REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
BROKER OF RECORD - EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELFARE BENEFITS
LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Contracts Office
770 Wilshire Boulevard, 6th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90017
RFP Number: 15-08
Addendum Number: 1
Date: November 30, 2015
NOTICE TO BIDDERS: THIS ADDENDUM SHALL BECOME PART OF THE IFB, AND BIDDERS SHALL ACKNOWLEDGE, IN WRITING, RECEIPT
AND INCORPORATION OF ALL ADDENDA AND CLARIFICATIONS IN THEIR RESPONSE. FAILURE OF THE BIDDER TO RECEIVE ADDENDA
SHALL NOT RELIEVE THE BIDDER FROM ANY OBLIGATION UNDER ITS BID AS SUBMITTED. THE BIDDER SHALL IDENTIFY AND LIST IN
ITS BID ALL ADDENDA RECEIVED AND INCLUDED IN ITS BID; FAILURE TO DO SO MAY BE ASSERTED BY THE DISTRICT AS A BASIS FOR
DETERMINING THE BID NON-RESPONSIVE.
CLARIFICATIONS AND RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY POTENTIAL BIDDERS
Number
1
Question
2
Please provide the information below:
 employer contribution levels
3
Please provide the information below:
 current benefits
Please provide the information below:
 a complete census providing a list of all eligible
employees, not just those currently insured (this would
include age, sex, dependent status, and ZIP code for
each employee and dependent)
LACCD Response
This RFP is requesting proposals from firms wishing to
serve as the District’s Broker of Record for Employee
Health and Welfare Benefits. Therefore, Employee
Census data will only be provided to the firm being
awarded a contract to perform services as the District’s
Broker of Record for Health and Welfare Benefits.
This RFP is requesting proposals from firms wishing to
serve as the District’s Broker of Record for Employee
Health and Welfare Benefits. Therefore, Employee
Census data will only be provided to the firm being
awarded a contract to perform services as the District’s
Broker of Record for Health and Welfare Benefits. With
respect to District Contribution levels, those contribution
levels may differ by type of benefit, and will only be
provided to the firm being award a contract to perform
services as the District’s Broker of Record for Employee
Health and Welfare Benefits.
The RFP speaks for itself regarding all current benefits.
Please review the RFP for all current benefits, including
but may not be limited to the following:
Medical
Dental
Vision
Life
Voluntary life
Whole life
Pet Assurance
HCA’s: FSA & DCA
Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA)
EAP
Wellness
403b
457b
4
Who is Current Broker/consultant for each line of coverage?
5
Are they currently receiving Fee or Commission?
6
How much did current Broker/consultant make for 2015?
7
We’d be servicing in excess of 10,000 employees per the RFP –
Retirees also? Are they included in this number?
8
9
Can LACCD award this contract/RFP to multiple firms?
The Additional Cost Item – Newsletter – Can we sub out? Will you
Current Broker of Record is Wells Fargo Insurance
Services, for all employee health and welfare benefits,
except medical which is obtained by the District through
CalPERS PEMHCA;
The District views this question as vague and overbroad,
and not subject to response by the District, since the
District is not privy to all of the contracts for Wells Fargo
Insurance Services.
The District views this question as vague and overbroad,
and not subject to response by the District, since the
District is not privy to the total income of Wells Fargo
Insurance Services
The District views this question as a complex question,
and vague and overbroad. The District responds as
follows:
1. Yes, the RFP indicates benefits are for current
employees and retirees;
2. Retirees have interest in retiree benefits per the
collective bargaining agreements, which may
change from time to time.
3. Selected Broker shall be required to manage,
implement, counsel, coach, advise, the District
and Joint Labor Management Benefits Committee
on all benefits, and comply with all various
collective bargaining agreements now in place, or
as may amended from time to time, and from
prior existing collective bargaining agreements,
and CalPERS resolutions on file with CalPERS
The District takes the position the RFP speaks for itself.
The proposer may submit their response to the RFP as
10
need qualifications of sub?
LACCD is asking for creation of EAP/wellness program, with NO THIRD
PARTY VENDOR. Does one exist now? Who?
they deem appropriate.
The District views this question as complex question,
vague and overbroad, and misstates the RFP. The
District responds as follows:
1. The RFP speaks for itself on this item;
11
What information will you require on the legal/compliance officer?
12
Who is the incumbent consulting firm?
13
Please provide the performance-based fee structure referred to in
section G3 of the RFP. The RFP is unclear how the consulting firm’s
performance will affect the fixed total flat fee.
14
Is this RFP being released to satisfy the District’s procurement
policies?
Are there service or resource issues the District is specifically looking
to address through this RFP?
The RFP speaks for itself. Proposer to submit their
response as they deem appropriate.
This question has been asked and answered, see
question #4, above
In Section IV, G-3, the RFP states vendor shall perform
in order to receive payment; As a clarification the
requirement is that performance is required prior to
billing/invoicing for quarterly services. There is no
“performance payment bonus” eligible for this services.
Yes.
15
16
17
How long has the District worked with Wells Fargo Insurance
Services?
What is the anticipated number and type of onsite meetings the
broker/consultant should plan to attend annually (e.g., Board of
Trustees, JLMBC, JLMBC sub-committees, other District meetings,
Open Enrollment, Health Fairs, etc.)?
18
How many hours are estimated for each meeting type noted above?
19
During the past two plan years, what was the average number of
hours reported by your current broker/consultant to service the
District’s employee benefits program?
During the past two plan years, what was the total compensation paid
20
The RFP speaks for itself, and proposer to submit their
response as they deem appropriate highlighting and
showcasing their services under the RFP and proposed
scope of services.
4 years
The RFP speaks for itself, and the firm awarded this
contract must be able to attend all meetings as
requested and/or required by the District. The JLMBC
meets Monthly, with occasional subcommittee meetings;
Newsletter preparation meets several times each
quarter; Open Enrollment occurs once per year to
coincide with CalPERS PEMHCA open enrollment, in
addition the District has several events at several
colleges each year showcasing benefits, JLMBC,
Wellness and EAP Services.
The typical JLMBC meeting may take up to three hours
once per month; committee meetings may take several
hours each; newsletter drafting and preparation
meetings may take up to three hours; all other meetings
take anywhere from 1 – 6 hours depending on the type
of meeting.
The LACCD has not requested the “average number of
hours” to be reported by current broker/consultant.
The District views this question as vague and overly
to the District’s broker/consultant for services associated with the
employee benefits program?
21
22
Do any of the District’s employee benefits coverages currently include
commissions?
Do the District’s procurement rules require that each line of coverage
be bid within a certain number of years? If so, how many years?
23
When is the last time the District competitively bid each of its vendor
partners utilizing a formal RFP process?
24
Are there any unique public procurement procedures that the
broker/consultant must adhere to? If so, what are they?
25
Does the District maintain any self-insured benefit plans? If so, when
was the last claims audit performed for each self-insured benefit plan?
26
Who is responsible for managing employee benefits communications
on behalf of the District?
27
What is the District’s current annual budget for employee benefit
communications?
28
29
Who are the District’s primary spokespersons for benefit issues?
Whom would the consultant work with on communications strategy
broad, and not subject to response by the District. The
District does not know how much compensation was
earned by Wells Fargo Insurance Services associated
with their employee benefits consulting program.
The current contracted rate is fixed fee/flat rate.
Lines of coverage are reviewed through the JLMBC
(utilization reports/plan design), and JLMBC will help
determine when carriers or coverages need to change.
Each line of coverage if reviewed by the District’s Risk
Manager and Broker, including utilization/cost/plan
Each line of coverage is separately managed and
reviewed. RFP was conducted approximately 2 years
prior for one line of coverage.
The District views this question as vague and overly
broad; as well as too complex to respond in this fashion.
However, the firm being awarded a contract will be
provided training from the District’s Contract Unit
regarding public purchasing rules for request for
proposals for health and welfare insurance benefits if
needed or required
The District views this as multiple questions and
responds as follows:
1. Any self insured plans? Yes
2. When was claims audit performed? The RFP
speaks for itself, and proposer to submit their
response as they deem appropriate highlighting
and showcasing their services under the RFP and
proposed scope of services
The RFP speaks for itself in this regard – developing
ongoing communication. However, The District’s Risk
Manager manages the Broker/Consultant in preparation
and mailing of the quarterly newsletters. Content is
developed and proposed by JLMBC committee;
Broker/Consultant shall check all newsletter content for
Compliance purposes and develop and compliance check
all FAQs;
The RFP speaks for itself regarding cost fee proposal and
separate cost fee for employee benefits communications
(I.E. Quarterly Newsletters).
The District’s Risk Manager
District Risk Manager; with input and review by the
30
31
32
33
34
and deliverables?
Who is the current consultant providing communication services to
the District?
What percentage of employees does the District estimate have access
to the internet at work and at home?
Does the District conduct employee surveys or focus groups to obtain
employee input and opinions on benefits-related issues? If not, would
the District be interested in offering these opportunities to employees
as part of communications planning/strategy for 2016-17?
Will the broker/consultant be required to create new Plan documents
or perform consultative and technical reviews of existing Plan
documents?
Does the District print its own communication materials? If not, what
third party do you use?
35
Does the District brand and synchronize its employee benefits and
wellness communications? If not, is the District interested in creating
a brand as part of this proposal?
36
When does open enrollment take place and is it an active enrollment
(everyone must participate) or a passive enrollment (only those who
are new or making changes must participate)?
37
What materials do employees currently receive in advance of and
during open enrollment?
38
Do you conduct employee enrollment meetings either in person or
online? If meetings are conducted in person, how many meetings do
you anticipate?
39
What would be the District’s preferred method(s) of communicating
benefit and wellness information to its employees in the future (e.g.,
mail, online, e-mail, social media, etc.)?
40
Does the District provide its employee with personalized total
compensation statements? If not is their interest in providing this
resource?
JLMBC
The District currently contracts with Wells Fargo
Insurance services to serve as Broker of Record for
health and welfare benefits
100% of employees have access to internet
The RFP speaks for itself, and proposer to submit their
response as they deem appropriate highlighting and
showcasing their services under the RFP and proposed
scope of services
Yes
The District currently contracts with Wells Fargo
Insurance services to serve as Broker of Record for
health and welfare benefits, who may use a third party
for print services of newsletter and delivery
The RFP speaks for itself, and proposer to submit their
response as they deem appropriate highlighting and
showcasing their services under the RFP and proposed
scope of services
The District’s open enrollment coincides with CalPERs
PEMHCA open enrollment (estimated during September
through October), with a passive open enrollment
process
Newsletters, CalPERS materials, various materials from
each provider regarding plan changes or ACA
compliance issues.
The District conducts live open enrollment seminars
during CalPERS Open Enrollment period at three campus
events, in addition to several other campus events for
Wellness & EAP workshops. Enrollment however, is
conducted through a District electronic portal where the
District makes a laptop available to Health Benefits Staff
to assist colleagues with online enrollment.
The RFP speaks for itself, and proposer to submit their
response as they deem appropriate highlighting and
showcasing their services under the RFP and proposed
scope of services
The RFP speaks for itself, and proposer to submit their
response as they deem appropriate highlighting and
showcasing their services under the RFP and proposed
scope of services
41
This question pertains to the newsletter requirement.
Will there be electronic and hard copy distribution? If so, will it be the
same content?
42
This question pertains to the newsletter requirement.
There are three classifications of recipients of this newsletter, if I am
correct (active, adjunct, retiree) Do they all get the same
correspondence?
43
This question pertains to the newsletter requirement.
44
Are the posted examples on the LACCD.EDU website, what is
currently, and in the past been used?
This question pertains to the newsletter requirement.
Did your current consultant/Broker produce the posted newsletters?
The District views this a compound question, and
responds as follows:
1. Will there electronic distribution? YES
2. Will there be hard copy distribution? YES
3. Will it be same content? YES
The District views this as a compound question, and
attempts to respond as follows:
1. Do Active, Adjunct, Retiree get the same
correspondence? NO. Each newsletter contains
information specific to that group of employees,
along with information that is similar to all
groups of employees (I.E. Retiree newsletter has
primary focus on Medicare, ACA, Part B;
coverage issues; along with similar information
for retirees who are not eligible for Medicare and
remain on the CalPERS BASIC health plans.
Similarly, for ADJUNCT employees, the focus is
on ADJUNCT process, eligibility, enrollment,
employer portion and employee portion(pro-rata
cost), along with all basic plan information
The LACCD does post its various newsletters on its
Health Benefits webpage
The Newsletters are drafted by JLMBC subcommittee;
with broker performing compliance and content review;
Broker produces the final product at the direction of the
District’s Risk Manager and Chair of the JLMBC.