Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHR)

Metrocare Services is requesting proposals for comprehensive administration services for an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) covering approximately 1,000 employees across Texas, with proposals due September 24, 2026, at 2:00 pm Central Time via the OpenGov Procurement portal.

Metrocare is committed to providing equitable opportunities to certified Small Business Enterprises (SBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB), Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE), and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB). Vendors must comply with Texas Government Code Chapter 176 conflict-of-interest disclosures and prohibitions on boycotting Israel and energy companies.

The scope encompasses plan design and implementation, ongoing administration, compliance and regulatory support, employee eligibility and enrollment administration, employee support services, technology platform requirements, payroll and Workday system integration, reporting and analytics, and account management services. The ICHRA will support multiple plan design options including Bronze and Gold level coverage at Employee Only and Employee + Family tiers. Metrocare's employee population includes active employees, retirees, and COBRA participants, with annual salaries ranging from approximately $37,000 to $333,000, predominantly in Texas with select out-of-state locations.

Vendors must demonstrate a minimum of five years of ICHRA administration experience and the ability to support employers with at least 500 employees. Required submissions include a completed Conflict of Interest Questionnaire, 2024 W-9 form, Certificate of Insurance, pricing table, sample reports, and four client references from the past three years. Vendors must provide evidence of professional liability and cyber liability insurance and maintain SOC 2 certification or equivalent security protocols.

Pricing is structured on a per-employee-per-month (PEPM) basis for ACA affordability coverage options, with separate line items for one-time implementation costs, Workday integration fees, Medicare consulting, annual document fees, compliance services, platform fees, and Medicare education and support services.

The contract will be awarded on a best value basis to a single vendor or multiple vendors at Metrocare's discretion, with an anticipated annual term and renewal options subject to price adjustment agreements submitted at least 120 days prior to renewal. Evaluation allocates 30 percent to company experience with similar projects, 30 percent to methodology approach including service quality and implementation timeline, 30 percent to technology platform experience and user interface, and 10 percent to cost. A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting was held September 18, 2026. The question submission deadline was September 21, 2026.