City of Avondale Sealed Solicitation
Title: COBRA Administration Services ("Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act")
Deadline: 3/23/2021 5:00 PM (UTC-07:00) Arizona
Status: In Review
Solicitation Number: HR 21-037
Description: The City of Avondale (“City”) is seeking professional and qualified vendors to provide administrative services for the City’s Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). The resultant contractor shall have full knowledge, experience, capability and resourcefulness to implement and effectively administer the City’s COBRA administration, including eligible claims reimbursement, record keeping, enrollment services, participant education and communications in accordance with the IRS guidelines. The effective date for administrative services implemented as a result of this RFP will July 1, 2021.
Pre-Bid Meeting Details: A Pre-Submittal Conference is NOT scheduled for this Solicitation
Documents:
| Documents as of 3/12/2021 |
|---|
| RFP 21-037 COBRA Administration Services final.pdf |
| How to respond to an online bid.pdf |
Addition 1
Posted: 3/24/2021
Type of Addition: In Review
Overview: The City Received Proposals from a total of 5 firms as listed alphabetically: 1. ASI Flex; 2. BCBS w/BASIC; 3.FBA; 4. HRPro; and 5. WEX.
Addition 2
Posted: 4/1/2021
Type of Addition: Notice of Intent to Award Announcement
Overview: Announcement attached.
Documents:
Question 1
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Total number of benefit eligible employees:
Response: Approximately 570.
Question 2
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Out of the total number benefit eligible, how many active employees are enrolled in Medical, Dental, Vision (i.e. enrolled in a COBRA eligible benefit):
Response: 8 enrolled in COBRA with 2 possible for COBRA.
Question 3
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Do you utilize a Ben Admin/HRIS platform? If so, who?
Response: Yes, ADP Benefit Module.
Question 4
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Does the Ben Admin/HRIS charge a file integration fee? If so, how much?
Response: No integration fee.
Question 5
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Is the City utilizing a consultant/broker for this solicitation? If so, please provide the name of office and individual:
Response: The City intends to have a COBRA vendor selected and a contract awarded by April 1, 2021. The City used Hays Companies for the initial RFP HR 21-024 Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Benefits, however did not secure COBRA Administration Services with through the resultant-highest- scoring vendor through which the Medical, FSA, and HSA administration services will be contracted.
Question 6
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: What are the 3 most important pieces the City will be looking for in a new vendor?
Response: Accuracy, Communication, and Reconciliation of COBRA Accounts Accurately.
Question 7
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Reason for marketing?
Response: The City used Hays Companies for the initial RFP HR 21-024 Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Benefits, however did not secure COBRA Administration Services with through the resultant-highest- scoring vendor through which the Medical, FSA, and HSA administration services will be contracted.
Question 8
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: What is the likelihood of moving to a new COBRA administrator this year:
Response: Highly likely. See response to questions 5 and 6.
Question 9
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: How many total employees does the City currently have?
Response: Approximately 625 counting part time.
Question 10
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: How many eligible employees does the City currently have?
Response: Approximately 570.
Question 11
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: How many active enrolled employees does the City currently have?
Response: Approximately 430 employees.
Question 12
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: How many are COBRA active?
Response: There are 8 with 2 more eligible.
Question 13
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Why is the City of Avondale going out to bid?
Response: See response to question 5.
Question 14
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Are there any service issues with the current administrator?
Response: No issues with the current vendor. The City will be securing Medical, Vision, Dental and Life Insurance, under a separate arrangement from year’s past. (See response to question 5.)
Question 15
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Is their any portion of the plan functionality you are hoping to improve if moved to a new vendor?
Response: Reconciliation of Retirement system subsidies.
Question 16
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Does the City of Avondale work with a Brokerage group?
Response: See response to question 5.
Question 17
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Is there an existing file vendor in place that your COBRA vendor would need to coordinate with?
Response: Yes.
Question 18
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: 1. What is your overall employee count? Number of Benefit Eligible? 2. How many are actively on COBRA currently requiring takeover? 3. How many qualifying events do you estimate to have each year? 4. Your RFP is not clear on terms/dis-enrollments. Does the City of Avondale and/or broker notify carriers of initial terminations? What about the responsibility of dis-enrolling participants when their COBRA term ends? 5. Please explain what you mean by: "Ability to reconcile Arizona State Retirement System and Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (“ASRS” and “PSRPS”) COBRA checks" 6. Your RFP consistently says "with original ink signature" as this RFP is to be submitted electronically, I assume a signed signature on the .pdf will suffice? 7. You show anticipated agreement start date as 4/1/2021 but services starting 7/1/2021. Confirming these are correct.
Response: 19.1. See previous response 19.2 See previous response 19.3. This depends on retirement but average 15. 19.4. City of Avondale notifies carrier of terminations, vendor is responsible for disenrolling participants when Cobra ends and notifies City. 19.5. Currently the City receives retirement subsidies for health care when an employee retires. Vendor currently adjusts Cobra premium and reconciles accounts. 19.6. A digital signature is acceptable. 19.7 Yes, that is correct. The actual administration of the COBRA plan, needs to be implemented and useable by the July 1, 2021 start date.
Posted: 3/24/2021
Type of Addition: In Review
Overview: The City Received Proposals from a total of 5 firms as listed alphabetically: 1. ASI Flex; 2. BCBS w/BASIC; 3.FBA; 4. HRPro; and 5. WEX.
Posted: 4/1/2021
Type of Addition: Notice of Intent to Award Announcement
Overview: Announcement attached.
Documents:
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Total number of benefit eligible employees:
Response: Approximately 570.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Out of the total number benefit eligible, how many active employees are enrolled in Medical, Dental, Vision (i.e. enrolled in a COBRA eligible benefit):
Response: 8 enrolled in COBRA with 2 possible for COBRA.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Do you utilize a Ben Admin/HRIS platform? If so, who?
Response: Yes, ADP Benefit Module.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Does the Ben Admin/HRIS charge a file integration fee? If so, how much?
Response: No integration fee.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Is the City utilizing a consultant/broker for this solicitation? If so, please provide the name of office and individual:
Response: The City intends to have a COBRA vendor selected and a contract awarded by April 1, 2021. The City used Hays Companies for the initial RFP HR 21-024 Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Benefits, however did not secure COBRA Administration Services with through the resultant-highest- scoring vendor through which the Medical, FSA, and HSA administration services will be contracted.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: What are the 3 most important pieces the City will be looking for in a new vendor?
Response: Accuracy, Communication, and Reconciliation of COBRA Accounts Accurately.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Reason for marketing?
Response: The City used Hays Companies for the initial RFP HR 21-024 Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Benefits, however did not secure COBRA Administration Services with through the resultant-highest- scoring vendor through which the Medical, FSA, and HSA administration services will be contracted.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: What is the likelihood of moving to a new COBRA administrator this year:
Response: Highly likely. See response to questions 5 and 6.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: How many total employees does the City currently have?
Response: Approximately 625 counting part time.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: How many eligible employees does the City currently have?
Response: Approximately 570.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: How many active enrolled employees does the City currently have?
Response: Approximately 430 employees.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: How many are COBRA active?
Response: There are 8 with 2 more eligible.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Why is the City of Avondale going out to bid?
Response: See response to question 5.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Are there any service issues with the current administrator?
Response: No issues with the current vendor. The City will be securing Medical, Vision, Dental and Life Insurance, under a separate arrangement from year’s past. (See response to question 5.)
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Is their any portion of the plan functionality you are hoping to improve if moved to a new vendor?
Response: Reconciliation of Retirement system subsidies.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Does the City of Avondale work with a Brokerage group?
Response: See response to question 5.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: Is there an existing file vendor in place that your COBRA vendor would need to coordinate with?
Response: Yes.
Posted: 3/15/2021
Question: 1. What is your overall employee count? Number of Benefit Eligible? 2. How many are actively on COBRA currently requiring takeover? 3. How many qualifying events do you estimate to have each year? 4. Your RFP is not clear on terms/dis-enrollments. Does the City of Avondale and/or broker notify carriers of initial terminations? What about the responsibility of dis-enrolling participants when their COBRA term ends? 5. Please explain what you mean by: "Ability to reconcile Arizona State Retirement System and Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (“ASRS” and “PSRPS”) COBRA checks" 6. Your RFP consistently says "with original ink signature" as this RFP is to be submitted electronically, I assume a signed signature on the .pdf will suffice? 7. You show anticipated agreement start date as 4/1/2021 but services starting 7/1/2021. Confirming these are correct.
Response: 19.1. See previous response 19.2 See previous response 19.3. This depends on retirement but average 15. 19.4. City of Avondale notifies carrier of terminations, vendor is responsible for disenrolling participants when Cobra ends and notifies City. 19.5. Currently the City receives retirement subsidies for health care when an employee retires. Vendor currently adjusts Cobra premium and reconciles accounts. 19.6. A digital signature is acceptable. 19.7 Yes, that is correct. The actual administration of the COBRA plan, needs to be implemented and useable by the July 1, 2021 start date.