Benefits Consulting Services

The vendor is required to provide benefits consulting services for include:
- Benefits and wellness program management
• Provide on-going monitoring, evaluation, and review of all city benefits and wellness programs throughout the year.
• The contractor should provide recommendations on a frequency determined by the city, and upon request by the city.
• Meet weekly with the department benefits team and respond to ad-hoc questions by staff.
• Assist the city with claim problems, billing questions, policy interpretation, and other carrier issues.
• Coordinate meetings to review carrier performance and other issues.
• The city, attend meetings with city council, the city administration, department wellness staff, and department leadership
• To meet a multi-year strategy for the city, develop a project/strategy benefits and wellness calendar for the upcoming year as well as future years
• Work directly with department and the city’s department of finance, other city executives, and others as deemed necessary
- Annual renewal services
• Provide benefits information and comparisons to surrounding localities in order to assist the city with making effective, comprehensive, and competitive decisions.
• Review medical plans by rate tier, recommending alternative contribution approaches and financing mechanisms.
• Prepare solicitation specifications, as required for current benefits and benefits added to the program
review solicitations and assist with evaluation of proposals and bids and attend interviews and panel meetings
• Evaluate proposed renewal projections of providers and assist the city with obtaining the most favorable terms, assisting in the acquisition of any necessary documents
- Plan design / funding / accounting
• Provide guidance on industry trends, regulations, and laws to inform the population health strategy for both benefits and wellness.
• Present and/or respond to alternative plan considerations (and associated costs) based on identified objectives or as the city’s needs change.
• Analyze monthly claim experience, including city employee health clinic claims and utilization (clinic provided by marathon health or their successor), to identify large claims and trends.
• Analyze claim utilization data to identify areas of over-utilization, including recommendations for cost management opportunities.
• Evaluate provider network
- Member services and communications
• Provide open enrollment services including enrollment campaign(s), producing communication materials (benefits guide, memos, etc.), conducting meetings to explain plans and benefits, and any other benefits communication tools needed by department
• Manage a year-round “benefits service center” for the city’s benefits programs, to include a “self-service” feature for use by city employees within the benefits portal provided pursuant to herein
i. Answer plan members’ questions related to their benefits,
ii. Assist employees in making benefits choices throughout the year, and
iii. Fielding phone calls and emails (approximately 75 – 100 calls and 50+ emails per week).
iv. Manage voluntary and discount programs for the city.
• Provide plan communication services, including periodic written summaries of benefits, keeping the city informed when benefits change
• Provide act and other benefit-related training, as requested. assist with act notifications and other federal compliance issues.
• Provide benefits and wellness communications support throughout the year including creation of videos and interactive tools.
- Client advisory services
• Communicate emerging practices and trends in benefits management.
• Update the city on regulatory and legislative compliance issues affecting the city’s benefits programs
• Conduct periodic seminars for the city’s benefits staff on various benefit topics
• Assist in contract/legislative interpretations and legal compliance, provided however, the contractor shall not provide or perform any legal services for the city under this contract.
• Participate in a pre-renewal meeting with the city for health and dental benefits, 4- 6 months in advance of renewal
• Benchmark and survey information to determine plan competitiveness and overall strategies
• Provide reminders for employee notification requirements as well as updates to notifications.
- Reporting
• Respond to the city’s department benefits and wellness team in a timely manner, providing answers to questions within 24 hours of submission
• Provide monthly detailed reports, related to utilization and work with vendors, to provide reports for all benefits.
• Track and report progress on benefit plans on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
i. Coordinate with benefit providers, including the city’s employee health clinic provider (marathon health or their successor), to obtain relevant performance data.
ii. Provide performance data analysis.
iii. Perform OPEB compliance and analyze data for actuarial evaluations.
iv. Assist department with evaluations of vendor performance and quarterly service reviews.
- Contract Period/Term: 2 years
- Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Meeting Date: April 23, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: April 28, 2025