Workers' compensation administration

Ulster County Department of General Services is requesting proposals for third-party workers' compensation administration services for the Ulster County Self-Insurance Plan, with sealed proposals due July 17, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. No incumbent has held a substantially similar contract within the past five years, opening this as a fully competitive opportunity.

The scope covers comprehensive claim management, claims administration, loss reporting, financial reporting, cost savings analysis, and statutory reporting for approximately 7,728 county full- and part-time employees plus approximately 959 volunteer firefighters. The plan's five-year average annual volume includes 171 new incident-only claims, 99 new medical-only claims, 189 new lost-time claims, 45 medical-only tail claims, and 340 lost-time tail claims. The administrative pool encompasses 62 fire departments, 18 towns, 4 villages, 6 school districts, and various county entities across Ulster County. As of May 31, 2026, cumulative incurred claims total $173.2 million across 27,518 claims, with $13.4 million in reserves outstanding.

Respondents must submit itemized fee schedules covering per-claim charges, administrative fees, and specialized services including nurse case management, legal representation, investigation, and data transfer. The vendor must maintain professional liability insurance, comply with New York State prevailing wage and Ulster County Living Wage Act requirements (applicable to contracts exceeding $50,000), and execute a Business Associate Agreement for HIPAA compliance.

The contract runs January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2029, with County options to renew for two additional one-year terms under identical prices and conditions. Evaluation criteria are Overall Plan to Provide Required Services (30 points), Fee/Pricing Proposal (25 points), Qualifications and Experience (25 points), Understanding of County's Goals and Objectives (15 points), and Local Economic Development (5 points). The selection committee will evaluate proposals the week of July 27, 2026, with finalist interviews the week of August 3, 2026, and Notice of Intent to Award expected mid-August 2026. Contract inception would begin September 1, 2026, with transition completion by January 1, 2027.