AmeriCorp Member Insurance Coverage

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is advertising an intended single-source procurement of AmeriCorps member health insurance coverage from Special Markets Insurance Consultants, Inc. (SMIC), with a 15 business day notice period ending June 18, 2026; this is a statutorily mandated advertisement, not a request for competitive bids or proposals.

The procurement covers health insurance for approximately 65 AmeriCorps members serving with the Florida Conservation Corps, a 28-year-old program within the Division of Recreation and Parks. Members perform habitat restoration, trail accessibility improvements, environmental education, volunteer recruitment, and disaster relief work on 1,700-hour full-time terms. Coverage runs one year with a maximum of 364 days per member; no renewal or extension options are permitted.

SMIC holds the exclusive vendor authorization for The Corps Network Health Plan, which is specifically designed for AmeriCorps members and meets federal AmeriCorps minimum benefit requirements, including physician services, hospitalization, emergency care, prescription drugs, and mental health and substance abuse coverage with defined deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. The plan is underwritten by Cigna Healthcare and complies with the Affordable Care Act.

The single-source justification rests on federal law: AmeriCorps members are statutorily ineligible for state employee health insurance under the Department of Management Services, as required by the National and Community Service Act of 1990. SMIC is the sole authorized vendor meeting this requirement.

The estimated contract value is $254,000 for one year. Funding derives from federal AmeriCorps grant funds awarded through Volunteer Florida under Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 94.006. Volunteer Florida has accepted this program arrangement.