RFP 26036 ¿ accgov voluntary, disability, life & FML benefits

The Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, seeks competitive proposals through RFP 26036 for fully insured voluntary benefits administration and coverage for its 2027 plan year. The procurement encompasses voluntary accident and critical illness insurance, long-term disability insurance, term life and supplemental life insurance with accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) benefits, whole life insurance, and Family and Medical Leave (FML) administration services. The county anticipates serving approximately 1,500 benefit-eligible active employees and 800 retirees, including pre-65 retirees, spouses, domestic partners, and children up to age 26. Proposals must address fully insured premium rates across multiple product categories with guaranteed issue provisions, detailed implementation plans for an effective date of January 1, 2027, dedicated account management resources, comprehensive data security and privacy compliance documentation, sample communications materials including ID cards and explanations of benefits, employer portal capabilities, and monthly financial and utilization reporting. The evaluation process consists of two phases: Phase 1 assesses technical approach on 70 points, evaluating vendor understanding of requirements, public sector experience, staff qualifications, quality assurance plans, additional benefits and services, and references; Phase 2 evaluates pricing on 20 points. Bidders must submit all proposals electronically through the OpenGov Procurement platform by 2:00 P.M. ET on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, with the written questions deadline set for 2:00 P.M. ET on Monday, April 27, 2026, and proposals remain valid for 120 days from receipt. The proposed contract includes an initial 12-month term with four additional one-year automatic renewal options, with either party entitled to non-renewal upon 60 days' written notice.

Interested vendors must satisfy specific insurance requirements including workers' compensation, commercial general liability, professional liability, cyber liability, and umbrella liability coverage, and must comply with Georgia's Security and Immigration Compliance Act requirements. The incumbent provider is Unum Life Insurance Company of America, which currently administers the voluntary benefits program and has provided historical claims data and premium rates for reference. Vendors must integrate with the county's existing benefits administration platform through bswift, with total annual platform fees ranging from $87,000 to $90,000; currently the provider covers $70,000 to $75,000 of these costs, with commissions structured at 10 percent to EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants and 7 percent to support bswift platform administration. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restricted vendor classes are identified in the procurement documents. Historical claims experience demonstrates a five-year average annual life insurance claims payout of approximately $645,000, based on 168 total claims from January 2021 through December 2025, while long-term disability claims experience shows total incurred losses of $1,136,110 against paid premiums of $1,879,490 from June 2020 through January 2026. The county's benefits-eligible population and historical claims experience provide a stable cost baseline for vendor pricing submissions.