RFP 320050526FD Insurance Broker (1).pdf

Human Resource Department

Request for Proposal: 320-050526FD

Employee Benefits Consulting Services

Date of Issue: 06/02/2026

Proposal Due Date: 06/30/2026 at 02:00 P.M. ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Fantashia Dickens, Purchasing Associate III

Email: Fantashia.Dickens@rockymountnc.gov

Phone: 252-972-1352 mailto:Fantashia.Dickens@rockymountnc.gov

Request for Proposal # 320-050526FD

For purchasing division processing, please provide your company’s Federal Employer Identification Number or alternate identification number (e.g. Social Security Number). Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute

132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page is to be filled out and returned with your Proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your Proposal to rejection.

ID Number:

Federal ID Number or Social Security Number

Vendor Name

“All Proposals are hereby notified that they must have the proper license as required under the North Carolina laws. All prospective contractors shall be responsible for complying with state law and local ordinances.”

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Quote, and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are quoted, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein. By executing this quote, the undersigned Vendor certifies that this quote is submitted competitively and without collusion

(G.S. 143-54), that none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-

59.2), and that it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1. False certification is a Class I felony. Furthermore, by executing this quote, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or City department. As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFQ, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter

64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system. G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any City Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public

Contract; or awarding or administering public Contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public Contract of any gift from anyone with a Contract with the City , or from any person seeking to do business with the City . By execution of any response in this quote, you attest, for your entire organization and its employees or agents, that you are not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization. Do you have a financial interest or tangible personal benefit with a city of Rocky Mount employee, officer, or agent? ____ Yes ____ No If yes note the employee, officer, or agent; department; and the perceived or actual conflict of interest.

Failure to execute/sign quote prior to submittal shall render quote invalid and it WILL BE REJECTED. Late quotes cannot be accepted.

VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #11):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE: EMAIL:

Offer valid for at least 60 days from date of quote opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If any or all parts of this quote are accepted by the City of Rocky Mount, an authorized representative of the City of Rocky Mount shall affix his/her signature hereto and this document and all provisions of this Request for Quote along with the Vendor response and the written results of any negotiations shall then constitute the written agreement between the parties. A copy of this acceptance will be forwarded to the successful Vendor(s).

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Fantashia Dickens

Purchasing Associate III

Request for Proposal # 320-050526FD

Proposals will be publicly opened: 06/30/2026

Contract Type: Service

City of Rocky Mount

Human Resources Department

Proposal Number: 320-050526FD Vendor: __________________________________________

Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 BACKGROUND

2.2 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.3 RFP SCHEDULE

2.4 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.5 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.6 AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.8 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 CONTRACT TERM

4.2 PRICING

4.3 INVOICES

4.4 MINORITY BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

4.6 REFERENCES

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECK

4.8 PERSONNEL

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

5.0 SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

5.2 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

5.3 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

5.4 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 STANDARD AGREEMENT

6.2 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.3 CONTRACT CHANGES

6.4 CITY’S RIGHTS AND OPTIONS

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

ATTACHMENT B: ACCEPTANCE OF GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT C: SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

MINIMUM INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit offers from qualified insurance professionals to provide consulting services to the City of Rocky Mount in support of the City of Rocky Mount health benefits programs. Such services will include, but not be limited to: (1) reviewing and advising on appropriate insurance coverage; (2) marketing and placement of insurance, including issuance of requests for proposals, as required; (3) reviewing vendor contracts and evidence of coverage; (4) coordinating with other City of Rocky Mount benefits service providers; (5) participating in management benefits committee meetings; (6) acting as a liaison and an advocate for the City of Rocky Mount with insurance companies (7) developing and producing communication materials including annual online and manual enrollments, (8) Performing actuarial services, to include but not limited to, annual cost projections, cost projections for plan modifications, determination of budget requirements.

The benefit programs currently include group medical, dental, vision, life insurance (including basic and voluntary coverage), defined benefit retirement plan (NCLGERS), and other optional benefits with no employer contributions.

Currently, the medical insurance is administered by Aetna Inc., and it is a self-insured POS plan, the other insurances are placed by a third-party consultant to the City of Rocky Mount.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 BACKGROUND

The City of Rocky Mount has a total of 766 full-time employees, 364 part-time employees, and approximately 120 pre-

65 retirees who are allowed to remain on the City’s plan until they reach age 65 or become eligible for Medicare. The

City is self-insured and currently provides a comprehensive Benefits Program for its full-time employees including the following plans with are covered by the City:

• Medical Insurance (paid in full for employees only)

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Defined Benefit Retirement Plan (NCLGERS)

• Defined Contribution Plan (NC401K) for Law Enforcement Only and optional benefits with no employer contributions:

• Accident Insurance

• Cancer Insurance

• Critical Illness Insurance

• Term and Whole-life Insurance

• Flexible Spending Accounts

The City’s health plan year is January 1 through December 31. Employees participate in an annual open enrollment process prior to the January 1 benefit renewal. We also offer coverage to members of the Rocky Mount City Council.

Medical Insurance

The City’s medical insurance is currently administered by Aetna. It is a self-insured POS plan that includes medical, hospital, mental health, substance abuse, and prescription benefits. There are several facets of this plan that we would like to maintain. These components are listed in priority order below.

1. 20% Coinsurance

2. In-Network Coverage in the Relevant Market

3. Maximum Deductible of $1,700

4. Inclusion of Pharmacy Plan and Copays

Dental Insurance

The City’s dental insurance is currently administered by Ameritas and is a standard plan that includes 80-100% coverage for preventative and basic care. The plan also includes just a 12-month waiting period for major services and has a benefit rollover component for qualifying plan members.

Vision Insurance

The City’s vision coverage is administered by The Standard and offers two plans. Plan 1 is Balanced Care Vision I and utilizes the VSP network. Plan 2 is Balanced Care Vision II and utilizes the EyeMed Access network. Both plans offer in-network and out-of-network coverage. The plans cover an annual eye examination, hardware allowance, and are subject to a deductible.

You can learn more about our organization on our website at www.rockymountnc.gov

The current benefits included in this RFP are the City’s group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans, the voluntary short-term and long-term disability plans, and the IRC 125 flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care. Current plan renewal dates are January 1.

2.2 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions, the Cities terms and conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors also are responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions, issues, or exceptions regarding any term, condition, or other component within this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in Section 2.4 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS. If the City determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The City may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation and amendment of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period.

Other than through this process, the City rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer.

By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded.

Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject

Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

Contact with anyone working for or with the City regarding this RFP other than the City Contract Specialist named on the face page of this RFP in the manner specified by this RFP shall constitute grounds for rejection of said Vendor’s offer, at the City’s election.

2.3 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The city will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time

Issue RFP City Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Submit Written Questions Vendor Thursday, June 11, 2026, 2:00 P.M.

http://www.rockymountnc.gov/

Provide Responses to Questions City Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Submit Proposals Vendor Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 2:00 P.M.

Contract Award City TBD

2.4 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Purpose: Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the above due date.

Instructions: Written questions shall be emailed to fantashia.dickens@rockymountnc.gov by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP # 320-050526FD: Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in a format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the City’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the City will be posted in the form of an addendum on the City of Rocky Mount Purchasing webpage https://www.rockymountnc.gov/Proposals.aspx, and/or the North Carolina Electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov/solicitations/, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction, or advice provided orally or informally by any City personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in an

Addendum to this RFP.

2.5 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Vendor shall bear the risk for late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay, whether submitted electronically, delivered by hand, U.S. Postal Service, courier, or other delivery service. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been submitted to this Office by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of submission will be marked on each proposal when received. Any proposal submitted after the proposal deadline will be rejected. For hand-delivered Proposals, please note that the Frederick E.

Turnage Municipal Building requires all visitors to sign in with the guard stationed on the first floor. Visitors will only have access through the building accompanied by a city employee.

Mailing address for delivery of proposal via US Postal Service

Office Address of delivery by any other method (special delivery, overnight, or any other carrier).

PROPOSAL NUMBER: 320-050526FD

Attn: Fantashia Dickens

City of Rocky Mount

PO BOX 1180

Rocky Mount, NC 27802

PROPOSAL NUMBER: 320-050526FD

Attn: Fantashia Dickens

City of Rocky Mount

331 S. Franklin Street

Rocky Mount, NC 27804

For proposals submitted via U.S. mail, please note that the U.S. Postal Service generally does not deliver mail to a specified street address but to the City’s Mail Service Center. Vendors are cautioned that proposals sent via U.S. Mail, including Express Mail, may not be delivered by the Mail Service Center to the department’s purchasing office on the due date in time to meet the proposal deadline. All Vendors are urged to take the possibility of delay into account when submitting a proposal by U.S. Postal Service, courier, or other delivery service. Attempts to submit a proposal via facsimile (FAX) machine, telephone, or email in response to this RFP shall NOT be accepted.

a) Submit one (1) signed, original executed proposal response, one [1] photocopy to the address identified in the table above.

mailto:fantashia.dickens@rockymountnc.gov https://www.rockymountnc.gov/Bids.aspx https://evp.nc.gov/solicitations/

b) Submit your proposal in a sealed package. Clearly mark each package with: (1) Vendor name; (2) the RFP number;

and (3) the due date. Address the package(s) for delivery as shown in the table above. If Vendor is submitting more than one (1) proposal, each proposal shall be submitted in separate sealed envelopes and marked accordingly. For delivery purposes, separate sealed envelopes from a single Vendor may be included in the same outer package.

Proposals are subject to rejection unless submitted with the information above included on the outside of the sealed proposal package.

Proposal Opening:

Proposals will be opened and read aloud at the Frederick E. Turnage Administrative Services Complex, 331 South

Franklin Street, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804, on the date and time specified on the cover sheet and RFP schedule.

2.6 AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT

All proposals, proposals, or other offers must be signed by an individual authorized to bind the firm contractually. The

City reserves the right to request documentation showing evidence of signatory authority (e.g., corporate resolution, operating agreement, power of attorney, or other verification). Failure to provide such documentation upon request may result in disqualification of the offer or rejection of the executed contract.

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Proposals are to be submitted in 8 1/2W x 11" size, typed and, if submitted in paper form, bound with a simple method of fastening. Lengthy narratives are discouraged; presentations should be brief and concise and not include extraneous or unnecessarily elaborate promotional material. The proposal should not exceed 50 pages in length, excluding appendices, if any. Proposers should use the following outline in organizing the contents of their proposals.

a) Cover Letter

The letter of transmittal shall, at a minimum, contain the following:

· Identification of the Proposer, including business name, address and telephone number.

· Name, title, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of a contact person during the period of proposal evaluation.

· Acknowledgement of RFP addenda received, if any.

· A statement that the proposal shall remain valid for a period of not fewer than ninety (90) days from the due date for proposals; and

· Signature of a person authorized to bind the offering firm to the terms of the proposal.

b) Table of Content: Immediately following the introduction and cover letter, insert a complete table of contents for material included in the proposal, including page numbers.

c) QUALIFICATIONS, RELATED EXPERIENCE AND REFERENCES

a. Overview: This section should establish the ability of the Proposer (and its subcontractors, if any) to satisfactorily perform the required work by reasons of: demonstrated competence in the services to be provided; the nature and relevance of similar work currently being performed or recently completed;

record of meeting schedules and deadlines of other clients; competitive advantages over other firms in the same industry; strength and stability as a business concern; and supportive client references.

Information should be furnished for both the Proposer and any subcontractors included in the offer.

b. Furnish background information about your firm, including date of founding, legal form (i.e., sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, corporation/state of incorporation), number and location of offices, principal lines of business, number of employees, days/hours of operation and other pertinent data.

Disclose any conditions (e.g., bankruptcy or other financial problems, pending litigation, planned office closures, impending merger) that may affect the Proposer’s ability to perform contractually. Certify that the firms is not debarred, suspended or otherwise declared ineligible to contract by any federal, state or local public agency.

c. Describe your firm's most noteworthy qualifications for providing the required services to The City of

Rocky Mount. Specifically highlight those qualifications that distinguish you from your competitors.

d. List all similar companies to which your firm has provided employee benefits insurance broker and consulting services.

e. Identify at least three (3) current clients (governmental references preferred) and up to three (3) former clients whom The City of Rocky Mount may contact as references and who can independently evaluate the Proposer's expertise in this area. Describe the work performed and include the name, job title, address and telephone number of a contact person for each reference.

f. Identify all lost or terminated accounts within the past three years. For each account, identify the account's line of business, describe the services your firm provided, and state the reasons for the end of your working relationship.

g. Describe other lines of business in which your firm is engaged.

h. If your organization is a subsidiary or division of a parent firm, provide similar background information on the parent company and identify any other affiliated companies.

i. Describe your firm's policy on accepting contingent commissions, or any other sources of income, revenue, consideration, compensation or overrides, in connection with services provided to your clients.

Describe your firm's disclosure policy. Indicate that any and all remuneration received by or credited to your firm for work performed for The City of Rocky Mount under this proposal will be paid to or credited to The City of Rocky Mount.

j. Disclose any existing or potential conflicts of interest between the scope of work required by The City of

Rocky Mount and your firm’s other business activities.

k. Furnish certificates of insurance showing the types and amounts of insurance carried by your firm.

l. Describe how your firm satisfies all requirements set forth in Section 4.0 of this RFP

d) STAFFING AND PROJECT ORGANIZATION

a. Overview: This section should discuss the staff who would be assigned to service The City of Rocky

Mount's account, their projected levels of work, and their reporting relationships.

b. Identify the key personnel from your firm who would be assigned to this project. Include a brief description of their qualifications, current job functions (including other accounts to which they are committed), proposed roles on The City of Rocky Mount account team, and office location(s). Designate a principal of the firm who would be ultimately responsible for the relationship and an Account Manager who would provide day-to-day direction of the required work. Furnish brief resumes (not more than two pages long) for all key personnel; include these as an appendix, not in the body of the proposal.

c. If more than two people will be assigned to The City of Rocky Mount's project, include a simple organization chart that clearly delineates communication and reporting relationships among the project staff.

e) WORK PLAN / TECHNICAL APPROACH

a. Overview: This section should establish the Proposer's understanding of The City of Rocky Mount's objectives and requirements, demonstrate the Proposer's ability to meet those requirements and outline clearly and concisely the plan for accomplishing the specified work.

b. Describe succinctly how your firm would accomplish the work and satisfy The City of Rocky Mount's objectives described in this RFP. If appropriate, divide the work into segments or tasks to represent milestones for measuring progress.

c. Attach as an appendix a sample insurance renewal proposal your firm prepared for a client of the size and complexity of The City of Rocky Mount. You may de-identify the client and otherwise exclude information deemed proprietary to the client.

d. List all the names of the insurance companies that underwrite 30% or more of your firm's book of business. Project whether you would approach the same markets on behalf of The City of Rocky Mount's account or source other markets.

f) FEE

a. Overview: This section should disclose all charges to be assessed The City of Rocky Mount for the

Scope of Work

b. Quote an annual total fixed flat fee for completing all requirements outlined in the Scope of Work.

c. For all fees requested above, quote for each of the three years of the Initial Term and for each of the potential two (2) option years that may follow. The annual total fixed fees shall be inclusive of all expenses and costs, including direct labor, indirect costs and profit.

d. State your preference for how payments should be made (e.g., monthly, quarterly, and semi-annually).

e. The broker/consultant's only permitted source of income, revenue or compensation earned or received in connection with The City of Rocky Mount's account is the annual total fixed flat fee paid by The City of Rocky Mount. Any other source of income, revenue, consideration, or compensation, including, but not limited to, commissions and overrides received by the broker/consultant in connection with The City of Rocky Mount's account, must be disclosed and either remitted to The City of Rocky Mount or subtracted from the fee receivable from The City of Rocky Mount. All receipts must be credited to the contractual fee or remitted to The City of Rocky Mount within 30 days of receipt.

g) EXCEPTIONS / DEVIATIONS

a. State any exceptions to or deviations from the requirements of this RFP, including the Standard

Agreement presented in Exhibit A. If you wish to present alternative approaches to meet The City of

Rocky Mount's work requirements, these should be thoroughly explained.

h) APPENDICES

a. Furnish as appendices those supporting documents (e.g., staff resumes) requested in the preceding instructions. Include any additional information you deem essential to a proper evaluation of your proposal, and which is not solicited in any of the preceding sections. Proposers are cautioned, however, that this does not constitute an invitation to submit large amounts of extraneous material; appendices should be relevant and brief

2.8 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

a) BUYER: The employee of the City or Other Eligible Entity that places an order with the Vendor.

b) CONTRACT LEAD: Representative of the City of Rocky Mount Purchasing Office who corresponds with potential

Vendors in order to identify and contract with that Vendor providing the greatest benefit to the City and who will administer this contract for the City.

c) QUALIFIED PROPOSAL: A responsive proposal submitted by a responsible Vendor.

d) RFP: Request for Proposal

e) SERVICES or SERVICE DELIVERABLES: The tasks and duties undertaken by the Vendor to fulfill the requirements and specifications of this solicitation.

f) VENDOR: Supplier, bidder, proposer, company, firm, corporation, partnership, individual or other entity submitting a response to a Request for Proposal.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

The City of Rocky Mount intends to award a single contract resulting from this RFP to the responsive and responsible proposer whose proposal is determined to be most advantageous to the City, based on the evaluation criteria set forth herein.

Evaluation Process

All proposals received by the submission deadline will be reviewed for completeness and responsiveness. Proposals that fail to meet the minimum qualifications set forth in Section A of the Evaluation Criteria will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered further.

Proposals deemed responsive and responsible will be evaluated and scored by an evaluation committee comprised of City staff. Each evaluator will independently score all qualifying proposals in accordance with the criteria and maximum point values identified in the Evaluation Criteria Summary. Individual scores will be consolidated and averaged to produce a final composite score for each proposer.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Criteria Description Max

Points

Firm Qualifications, Experience

& References

Depth and relevance of benefits consulting experience;

demonstrated government/public sector client experience;

quality of references (minimum four current clients preferred); record of meeting deadlines; and financial stability of the firm.

Staffing & Project Organization Qualifications and relevant experience of the assigned account team; clear identification of a designated principal and day-to-day account manager; reasonableness of proposed staffing levels and organizational structure relative to the scope of work.

Work Plan & Technical Approach Demonstrated understanding of the City’s benefit program objectives; clarity, completeness, and feasibility of the proposed methodology for annual renewals, benefit marketing, plan design recommendations, and open enrollment coordination and materials.

Ongoing Service, Compliance &

Reporting

Proposed approach to quarterly benefit plan performance reporting and claims analysis; monitoring of HIPAA, ACA, and applicable regulatory compliance; and delivery of actuarial services including annual cost projections, plan modification analysis, and budget planning support for the internal service fund.

Technology & Employee

Education

Experience supporting web-based benefits enrollment platforms; quality and effectiveness of proposed employee communication and education strategies; and approach to providing ongoing benefits guidance to City staff throughout the plan year.

Fee Proposal Reasonableness, completeness, and competitiveness of the proposed annual fixed flat fee for the initial three-year term and both optional one-year extensions. Full disclosure of all compensation sources; any commissions or overrides received in connection with the City’s account must be credited back to the City or deducted from the fee.

The City reserves the right to request clarifications of proposals; however, proposals must be complete upon submission.

Pricing may not be revised after the proposal’s due date. Award will be made to the responsible Vendor whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the City based on the evaluation criteria above.

Local Preference Policy. The only exception to the lowest responsive, responsible Proposer method of award will be the local preference policy. The preference will allow an Eligible Local Proposer to match the price and terms of the lowest responsible, responsive Proposer who is a Non-Local Vender, if the Eligible Local Proposer’s price is within five percent (5%) or $25,000, whichever is less, of the lowest responsible, responsive Non-Local Proposer's price .An eligible local vendor is one that is current on property taxes in the City of Rocky Mount and meets the qualifications set forth in the policy. An application can be found at https://www.rockymountnc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/583/Proposalders- Certification-for-Local-Preference-Application-PDF

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

During the evaluation period—from the date proposals are opened through the date the contract is awarded—each

Vendor submitting a proposal (including its representatives, sub-contractors and/or suppliers) is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using department, issuing department, other government department office, or body (including the purchaser named above, department secretary, department head, members of the general assembly and/or governor’s office), or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the contents of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform the contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals and/or the award of the contract. A Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from contract award, unless it is determined in the City’s discretion that the communication was harmless, that it was made without intent to influence and that the best interest of the City would not be served by the disqualification. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its sub-contractor and supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement to the date of contract award). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing department for this RFP or general inquiries directed to the purchaser regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the contract award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This Request for Proposal serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the Department; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. As such, all terms in the Request for Proposal shall be enforceable as contract terms in accordance with the General Contract Terms and Conditions. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and

“requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the Department will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the Department’s needs as described in the Request for Proposal. Except as specifically stated in the Request for Proposal, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the Department exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

A. GENERAL

All proposals received in accordance with these RFP instructions will be evaluated to determine if they are complete and meet the requirements specified in this RFP. The City will ordinarily award the contract to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. The City of Rocky Mount expressly reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no award under this RFP.

B. SELECTION PROCESS

1. Qualification Each proposal must contain appropriate detail to demonstrate satisfaction of each criterion and compliance with the performance provisions outlined in this RFP. To be deemed qualified and responsive, each bidder must demonstrate that it complies with all such criteria, provisions, and requirements in this RFP, including, but not limited to, the following minimum experience:

a. Possessing at least ten (10) years of benefits consulting experience;

b. Possessing at least five (5) years of benefits consulting experience with a government organization;

c. Managing self-insured and fully insured clients;

d. Managing Requests for Proposals (RFP) processes on behalf of the client;

e. Recommending, selecting, and implementing benefit vendors;

f. Obtaining stop-loss coverage;

g. Advising regarding wellness strategies;

h. Providing actuarial services;

i. Preparing benefit recommendations based on budget considerations and plan performance;

j. Providing marketing plan benefits and employee education; and

k. Possessing knowledge of federal and state laws pertaining to benefits and employee medical, such as HIPAA, Affordable Care Act (ACA), and any other applicable law.

4.1 CONTRACT TERM

If a contract is awarded through this RFP, it will be effective upon full execution of the agreement for an initial term commencing August 1, 2026, and ending July 31, 2029, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the provisions specified in the City of Rocky Mount Standard Agreement. Thereafter, the City of Rocky Mount reserves the right, at its sole option, to renew the contract up to a maximum of two (2) additional one-year terms extending through June 30, 2031. No agreement with the City of Rocky Mount shall be in effect until a contract has been approved by the City Council and has been signed by both parties.

4.2 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to Buyer for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges, handling, administrative, and other similar fees. Vendor shall not invoice for any amounts not specifically allowed for in this RFP. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM and include in Proposal.

4.3 INVOICES

a) The Vendor must submit one monthly invoice within fifteen (15) calendar days following the end of each month in which work was performed.

b) Invoices must be submitted to the following address: Accounts Payable

PO BOX 1180

Rocky Mount, NC 27802 or acctpayable@rockymountnc.gov

c) Vendor shall invoice the City of Rocky Mount Accounting Department. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single Invoices, meaning that the Vendor shall provide the Buyer with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed line-item information to allow the Buyer to verify pricing at the point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of the order. At a minimum, the following fields shall be included on all mailto:acctpayable@rockymountnc.gov invoices: Vendor’s Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number (if applicable), Dates of

Service, Purchase Order Number, Service Descriptions, Price, and Quantity. Payment amounts will be made on a NET 30-day pay period upon submission of an invoice.

4.4 MINORITY BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

Participation by MWBE firms or documented good-faith efforts to include MWBE participation where subcontracting opportunities exist, may be considered as part of the proposal evaluation, consistent with the criteria set forth in this solicitation.

MWBE FIRM OWNERSHIP STATUS ADDRESS WORK TYPE

4.5 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the City of Rocky Mount. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executives, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project, including resumes citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person.

4.6 REFERENCES

Vendors shall provide at least three (3) references for which your company has provided Services of a similar size and scope to that proposed herein. The City shall contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein, and the Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained shall be considered in the evaluation of the proposal. If the City of Rocky Mount references are provided it cannot be counted towards your three (3) required references, but may be included in addition to.

COMPANY NAME CONTACT NAME COMPANY EMAIL TELEPHONE NUMBER

Optional: City of Rocky Mount

4.7 BACKGROUND CHECK

Any personnel or agent of the Vendor performing Services under any contract arising from this RFP may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the City.

4.8 PERSONNEL

Vendor shall not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of this Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The city will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The City may, in its sole discretion, terminate the services of any person providing services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the City may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract services provided by such personnel.

4.9 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

a) Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner.

“Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the City under this Contract. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractors that may be approved by the City. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

b) If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this Contract are required for

Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the service and deliverables under this Contract or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies, and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and Deliverables.

c) Vendor warrants that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue performing its obligations under the contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

5.0 SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

1. Perform a Comprehensive Annual Review of Benefits

A. Review and assess employee benefit package for quality of benefits, cost effectiveness, competitiveness and effective plan administration at least annually.

B. Assist with annual benefit renewals, including contract and rate negotiations.

C. Recommend which benefit plans, if any, should be marketed.

2. Recommend Changes/Enhancements to Benefit Package

A. Evaluate and make a recommendation to the City regarding the most appropriate funding strategy for health and dental insurance (e.g., fully insured versus self-funding, etc.)

B. Make recommendations for plan benefit changes and/or enhancements and cost-containment strategies.

3. Recommend Changes/Enhancements to Wellness Program

A. Evaluate and make recommendations to the City for a wellness provider.

B. Make recommendations for changes, enhancements and/or cost containment strategies.

4. Market the City’s desired benefit package when appropriate.

A. Identify appropriate markets with input from the City; prepare and disseminate bid specifications; analyze bid packages in accordance with criteria provided by the City.

B. Market for the City’s desired insurance/benefit package to obtain the best premiums/fees for desired coverage or services. This includes assisting in the analysis of proposals, providing a written assessment of bids based on the City’s criteria and timeframe, and making a recommendation as to the selection of the best quote. Also, assist in negotiating and finalizing contracts.

C. Audit benefits contracts for accuracy of coverage, terms, and conditions, and notify the City of any condition that may be detrimental to the City’s rights or best interests.

5. Coordinate open enrollment, including web-based enrollment services, employee meetings, and preparation of materials.

A. Provide significant open enrollment support, including, but not limited to, developing a workable timeline, developing and providing open enrollment materials, conducting an appropriate number of open enrollment meetings to accommodate all benefited employees, providing enrollment counselors, and coordinating all technical aspects of online benefits enrollment/changes for open enrollment.

B. Develop and provide an annual Benefits booklet for all benefit-eligible employees detailing insurance and other benefit plans offered and eligibility requirements. These booklets should be distributed immediately preceding each open enrollment.

C. Assist in ongoing employee education strategies.

6. Monitor ongoing contracts, including third-party administrators, to ensure contract compliance and provide quarterly reporting for each benefit plan’s performance.

A. Track and report benefit plan performance quarterly, including claims analysis and benefit utilization.

B. Prepare annual reports, in any reasonable format requested in advance by the City, for each line of coverage, analyzing financial developments, network utilization, insurer cost structures, etc., and make recommendations regarding changes, modifications and/or benefit enhancements.

C. Assist with budget projections for future benefit costs

D. Perform actuarial services, including but not limited to:

· Annual cost projections

· Cost projections for plan modifications

· Determination of budget requirements

7. Provide ongoing service and support to City staff.

A. Provide a key contact person to be available to answer questions and resolve issues that arise during the year regarding employee benefits, claims, billing and service issues and contract administration.

B. Meet with City’s representatives as needed

C. Alert the City of pending legislation impacting benefits and monitor plan compliance with government regulations.

D. Provide advice and assistance with online benefits platform services.

E. Provide advice and assistance with HIPAA compliance.

F. Provide advice and assistance with Affordable Care Act planning and compliance.

G. Provide general assistance in administering the group health insurance plans, wellness programs, contracts with third-party claims administrators and other health care vendors; respond to questions from and provide information to staff, and provide any other special consulting services as listed in the contract for services or later authorized by The City of Rocky Mount City during the course of the plan year

H. Assist the City in providing all information required by any third-party actuary engaged by the City to complete its annual OPEB and IBNR valuation reporting.

I. Represent The City of Rocky Mount City in negotiations with providers/carriers on all issues including those relating to premiums, benefit levels, plan design, and special terms and conditions.

J. Provide budget projections for the internal service fund financial plan.

8. Perform other related consultation services as necessary.

5.2 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

Vendor shall describe the organizational and operational structure it proposes to utilize for the work described in this

RFP and identify the responsibilities to be assigned to each person Vendor proposes to staff the work.

5.3 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

In the event acceptance criteria for any work or deliverables are not described in contract documents or work orders hereunder, the City shall have the obligation to notify Vendor, in writing, ten (10) calendar days following completion of such work or deliverable described in the Contract that it is not acceptable. The notice shall specify in reasonable detail the reason(s) it is unacceptable. Acceptance by the City shall not be unreasonably withheld but may be conditioned or delayed as required for reasonable review, evaluation, installation, or testing, as applicable, of the work or deliverable.

Final acceptance is expressly conditioned upon completion of all applicable assessment procedures. Should the work or deliverables fail to meet any requirements, acceptance criteria, or otherwise fail to conform to the contract, the City may exercise any and all rights hereunder, including, for deliverables, such rights provided by the Uniform Commercial

Code as adopted in North Carolina.

5.4 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

If this Contract is not renewed at the end of the term, or is canceled prior to its expiration, for any reason, Vendor shall provide, at the option of the City, up to 3 months after such end date all such reasonable transition assistance requested by the City, to allow for the expired or canceled portion of the Services to continue without interruption or adverse effect, and to facilitate the orderly transfer of such Services to the City or its designees. If the City exercises this option, the

Parties agree that such transition assistance shall be deemed to be governed by the terms and conditions of this Contract

(notwithstanding this expiration or cancellation), except for those Contract terms or conditions that do not reasonably apply to such transition assistance. The City shall pay Vendor for any resources utilized in performing such transition assistance at the most current rates provided by the Contract for performance of the Services or other resources utilized.

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 STANDARD AGREEMENT

The Proposer selected for contract award through this RFP shall be required to enter into a written agreement with the

City of Rocky Mount. The Standard Agreement for professional services presented in Exhibit A of this RFP is the contract proposed for execution. It may be modified to incorporate other pertinent terms and conditions set forth in this RFP, including those added by addendum, and to reflect the Proposer's offer or the outcome of contract negotiations, if any.

Exceptions and requested changes to the terms and conditions of the Standard Agreement, or the Proposer's inability or unwillingness to comply with any of the provisions of the Standard Agreement, must be declared in the proposal and will be considered as part of the proposal-evaluation process.

6.2 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

The parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally.