WCC-24-007 - ACTIVE EMPLOYEES’ DENTAL, VISION, AND FLEXIBLE SPENDING PLANS; AND ITS RETIREES

IV.       SCOPE OF WORK:

The College is seeking proposals from consultants in order to evaluate the College’s current program of self-insurance for its: active employees’ dental, vision, and flexible spending account; and its retirees’ medical, drug and dental plans.  The successful proposer will be required to evaluate the College’s current providers and the cost of the same; and/or if necessary to prepare, and distribute a Request for Proposals; and receive, review, and evaluate responses to the Request for Proposals in collaboration with the College’s search for new administrator(s)/vendor(s).

Part I:

The consultant will review and evaluate the College’s current program of self-insurance including contracts with all providers and administrators. The consultant will then provide a final recommendation and/or a strategic plan for the College's Retiree health insurance program, including medical, dental, and drug plan.

Part II:

If necessary, the consultant will prepare an RFP for the College for a new plan administrator (if the recommendation is to remain self-insured) or for traditional insurance, for the College’s Retiree medical, dental, and drug plan.

The consultant will then be required to assist the College in the review and evaluation of proposals received and submit analyses and recommendations to the College. The consultant will then assist with the preparation and negotiation of the new agreement with the recommended administrator(s) and/or insurance provider(s).  

Part III:

The College is seeking proposals from consultants in order to evaluate the College’s current program of self-insurance for its: active employees’ dental, vision, and flexible spending account.  The proposer will be required to evaluate the College’s current providers and the cost of the same; and/or if necessary to prepare, and distribute a Request for Proposals; and receive, review, and evaluate responses to the Request for Proposals in collaboration with the College’s search for new administrator(s)/vendor(s).





Part IV:

If necessary, the consultant will prepare an RFP for the College for a new plan administrator (if the recommendation is to remain self-insured) or for traditional insurance, for the College’s active employees  dental, vision, and flexible spending plan.

The consultant will then be required to assist the College in the review and evaluation of proposals received and submit analyses and recommendations to the College. The consultant will then assist with the preparation and negotiation of the new agreement with the recommended administrator(s) and/or insurance provider(s).  

Part V:

If necessary, Consultant will provide guidance and assist the College in its transition to either new administrator(s) and/or insurance provider(s), including but not limited to negotiation and preparation of all necessary agreements.

Part VI:

The College may also request other consulting services on an “as requested” basis, including but not limited to, employee communications, open enrollments, financial reporting, etc. The Proposer should include in its proposal its fee schedule for such additional work.


V.        FEES:

The selected proposer shall submit on the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT "A" its Fee proposal for services listed in Section IV above.  The Proposal must contain a flat fee for the completion of the work.

VI.       TERM:

It is anticipated that the term of the agreement will be for a period of ONE YEAR commencing on or about June 1, 2024 and terminating on or about May 31, 2025.  The College, in its sole discretion, may extend the agreement beyond its initial term for up to two additional one (1) year periods at the prices, terms and conditions as contained in the response to this RFP.  The College also reserves the right to terminate the agreement if it deems it to be in its best interest to do so.

VII.     STATEMENT OF RIGHTS:

The proposing entity understands and agrees that the College reserves and may, in its sole discretion, exercise the following rights and options with respect to this Request for Proposals (RFP):

a)  to reject any or all proposals;

b)  to issue additional solicitations for proposals and/or addenda to this RFP;

c) to waive any irregularities in proposals received after notification to proposers affected;

d)  to select any proposal as the basis for negotiations of a contract, and to negotiate with one or more of the proposers for amendments or other modifications to their proposals;

e)  to conduct investigations with respect to the qualification of each proposer;

f)  to exercise its discretion and apply its judgment with respect to any aspect of this RFP, the evaluation of proposals, and the negotiation and award of any contract;

g)  to select the proposal that best satisfies the interests of the College and not necessarily on the basis of price or any other single factor.
 

8. to enter into an agreement for only portions (or not enter into an agreement for any) of the services contemplated by the proposal with one or more of the proposers.
1. to enter into similar agreements with other consultant on an “as needed” basis” thus, an award of an agreement to a proposer does not grant the Consultant the exclusive right to perform the Work for the County.

10. While this is a Request For Proposals and not a bid, the College reserves the right to apply the case law under General Municipal Law § 103 regarding bidder responsibility in determining whether a proposer is a responsible vendor for the purpose of this RFP process;

11. The College assumes no responsibility or liability of any kind for costs incurred in the  preparation or submission of any proposal;

50. The College is not responsible for any internal or external delivery delays which may cause any proposal to arrive beyond the stated deadline.  To be considered, proposals MUST arrive at the place specified herein and be time stamped prior to the deadline.  Late proposals will be rejected.  

1000. The College shall apply the following evaluation criteria in selecting a proposer with whom to commence contract negotiations.  Such criteria are not necessarily listed in order of importance.  The College reserves the right to weigh its evaluation criteria in any manner it deems appropriate.

• Professional qualifications of assigned team

• Size & experience of staff dedicated to this project

• Experience in performing similar work with other employers, particularly, New York State municipalities and SUNY colleges.
• Experience of staff to be assigned.
• Cost of services.
• Responsiveness to the proposal in clearly stating an understanding of the scope of services.
• Client references.

• An organization that demonstrates its willingness to accommodate the unique needs of Westchester Community College’s employee and retiree populations through flexible claim processing functions, administrative processes, and superior customer service and account management
• An organization that demonstrates ability to evaluate all benefits requested in this RFP

• The ability to search for an entity that could exactly replicate the College’s current benefit plan designs and structure, if necessary
• Minimal network disruption

• A willingness to propose meaningful performance guarantees, particularly with respect to plan costs and customer service

• A demonstrated level of performance and a track record of effective impact on costs for clients of similar size to Westchester Community College

• that any proposal, attachments, additional information, etc. submitted pursuant to this Request for Proposals constitute merely a suggestion to negotiate with the County of Westchester and is not a bid under Section 103 of the New York State General Municipal Law;

• submission of a proposal, attachments, and additional information shall not entitle the proposing entity to enter into a service agreement with the County of Westchester for the required services;

• by submitting a proposal, the proposing entity agrees and understands that the County of Westchester is not obligated to respond to the proposal, nor is it legally bound in any manner whatsoever by submission of same;

• That the College may enter into similar agreements with other consultants on an “as needed” basis” thus, an award of an agreement to a proposer does not grant the Consultant the exclusive right to perform the Work for the County.

• that except with regard to formal written responses to Requests for Clarification as described in Paragraph X below, any and all counter-proposals, negotiations or any communications received by a proposing entity, its officers, employees or agents from the County, its elected officials, officers, employees or agents, shall not be binding against the County of Westchester, its elected officials, officers, employees or agents unless and until a formal written agreement for the services sought by this RFP is duly executed by both parties and approved by either the Westchester County Board of Acquisition & Contract or the College’s Board of Trustees.

• Proposals MUST be signed.  Unsigned proposals may be rejected.

• Proposers may be required to give an oral presentation to the County to clarify or elaborate on the written proposal.

• No proposal will be accepted from, nor any agreement awarded to any proposer that is in arrears upon any debt or in default of any obligation owed to the County.  Additionally, no agreement will be awarded to any proposer that has failed to satisfactorily perform pursuant to any prior agreement with the County.