Employee Benefits Consultant Services

Polk County Public Schools in Florida is seeking an Employee Benefits Consultant Services contract through Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) 023-DW-0125, targeting a qualified consulting firm to collaborate on employee insurance product purchasing. The district requires a comprehensive consultant to address evolving benefits challenges, including transitioning third-party administration of its health plan, expanding wellness programs, and developing creative solutions for managing benefit costs. The initial contract period will be three years with options for two additional one-year renewals, beginning February 4, 2025. Proposals are due by November 14, 2024, at 3:00 PM, with anticipated board approval of the recommended award on January 28, 2025. The selected consultant will serve approximately 12,000 employees across 115 K-12 schools, providing services such as financial analysis, contract negotiations, compliance guidance, wellness program development, and strategic planning. Evaluation criteria will likely include the consultant's ability to address funding challenges, explore innovative approaches to employee health engagement, and provide strategic insights beyond traditional service capabilities.

The district has established participation goals for Minority-Owned & Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE), Local Developing Businesses (LDB), and Veterans Business Enterprise (VBE) subcontractors, requiring detailed documentation of subcontractor participation percentages. Currently, the district offers a free PPO health plan with medical coverage through BCBSFL, health clinics operated with HealthStat, and various insurance plans administered by providers like The Standard, Delta Dental, and Avesis. The incumbent vendor is RobinsonBush Consulting, which has been providing services at $13,000 per month under a contract effective July 1, 2024. The district currently uses the Benefitfocus benefits platform and is transitioning to a new third-party administrator (Meritain) and pharmacy benefit manager (Welldyne) effective January 1, 2025. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly detailed, the district has historically operated on a fee-only consulting basis and is open to exploring alternative compensation models for the new contract.