Leave of Absence Programs Services

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is soliciting proposals for comprehensive Leave of Absence Programs Services through RFP P-2089496, seeking a vendor to administer Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Short-Term Disability (STD), and Long-Term Disability (LTD) programs for approximately 3,700 eligible employees. The contract will span five calendar years with two potential one-year extensions, commencing January 1, 2026. Key deliverables include creative claims administration with streamlined technology, strong customer service, robust reporting capabilities, and proactive absence management. The vendor must prepare comprehensive underwriting submissions, contact insurance carriers, compare quotes, and recommend a carrier by September 22, 2025, with all insurance providers required to maintain a Best Rating of A- or better. The pre-proposal conference is scheduled for July 23, 2025, at 11:00 AM Central Time, with proposals due on August 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM Central Time. The selected contractor will be responsible for program implementation, transition management, and semi-annual claims data evaluation.

The solicitation includes a 15% Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) participation goal, indicating a commitment to supporting diverse business participation. Current claims data reveals 1,261 FMLA claims in 2024, 720 FMLA claims year-to-date in 2025, 228 Short-Term Disability claims in 2024, and 720 Short-Term Disability claims year-to-date in 2025. The existing programs are self-insured for Short-Term Disability and fully insured for Long-Term Disability, with distinct coverage levels for Operators and All Other Employees. Required insurance coverages include Commercial General Liability ($2,000,000 per occurrence), Commercial Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), Workers' Compensation, Employers Liability Insurance, Professional Liability, and Cyber Liability. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the program and the large employee count suggest a significant contract value. The solicitation emphasizes the need for a vendor capable of seamlessly integrating FMLA, ADA, STD, LTD, and Workers' Compensation claims management with existing DART infrastructure.