Full Service Employee Benefits Broker

The Vendor is required to provide Full Service Employee Benefits Broker to assist in the strategic planning, analysis, implementation and ongoing management of the City’s fully insured health benefits program.
- The broker will provide expert guidance to ensure the program meets organizational goals in terms of cost effectiveness, compliance, and employee satisfaction.
- Compensation will be on an annual fee-for-service basis.
- Our Medical, Dental, and Vision plans are fully insured. In addition to our standard Medical, Dental, and Vision plans, we also offer EAP, LTD, Life Insurance, COBRA, FSA and a supplemental benefits platform.
- The broker will work with the city to build and maintain an innovative and competitively priced benefits package that serves to attract and retain employees.
- Provide data-driven recommendations that optimize the value of the fully insured health plan. Using historical and program data to establish both short-term and long-term strategies that support the city’s needs.
- Enhance communication and understanding of benefits among employees.
- Administrative support
• Provide a dedicated account manager team that offers excellent customer service and day-today support for the benefits team, as needed.
• Maintain contracts, amendments and a complete list of policies, carriers, renewal dates, and rates.
- Strategic planning and analysis
• Annually evaluate plan performance including cost, utilization, and employee feedback.
• Benchmark the plan against market standards and competitor offerings and alignment with budgeting cycle.
• recommend plan design modifications based on analysis of claims trends, workforce demographics, and cost-containment strategies.
- Carrier management
• Help the city find and evaluate new or replacement insurance providers, voluntary benefits, and administrative services as needed. 
• Join in any meetings or discussions with these providers when necessary.
• Liaise with insurance carriers to review and negotiate renewals and service agreements.
• Conduct proposals if alternate carrier quotes are desired and present findings to the city selection committee.
• Benchmark and evaluate carrier performance, including claims data and processing, network adequacy, and service responsiveness. 
• This should, at minimum, include utilization, medical services, pharmacy.
- Communication
• Annually, help with open enrollment communication materials, including updating the digital benefits guide, reflecting changes for following year. 
• Work with carriers to create narrated plan presentations, and virtual open enrollment presentations.
• Provide day-to-day communication material updates for existing employees and new employees.
• Prepare and distribute, when requested, any communication component that supports benefit programming.
• Help the city with the implementation and communication of new programs or benefits as well as changes to existing programs or benefits.
- Compliance & regulatory support
• Interpret contract language including all materials provided by vendors. 
• Review all contracts and plan documents and advocate for changes as needed.
• Provide a calendar of all compliance events with reminders, that the employer needs to complete.
• Assist in preparation of any compliance filings or reviews.
• Provide the city with the federal mainland poverty level for single-person premium amount for aca compliance annually.
• Monitor regulatory updates, ensuring the plan remains compliant with all federal, state and local regulations, recommending any needed changes and assist with annual audit.
• Help the city with HIPAA compliance issues and processes.
• work with the city attorney’s office on complex legal benefits issues.
- Budget: $473 million
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Virtual Pre-Proposal Conference Date: July 17, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: July 25, 2025