26-006 Retirement Services

The City of Sandy Springs, Georgia is seeking qualified consultants to serve as a Retirement Services Advisor through Request for Proposals (RFP) #26-006, with a submission deadline of October 2, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. EST via the Bonfire Portal. The procurement encompasses ongoing advisory services for the City's 401(a) and 457(b) retirement plans, serving 648 total employees (547 full-time eligible) with combined plan assets of approximately $105.6 million as of June 30, 2025. The selected consultant must provide comprehensive plan consulting and fiduciary support in accordance with ERISA 3(21) Co-Fiduciary standards, including plan-level services such as investment policy review, annual retirement education calendars, quarterly advisory committee meetings, vendor contract negotiations, and recordkeeper evaluations, as well as individual employee-level services including enrollment assistance, one-on-one meetings, investment diversification recommendations, and dedicated financial advisor support. Minimum qualifications require at least five years of retirement consulting experience, SEC or state securities regulator registration, registered investment adviser status, maintenance of a local metro-Atlanta service team, absence of conflicts of interest regarding recordkeepers, and agreement to execute a contract governed by Georgia law with venue in Fulton County. Pricing must be submitted as either a percentage of plan assets in basis points or as fixed fees on separate schedules for each plan, with all rates being all-inclusive of labor, travel, materials, and overhead. The City will evaluate proposals using a best value methodology considering technical capabilities, past performance with public sector clients, and cost proposals, with the right to conduct formal interviews, request best and final offers, and reject all proposals. A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for September 15, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. via Microsoft Teams, with questions due by September 18, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST. The initial contract term runs from the effective date through June 30, 2026, with the City holding an exclusive option to renew for three additional one-year periods contingent upon annual appropriations.

The RFP does not contain any disclosed set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to specific types of organizations based on disadvantaged enterprise status. One Digital is the current incumbent contractor providing retirement services and is eligible to rebid, with Dave Griffin identified as the plans' lead consultant; additionally, the City's existing investment consultant is invited to respond. Prospective offerors must comply with the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act, Drug-Free Workplace requirements, and E-Verify verification, and must obtain appropriate certifications such as CFP, CFA, or CPFA designations. Required submittals include a fully executed contract with all exhibits, technical and cost proposals, corporate certificates, compliance certifications, insurance documentation with professional liability and fiduciary liability coverage minimums of $3,000,000, and acknowledgment of all addenda. No specific contract value or budget range is disclosed in the available procurement documents; pricing will be determined through competitive proposal evaluation and negotiation based on the consultant's fee structure and the City's selection decision. All required documents must be submitted by October 2, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. EST to be considered, and the City reserves the right to conduct further negotiations regarding scope, fees, and final contract terms.