Employee Benefits Consulting Services (Re-Bid)

The City of Tampa is requesting proposals for Employee Benefits Consulting Services under an RFP with proposals due October 22, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., to replace the current agreement with Gallagher Benefit Services ending January 31, 2027, with no remaining renewal options. A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for October 8, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at the City of Tampa Purchasing Department.

The scope encompasses comprehensive health plan performance analysis (semi-annually minimum), budget preparation, incurred-but-not-reported funding estimates, healthcare trust management and negotiations, health plan management and vendor selection including RFP development and evaluation, plan amendment review, regulatory filings, employee wellness program evaluation, and open enrollment support. The consultant must also provide dedicated Section 457 Deferred Compensation plan consulting including quarterly investment monitoring, plan provider reviews, investment policy evaluation, fiduciary training, and record keeper RFP assistance. Optional services include medical plan clinical audits and pharmacy claims audits.

The City serves approximately 2,900 full-time employees and 600 retirees; sworn Police and Fire employees (approximately 1,650) transitioned to an external healthcare trust effective January 1, 2021. The contract term is three years with one optional three-year renewal period and supplemental unilateral extension periods of up to three thirty-day periods.

Key personnel must have five years of experience providing similar services to a public entity within the past five years, with the lead consultant based in the Tampa Bay area. For deferred compensation services, the consultant must be a registered investment advisor under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, fee-only with no commissions, in business for at least five years as of January 1, 2026, and hold five years of investment consulting experience with public defined contribution plans. The firm must be independent with no financial or operational ties to potential benefit service providers without written City approval.

Evaluation considers responsiveness, ability and capacity, experience, client references, and Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) participation weighting. Proposals must include completed questionnaires (Attachments C and D), firm history, experience overview, innovative solutions, personnel resumes, customer service philosophy, compliance statements, pricing on Attachment F, and accessibility conformance documentation to WCAG 2.2 Level AA and Section 508 standards. The City reserves rights to conduct interviews, request financial statements, and negotiate best and final offers.