Employee Benefits Consultant

The City of Tucson is seeking a qualified Employee Benefits Consultant through Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 240238, with proposals due on October 22, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. local Arizona time. The procurement targets comprehensive consulting services for the city's benefits program, covering approximately 4,200 benefits-eligible employees and 4,000 benefits-eligible retirees. The consultant will provide strategic support for selecting, purchasing, implementing, administering, and renewing employee benefits, with specific responsibilities including tracking medical and dental claims experience, developing monthly reporting and analysis, creating rate equivalents for medical plans, and providing regulatory compliance guidance. Key deliverables include actuarial and underwriting capabilities, medical and clinical reviews, benefits communication, RFP preparation, contract negotiation, and preparing various plan documents and reports. The City became self-insured for medical coverage in July 2019 and will transition to self-insured dental coverage on July 1, 2025. The contract will be an initial one-year term with options to extend for up to four additional one-year periods. Proposal evaluation will be based on qualifications and experience, method of approach, and pricing, though specific point allocations were not detailed in the documentation.

The RFP suggests openness to various types of consulting firms, with potential emphasis on minority and women-owned businesses, as indicated by the attached ARPA Terms and Conditions document outlining Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) participation guidelines. While no specific set-aside designations were explicitly stated, federal guidelines suggest preferences for disadvantaged businesses. The procurement documents indicate a comprehensive approach that would require vendors to provide an all-inclusive annual fee covering direct and indirect costs, including labor, overhead, materials, printing, travel, and mileage. Although a specific budget range was not specified, the scope of services suggests a substantial contract value given the complexity of managing benefits for over 8,000 employees and retirees. The consulting services will need to support the city's transition to self-insured dental coverage and provide strategic guidance on benefits management, wellness programs, and compliance. Vendors will be expected to demonstrate expertise in clinical consulting, vendor performance evaluation, and data-driven plan design recommendations.