Request for Proposal No. 2027-0021

Insurance Broker Service

Due Date: December 14, 2026 Time: 2:00 PM ET Submittal Location: Gaston County Administration Building

Finance Department 128 Main Avenue

Gastonia, NC 28052

Procurement Contact:

Debbie Stone-Muller Procurement Administrator 704.866.3181 Debbie.stonemuller@gastongov.com

NOTICE OF ADVERTISEMENT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

INSURANCE BROKER SERVICES

RFP 2027-0021

Gaston County is soliciting proposals from qualified firms interested in providing professional insurance brokerage services as needed for accessing insurance markets, providing consultative insurance advisory services, and direct support in all areas of risk management.

Sealed Proposals will be received by Gaston County until 2:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on December 14, 2026. Proposals received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Proposals are to be labeled “RFP # 2027-0021, INSURANCE BROKER SERVICES

Proposers may mail or hand deliver proposals as follows:

RFP # 2027-0021

INSURANCE BROKER SERVICES

Gaston County Finance Attn: Debbie Stone-Muller

128 West Main Ave.

An electronic copy of this Request for Proposals, including all attachments, forms, and subsequently issued addenda, may be obtained from the County's official bid posting webpage https://www.gastongov.com/Bids.aspx, and N.C. State electronic vendor portal (eVP) at https://evp.nc.gov/ . Proposers are responsible for monitoring the County's bid posting webpage and/or the N.C. State Electronic Vendor Portal for addenda and other official solicitation information.

Questions

Written questions concerning this RFP must be submitted by email to bids@gastongov.com no later than 12:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on November 9, 2026.

The County will respond to material questions through written addenda posted to the County's official bid posting webpage https://www.gastongov.com/Bids.aspx and N.C.

State electronic vendor portal (eVP) at https://evp.nc.gov/. Only written addenda issued by the County shall modify or supplement the requirements of this RFP.

Gaston County reserves the right, in accordance with applicable law and County policy, to reject any or all Proposals, waive minor informalities or non-material irregularities, cancel or withdraw this RFP, or make no award if the County determines that doing so is in the best interest of the County. The County will not waive a material requirement of the RFP if doing so would result in unequal treatment of Proposers or otherwise violate applicable law.

--End of Advertisement--

1 SUBMITTAL DETAILS

1.1 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Sealed proposals shall be mailed or hand delivered no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Time, on December 14, 2026. There will be no public opening of Proposals. Proposals will be received and maintained in accordance with applicable North Carolina law and County policy.

Any Proposal received after the stated deadline will be deemed late and will not be considered, except as otherwise expressly permitted by applicable law. Late Proposals will be returned unopened when practicable.

1.2 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Proposers shall submit one (1) original and seven (7) copies of the Proposal. All submissions shall be prepared on 8½ x 11-inch paper, printed on one side only, and may be bound in binders. The original Proposal shall bear the signature of an individual authorized to legally bind the Proposer.

Only mailed or hand-delivered proposals will be accepted.

Address bid envelope as shown below:

DELIVERED BY U.S. POSTAL SERVICE HAND DELIVERED OR OTHER COURIER

METHOD

RFP# 2027-0021 – Insurance Broker Services

Gaston County Finance Attn: Debbie Stone-Muller

RFP# 2027-0021 – Insurance Broker Services

Gaston County Finance Attn: Debbie Stone-Muller

Proposals shall be physically received at the designated County delivery location no later than the Proposal deadline. A postmark, shipping receipt, or other evidence that a Proposal was mailed prior to the deadline shall not constitute receipt by the County. Proposers are solely responsible for selecting a delivery method that ensures timely receipt.

There is no expressed or implied obligation for Gaston County to reimburse Proposers for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request.

Gaston County reserves the right to:

Modify or cancel this RFP at any time;

Reject any and all proposals received;

Reject proposals that do not comply with the provisions of this RFP;

Select a proposal other than that with the lowest cost;

Independently verify any information provided in a proposal;

Disqualify any Proposer that does not meet the requirements of this RFP, or is debarred or suspended;

Waive or modify any informalities, irregularities, or inconsistencies in the proposals received;

Clarify any part of a proposal and discuss any aspect of the proposal with any

Proposer;

Reject more than one proposal from an individual, firm, partnership, corporation or association under the same or different names;

Select and enter into negotiations with the next most advantageous Proposer if negotiations with the initially chosen Proposer is not successful.

1.3 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Proposal questions will be due on or before November 9, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET. The primary purpose of this is to provide participating Proposers with the opportunity to ask questions, in writing, related to the RFP.

Submit questions by email to bids@gastongov.com by the deadline shown above. The email should identify the proposal number and title in the subject line. All questions and answers, if any, will be posted as addenda to the bid on https://www.gastongov.com/Bids.aspx and https://evp.nc.gov/

1.4 PROPOSAL ADDENDUM

Gaston County may modify the RFP prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an addendum. Should a Proposer find discrepancies or omissions in this RFP, or any other documents provided by Gaston County, the Proposer should immediately notify the County of such potential discrepancy in writing via email as noted above.

Any addenda to these documents shall be issued in writing. No oral statements, explanations, or commitments by anyone shall be of effect unless incorporated in the written addenda.

Proposers are responsible for reviewing all addenda issued prior to the Proposal deadline and incorporating applicable addenda into their Proposals. Failure to acknowledge an addendum may result in rejection of the Proposal when the addendum materially affects the requirements of the solicitation. Receipt of Addenda shall be acknowledged by the Proposer on Appendix B, Proposal Submission Form.

1.5 COMMUNICATION

To promote consistent and equitable treatment of all Proposers, all substantive questions and communications concerning this RFP shall be directed to the designated County Contact identified in this RFP. Proposers shall not communicate with County personnel regarding the substance of this procurement except as authorized by the County. This restriction does not prohibit routine communications concerning proposal delivery, public records, accessibility, or other administrative matters.

1.6 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

EVENT DATE

Issue RFP October 26, 2026 Submission of Written Questions Due November 9, 2026 at 12:00 pm Eastern Time Proposals Due December 14, 2026 at 2:00 pm Eastern Time Committee Evaluation January 2027 Proposer’s Interviews, if applicable January 2027 Notice of Award February 2027 Contract Execution June 2027 Anticipated Service Commencement July 1, 2027

2 INTRODUCTION

2.1 COUNTY

Gaston County (estimated population 227,943) is located in the southern Piedmont region of North Carolina. The County provides its citizens with a full array of services that include public safety (Police, Sheriff, Emergency Management, Medical Services), building inspections, libraries, human services, cultural and recreational activities, and general government administration. The County is self-funded employing over 1,900 employees with 152 property structures, and approximately 1,950 vehicles and equipment.

2.2 OBJECTIVE

Through its Risk Management Department, Gaston County (the “County”) seeks qualified property and casualty (P&C) insurance brokerage firms to provide the services described in this Request for Proposals (RFP). The County will use this RFP process to identify the firm best qualified to meet its needs. Exhibit A, County Insurance Summary, provides additional information about the County’s current insurance needs.

3 SCOPE OF WORK

The prospective Broker will administer the insurance brokerage service in accordance with the requirements of State law and County policies:

3.1 PROPERTY/CASUALTY/SPECIALITY LINE RISK ANALYSIS, MARKETING AND

PLACEMENT OF INSURANCE:

a. Develop underwriting information, prepare specifications for marketing insurance coverage, structure offerings to insurers and secure insurance coverages selected by the County.

b. When possible, design insurance policy wording to meet the specific needs and requirements of the County.

c. Structure insurance programs to eliminate gaps and overlaps in coverage and to provide the limits or amounts of coverage requested by the County.

d. Review each insurance policy, binder, certificate or other insuring document to see that wording is complete and accurate and that coverage is in compliance with specifications.

e. Service each insurance policy issued to the County, processing changes and endorsements as needed.

f. Assist in the collection and tendering of losses to the underwriter.

g. Be responsible for billing and sub-billing of premiums.

h. Assist in the identification and evaluation of loss exposure as requested, including comparative data regarding other public entities that share the size and scope of the County, and provide loss prevention strategies to reduce said exposures.

i. Monitor all insurance and other risk financing or loss funding arrangements to assure their continuing adequacy in terms of cost and protection.

j. Monitor the service provided by the County’s insurers and facilitate or negotiate changes in the nature, scope, and level of services provided if necessary.

k. Act as liaison between County and insurers.

l. Provide the County with a written explanation of the basic structure of each policy, including coverages, exclusions, terms, analysis of coverage scope, cost and services, changes from prior year coverages, and other essential information, in a format suitable for use as a high-level executive summary document.

m. Provide early warning of pending rate, coverage or renewal problems, including significant changes in the financial status of insurers. Keep County informed of significant market conditions that may affect the County's insurance programs.

n. Establish an annual renewal kick-off meeting each January to discuss market changes, expectations, deliverables, and establish a timeline for the receipt of quotes in alignment with the County’s Board of Commission meeting schedule.

o. When requested, assist the County with completing carrier applications and maintain prior year application records.

p. Deliver all renewal quotes in accordance with the County’s established renewal timeline prior to July 1.

q. Provide digital copies of all new policies within 30-60 days of renewal.

r. Obtain permission from and issue certificates of insurance, binders, and other evidence of coverage as requested. Issue the requested document within 72 hours of request.

s. Responder must be an approved broker with the County’s existing liability excess carriers.

3.2 LOSS CONTROL SERVICES/CLAIMS SERVICES:

a. Work with the County to evaluate the effectiveness of its current loss control program and make recommendations on how to address any deficiencies found to strengthen the overall program.

b. When requested, perform premise inspection of County properties together with the County’s Risk Management staff for the purpose of identifying employee and public safety hazards. Provide recommendations for correction of identified hazards.

c. Provide consulting services (including project and program review, insurance services, and loss control activity) related to the County's exposures in all departments.

d. The primary loss prevention specialist will have a minimum of 5 years experience in the public sector with a County of similar size to Gaston.

e. When requested, the Broker will provide claims advocacy across all coverage lines, facilitate and support claim submittals from the County, coordinate claim reviews with the TPA/Carriers or other contracted entities, assist the County in developing appropriate claims management procedures.

3.3 CONSULTING:

a. Coordinate with the County and provide comprehensive information on market conditions and trends; ensure the delivery of adequate policy limits, lowest possible retentions and costs with suitable isolation of risk; identify partners with the capability and expertise to recognize opportunities which add additional value; assemble a broker service team that provides the expertise to address the County's insurance and risk management needs.

b. Assist the County's Risk Management staff in identifying and evaluating the County's various risk exposures and recommending a variety of risk mitigation measures from Risk Avoidance to Risk Transfer, to protect the County's financial condition best.

These services will include identifying, evaluating, and recommending appropriate insurance markets for various coverages, policy limits to be purchased, and amounts of loss to self-retain. Assess insurance company stability, solvency, and service records. Provide evaluation and listing of markets being approached for coverage to the County's Risk Manager. Identify and obtain approval from the County's Risk Manager for use of any excess or surplus lines broker or reinsurance intermediary to be used in the placement of insurance.

c. Evaluate appropriateness of alternative financing mechanisms such as partial or self-funding, assist in structuring of same including recommendation retention levels, stop loss limits, etc. based on the County's own risk experience as well as comparing the County's programs and risk exposures versus its public entity peers.

d. Provide contract review and insurance services support for professional services contracts, construction projects, subcontractor agreements, equipment and premises leases, purchase orders and maintenance agreements. Assist the County in the development of standards to be used for contract provisions and review.

e. Furnish invoices on a monthly basis for services which have been provided to the County.

3.4 CUSTOMER SERVICE:

a. The account executive and account team assigned to service the County shall be available on a normal daily basis to address daily activities associated with this account, including face-to-face and telephonic consultation on an as-needed basis and sometimes at a moment's notice.

b. Attendance at periodic meetings with County staff for purposes of discussing insurance coverage, exposure changes, claims, loss control, regulatory compliance and other matters as needed.

c. Other usual functions expected of insurance brokers such as, but not limited to, accurately amending policies, providing interpretation of coverage, policy maintenance, binders and certificates, timely delivery of policies and binders, providing unbiased recommendations, answering questions, and resolving issues. Assistance on coverage and claim related issues. Provide in an electronic format copies of all insurance policies and endorsements as well as an insurance schedule in both PDF and Excel formats.

d. Perform any other services specifically set forth by Broker in proposals whether or not specifically identified in this agreement

4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

If an award is made, the County intends to award the contract to the Proposer whose proposal is determined to provide the best overall value and most effectively meets the County’s needs and requirements.

Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the weighted evaluation criteria identified below.

The evaluation criteria are intended to provide a consistent and objective framework for reviewing and comparing proposals and will be used by the County to develop a recommendation for contract award.

The County reserves the right to consider all information contained in each proposal, as well as any additional information obtained through the evaluation process, including clarification responses, presentations, interviews, references, and/or negotiations, as applicable. The County may also consider the Proposer’s demonstrated ability to successfully perform the required services, including relevant experience, qualifications, approach, and overall responsiveness to the requirements of this RFP.

The County reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to invite one or more of the highest-rated proposers to participate in an interview, presentation, or clarification session as part of the evaluation process. If conducted, such interviews may be used to clarify aspects of a proposal, assess the proposer’s approach and qualifications, and/or obtain additional information necessary to complete the evaluation. The County reserves the right to determine which proposers, if any, will be invited to participate and whether interviews will be conducted as part of the selection process.

Participation in an interview, presentation, or clarification session does not guarantee selection or award of a contract.

EVALUTATION CRITERIA WEIGHTED PERCENTAGE

Qualification and Relevant Experience 20 %

Technical Approach & Understanding of County Needs

25%

Loss Control, Claims & Risk Management Consulting

20%

Account Team, Customer Service & Implementation

20%

Cost Proposal 15%

5 DETAILED SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

5.1 TERMS OF SUBMISSION

All material received from a Proposer in response to this solicitation shall become the property of the County and will not be returned. Any and all costs incurred by a Proposer in preparing, submitting, or presenting submissions are the Proposer’s sole responsibility and shall not reimbursed by the County. All responses to this solicitation will be considered a public record and subject to disclosure under applicable public records law.

Any material in a response which the Proposer considers a trade secret and exempt from disclosure as a public record under applicable law, including N.C.G.S. §§ 132-1.2 and 66-152, must be properly designated as a trade secret. In order to properly designate such material, the Proposer must: (I) submit any trade secret materials in a separate envelope, or file, from all other submitted material, being clearly marked as “Trade Secret – Confidential and Proprietary Information,” and (ii) stamp the same trade secret/confidentiality designation on each page of the materials therein which contain trade secrets.

To the extent consistent with public records law, the County will make reasonable efforts to maintain the confidential nature of trade secrets, as determined by the County and subject to the conditions set forth herein. Proposer understands and agrees by submitting a response to this solicitation, that if a request is made to review or produce a copy of any information in the Proposer’s materials which was properly labeled by the Proposer as a trade secret, the County will notify the Proposer of the request and the date that such materials will be released to the requestor unless the Proposer obtains a court order enjoining that disclosure.

If the Proposer fails to obtain the court order enjoining disclosure prior to that date, Proposer understands and agrees that the County will release the requested information to the requestor on that date.

Furthermore, the Proposer also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Gaston County and each of its officers, employees, and agents from all costs, damages, and expenses incurred in connection with refusing to disclose any material that has been designated as a trade secret by Proposer.

5.2 PROPOSAL FORMAT

The County desires all responses to be identical in format in order to facilitate comparison. All responses are to be in the format described below.

Proposers should prepare their proposals in accordance with the instructions outlined in this section. Each section should be identified as described below. Proposals should be prepared as simply as possible and provide a straightforward, concise description of the proposer’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP.

The successful Proposer’s proposal must include all responses to the requirements contained within this RFP and all appendices (if applicable) must be completed in their entirety.

The utmost attention should be given to accuracy, completeness, and clarity of content. All parts, pages, figures, or tables should be numbered and clearly labeled. Response information should be limited to pertinent information only. Marketing and sales type information is not to be included.

The RFP should include a response to each of the criteria listed in Section 4 above. Failure to address each area could result in rejection of a proposal. Please provide a table of contents in the format of the proposal requirements identifying each section and subsection.

Include examples of procedures, reports, or other information where applicable.

The proposal should be organized and identified by sections as follows:

Section A – Cover Letter Section B – Qualifications and Relevant Experience Section C – Technical Approach and Understanding of County Needs Section D – Loss Control, Claims & Risk Management Consulting Section E – Account Team, Customer Service & Implementation Section F – Cost Proposal Section G – Required Forms

Appendix A – Pricing Form Appendix B – Proposal Submission (signed)

The instructions to submit information for this proposal are listed below.

Omissions and incomplete answers may be deemed unresponsive.

5.2.1 SECTION A – COVER LETTER

The proposal must include a cover letter attesting to its accuracy and signed by an individual authorized to execute binding legal documents on behalf of the Proposer.

Include the following:

Legal company name and DBA (if applicable).

Company address, telephone number and website address.

Location providing service, address, and telephone number.

Name of single point of contact, title, direct telephone number and/or extension, and direct email address. (required) Name of person with binding authority, title, address, direct telephone number and/or extension, and email address.

Make the following representations and warranty in the cover letter, the falsity of which might result in rejection of its proposal: “The information contained in this proposal or any part thereof, including any exhibits, schedules, and other documents and instruments delivered or to be delivered to the County, is true, accurate, and complete. This proposal includes all information necessary to ensure that the statements therein do not in whole or in part mislead the County as to any material facts.”

5.2.2 SECTION B – QUALIFICATIONS AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Describe the firm's qualifications and experience providing insurance brokerage and risk management services to public-sector entities. Include:

Firm experience with counties or public entities of similar size and complexity.

Experience with property, casualty, specialty, excess, and other relevant coverages.

Provide copies of current Brokers & Adjustors and North Carolina State licenses.

Provide, at a minimum, three (3) comparable clients with whom your firm has an established relationship similar to the Scope of Work outlined in this RFP and one former client that stopped doing business with you and include the following:

Company/Government Entity Contact Name and Title Address Direct Phone Number Email Address Length of Relationship

Qualifications and relevant experience of key personnel.

Firm resources and capacity to provide the required services.

5.2.3 SECTION C – TECHNICAL APPROACH & UNDESTANDING OF COUNTY

NEEDS

Demonstrate your understanding of the County's insurance program and describe your approach to providing brokerage and placement services. Address:

Insurance marketing, placement, and renewal strategy.

Identification of appropriate insurance markets and negotiation of coverage and pricing.

Policy review and administration.

Identification of coverage gaps, overlaps, and emerging risks.

Monitoring of insurance markets and insurer financial condition.

Renewal planning and required timelines.

Certificates, binders, endorsements, billing, and policy delivery.

Communication of significant coverage, market, or renewal issues.

5.2.4 SECTION D – LOSS CONTROL, CLAIMS & RISK MANAGEMENT

CONSULTING

Describe your approach to loss control, claims advocacy, and risk management consulting. Include:

Qualifications of the proposed loss prevention specialist and relevant public-sector experience.

Approach to loss control assessments and property inspections.

Claims advocacy and claims management services.

Risk identification, mitigation, retention, and transfer strategies.

Alternative risk financing and self-funding analysis.

Benchmarking against comparable public entities.

Contractual insurance and risk management support.

Examples of successful loss control, claims, or risk management initiatives.

5.2.5 SECTION E – ACCOUNT TEAM, CUSTOMER SERVICE & IMPLEMENTATION

Identify the personnel who will be assigned to the County and describe the proposed service and transition model. Include:

Account team structure, roles, and qualifications.

Availability and responsiveness of the Account Executive and key personnel.

Approach to meetings, communication, and urgent requests.

Procedures for issue escalation and resolution.

Plan for continuity of service if personnel change.

Transition and implementation plan, including the first 30, 60, and 90 days.

Coordination with County staff, insurers, TPAs, and other stakeholders.

5.2.6 SECTION F – COST PROPOSAL

Proposers must submit a clearly defined fixed annual fee for all brokerage services required under the Scope of Work, including procuring insurance coverage for the described in Exhibit A. The fixed annual fee must include all labor, travel, lodging, administrative expenses, technology, reporting, and other costs necessary to perform the required services. Commissions, commission-based compensation, percentage-based compensation, and combinations of fees and commissions will not be considered. Proposers must separately state a fixed fee for each optional service, including evaluation of consolidating additional insurance policies under a single brokerage agreement, and identify all assumptions applicable to each optional fee.

Complete Appendix A.

5.2.7 SECTION G – REQUIRED SIGNATURE FORMS

Proposers must include completed copies of the following documents:

1. Appendix A – Pricing Form (signed)

2. Appendix B – Proposal Submission Form (signed)

6 GENERAL CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

6.1 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The contract award will have an initial term of three (3) years with two (2) one-year renewal options at the County’s discretion, pending annual budget approval.

All payroll taxes, liability and worker’s compensation are the sole responsibility of the Proposer. The Proposer understands that an employer/employee relationship does not exist under this contract.

All proposals submitted in response to this request shall become the property of Gaston County and as such, may be subject to public review.

Gaston County has the right to reject any or all proposals, to engage in further negotiations with any Proposer submitting a proposal, and/or to request additional information or clarification. The County is not obligated to accept the lowest cost proposal.

6.2 CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

The contents of this Proposal and the commitments set forth in the Proposal shall be considered contractual obligations if a contract ensues. Failure to accept these obligations may result in cancellation of the award. All legally required terms and conditions shall be incorporated into final contract agreements with the selected Proposer.

6.3 SUB-CONTRACTOR/PARTNER DISCLOSURE

A single Proposer may propose the entire solution. If the proposal by any Proposer requires the use of subcontractors, partners, and/or third-party products or services, this must be clearly stated in the proposal. The Proposer submitting the proposal shall remain solely responsible for the performance of all work, including work that is done by subcontractors.

6.4 EXCEPTION TO THE RFP

An “exception” is defined as the Proposer’s inability or unwillingness to meet a term, condition, specification, or requirement in the manner specified in the RFP. All exceptions taken must be identified and explained in writing and must specifically reference the relevant section(s) of this RFP. Other than exceptions that are stated in compliance with this Section, each proposal shall be deemed to agree to comply with all terms, conditions, specifications, and requirements of this RFP. If the Proposer provides an alternate solution when taking an exception to a requirement, the benefits of this alternate solution and impact, if any, on any part of the remainder of the Proposer’s solution, must be described in detail.

6.5 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

Prior to the scheduled closing time for receiving proposals, any Proposer may withdraw their proposal. After the scheduled closing time for receiving proposals, no proposal may be withdrawn for 120 days. Only written requests for the modification or correction of a previously submitted proposal that are addressed in the same manner as proposals and are received by the County prior to the closing time for receiving proposals will be accepted.

6.6 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

All Firms will be required to follow Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies.

The County will affirmatively assure that on any project constructed pursuant to this advertisement, if any, equal employment opportunity will be offered to all persons without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, and marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, disability, sexual orientation, or age.

6.7 LICENSES

The successful Broker(s) shall have and maintain a valid and appropriate business license (if applicable), meet all local, state, and federal codes, and have all current required local, state, and federal licenses.

6.8 BID PROTEST

Gaston County maintains a formal Bid Protest Policy governing protests related to County solicitations and contract awards. Any protest to the solicitation process, evaluation, or award must be submitted in accordance with the requirements, procedures, and timelines established in the County’s Bid Protest Policy found at https://gastongov.com/BidProtestPolicy

6.9 E-VERIFY

E-Verify is the federal program operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies, or any successor or equivalent program, used to verify the work authorization of newly hired employees pursuant to federal law. Proposer shall ensure that Proposer and any Sub-Contractor performing work under this contract: (a) uses E-Verify if required to do so; and (b) otherwise complies with applicable law.

6.10 INSURANCE

The following insurance limits shall be required as applicable to the project. The County reserves the right to require additional insurance depending on the nature of the agreement.

At Proposer’s sole expense, Proposer shall procure and maintain the following minimum insurances with insurers authorized to do business in North Carolina and rated A-VII or better by A.M. Best.

A. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

i. (for any agreement unless otherwise waived by the Risk Manager)

ii. Statutory limits (where Broker has three or more employees) covering all employees, including Employer’s Liability with limits of:

1. $500,000 Each Accident

2. $500,000 Disease – Each Employee

3. $500,000 Disease – Policy Limit

B. COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY

1. (for any agreement unless otherwise waived by the Risk Manager)

ii. Covering Ongoing and Completed Operations involved in this Agreement.

1. $2,000,000 General Aggregate

2. $2,000,000 Products/Completed Operations Aggregate

3. $1,000,000 Each Occurrence

4. $1,000,000 Personal and Advertising Injury Limit

5. $5,000,000 Medical Expense Limit

C. PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY

i. (for any agreement providing professional service such as engineering, architecture, surveying, consulting services, etic)

1. $1,000,000 Claims Made

ii. Broker shall provide evidence of continuation or renewal of Professional Liability Insurance for a period of two (2) years following termination of the Agreement.

D. NETWORK SECURITY & PRIVACY LIABILITY (CYBER)

1. (for any agreement involving software applications)

ii. $1,000,000 Claims Made

iii. Broker shall provide evidence of continuation or renewal of Technology Errors & Omissions Insurance for a period of two (2) years following termination of the Agreement.

6.11 CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Proposer shall disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest involving the Proposer, its principals, proposed subcontractors, or key personnel that could reasonably affect performance of the contract or the integrity of the procurement. If no conflict exists, the Proposer shall affirmatively state that no known conflict of interest exists.

6.12 INDEMNIFICATION

Proposer agrees to protect, defend, indemnify and hold Gaston County, its officers, employees and agents free and harmless from and against any and all losses, penalties, damages, settlements, costs, charges, professional fees or other expenses or liabilities of every kind and character arising out of or relating to any and all claims, liens, demands, obligations, actions, proceedings, or causes of action of every kind in connection with or arising out of this agreement and/or the performance hereof that are due, in whole or in part, to the negligence of the Proposer, its officers, employees, subcontractors or agents.

Proposer further agrees to investigate, handle, respond to, provide defense for, and defend the same at its sole expense and agrees to bear all other costs and expenses related thereto.

7 APPENDIX A – PRICING FORM

RFP 2027-0021 Insurance Broker Service

SUBMIT WITH PROPOSAL

Insurance proposals for the following coverage for Gaston County shall be quoted net of commission. Proposers must provide a detailed annual fee proposal for the brokerage services described in this RFP. Include the total annual fee for procuring insurance coverage, including those described in Exhibit A. Additionally, provide any proposed fees for optional services, such as evaluating the consolidation of additional insurance policies under a single brokerage agreement, along with assumptions used. Only clearly defined, fixed fees will be considered.

All travel, lodging (Gaston County Travel Policy applies), and miscellaneous support costs are to be included in these rates.

The initial term shall be a fixed-price fee, per annum, for a period of three (3) years, with the option to renew at Gaston County’s discretion, for two (2) one-year terms, pending annual budget appropriation. Indicate below your annual rate for providing services as outlined in this proposal.

Contract Year Total Cost

Year 1 – 3 Annual Fee per year $ per year

Option Year 4 $

Option Year 5 $

Company Name:

Authorized Signature: Date:

8 APPENDIX B – PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM

SUBMIT WITH PROPOSAL

Please acknowledge receipt of addenda, if any, by including this form with your Proposal.

Any questions or changes received will be posted as addenda on https://www.gastongov.com/Bids.aspx. It is your responsibility to check for this information.

Addendum No. Date Downloaded

I hereby certify that this proposal is submitted in good faith and without collusion or agreement with any other Proposer or any officer or employee of Gaston County for the purpose of restricting competition or improperly influencing the procurement process.

I further certify that all actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest related to this RFP, if any, have been fully disclosed in writing and submitted with this proposal. To the best of my knowledge, all such conflicts have been disclosed, and no undisclosed interest exists on the part of myself or any individual or entity with whom I have a financial, personal, or business relationship that could improperly influence, or reasonably appear to influence, the preparation or submission of this proposal, the evaluation process, or the award or performance of any resulting contract.

I agree to promptly disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that arises during the RFP process or the performance of any resulting contract and to comply with all applicable laws, policies, and requirements of Gaston County regarding conflicts of interest and ethical procurement practices.

By signing below, I certify that the statements contained herein are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief, and that I am authorized to execute this certification on behalf of the Proposer.

Company Name:

Name:

Title:

Email Address:

Signature:

Date:

9 EXHIBIT A – COUNTY’S INSURANCE SUMMARY

DO NOT SUBMIT WITH PROPOSAL

In addition to the coverage listed below, the County regularly procures various Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services (VFIS) policies, active assailant/property terrorism, cyber liability, crime insurance, marine – hull, AD&D coverages, and public official bonds.

COVERAGE DEDUCTIBLE/SIR

Bodily Injury & Property Damage $5,000,000 $250,000 SIR Access Van Limit $5,000,000 Uninsured Motorist $1,000,000 Underinsured Motorist Statutory Garagekeepers Liability $250,000 $250,000 Licensed Vehicle Limit $2,500,000 $100,000 subject to shared Aggregate limit of $50M

Per Claim Limit $5,000,000 $250,000 SIR Aggregate Limit $5,000,000

Workers' Compensation Statutory $550,000 Except Employers' Liability $2,000,000 $750,000 Presumptive Loss (Maximum limit per occurrence)

Aggregate $5,000,000 $250,000 SIR Products/Completed Operations $5,000,000 Premises Operations $5,000,000 Personal & Advertising Injury $5,000,000 Damage to Premises rented to County $1,000,000 Employee Benefits $5,000,000 Sexual Abuse Aggregate $2,000,000 Policy Limit (Shared Limit for All Members) $1,000,000,000 Blanket Business Income $50,000,000 Blanket Extra Expense $25,000,000 Mobile Equipment $32,076,809 Flood $50,000,000 Earthquake $50,000,000 Wind $1B Shared Limit Named Storm $1B Shared Limit Debris Removal 25% of paid loss Pollution Cleanup $100,000

Property $100,000

LIMITS

Automobile Liability

Auto Physical Damage

Employment Practices Liability

Excess Workers' Compensation

General Liability/Employee Benefits Liability