the underwriting submission, and a discussion of the financial strength and abilities of the carrier(s) providing the most competitive quotes. All original quotes shall be assembled in binder format and submitted to DART Risk Management for its permanent record of the marketing effort.

Form 33.H Page 5 of 5 Exhibit H

k. Upon completion of the comparison and assessment, the Contractor shall prepare a separate report for DART’s review and discussion, identifying their recommended carrier based upon the structure of the existing programs. This primary recommendation shall include the Contractor’s assessment of all relevant terms, conditions, and pricing considerations that formed the basis of the recommendation. The Contractor shall also assess any alternative quotes submitted by the insurance companies and recommend whether DART should consider an alternative program design. As with the primary recommendation, an assessment of the relevant term’s conditions and pricing of the alternative quote shall form the basis of any suggestion to consider an alternative program design.

l. The contractor shall determine whether oral presentations are advisable and coordinate their dates and times. After presenting all quotes and recommendations, the Contractor shall be available by phone to answer any questions and provide additional background information or clarification to DART staff to assist in DART’s preparation of its internal recommendation to the Board of Directors.

4. Stewardship/Oversight

a. Upon DART Board approval, the contractor shall assist in the setup and implementation of the program, including, but not limited to, interface and liaison with the successful insurance carrier on DART’s behalf, identification of crucial elements of the transition plan, assistance with development of electronic transmission protocols, obtaining educational materials for DART employees and making sure the new carrier is ready to accept new claims effective 01/01/2026.

The contractor shall assist in semiannually evaluating the claims data, trends, and effectiveness of the insurance company’s administration of DART’s programs.

*********************************** End of Exhibit H ************************************