Benefits Consulting and Actuarial Services

Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners is soliciting competitive sealed proposals under RFP-27-00026 for benefits consulting and actuarial services supporting its employee benefits and wellness programs, with proposals due December 9, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time through the County's Euna Procurement system. Small Business Enterprise participation earns five bonus evaluation points.

Several compliance items are mandatory. A notarized affidavit denying involvement with a Foreign Country of Concern must accompany the proposal if the awardee would receive access to individuals' personal identifying information under Florida Statute 287.138. A Drug-Free Workplace certification is required of all bidders as a condition of eligibility. The County's cybersecurity requirements apply, with security questionnaires completed before award, and the Business Associate Agreement governs any protected health information, with breach reporting due within two business days (24 hours for security incidents).

Scope covers strategic advisory for approximately 12,000 covered members across the County and seven participating agencies, including the Administrative Office of the Courts, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Children's Board, Property Appraiser, Tampa Hillsborough County Expressway Authority, and Tampa Sports Authority. Work includes self-funded medical and pharmacy plan consulting, actuarial analysis, claims analytics, pharmacy benefits management evaluation, wellness strategy, retiree health planning, vendor management, compliance support, and implementation assistance. Key personnel include a Lead Benefits Consultant, a dedicated in-house actuary, a pharmacy consultant, a medical claims and data analytics lead, and an account manager. Performance guarantees must place no less than ten percent of the annual consulting fee at risk, subject to negotiation and County approval. Commission-based compensation is prohibited, and vendor neutrality is required. Cybersecurity standards reference CIS Critical Security Controls v8, NIST frameworks, and SOC 2 Type II for cloud or SaaS offerings handling confidential data, and they prohibit using County data for AI or ML training without prior written approval.

Insurance must come from Florida-authorized carriers rated A- Class 7 or better by A.M. Best, including professional liability of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 per claim, commercial general liability of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 depending on scope, and cyber liability of $1,000,000 per claim or incident. No proposal or performance bonds are required.

The estimated project value is $1,208,376.34 over a five-year term, with no renewal options specified. The annual fixed consulting fee must be comprehensive and include all deliverables, meetings, reports, data management, and travel, priced on the County's Bid Pricing Table lines 1-1 through 1-3.

Evaluation weights technical approach and work plan at 45 points, cost at 20 points, organization and staff qualifications at 20 points, and relevant experience and references at 15 points, plus five bonus points for Small Business Enterprise participation. A Cone of Silence prohibits communications with County employees and Board members about this procurement.