Agenda Item Cover Sheet Agenda Item No. B-3 Meeting Date Consent Section x Regular Section March 18, 2015 Public Hearing Subject: Approval of Request for Information (RFI) No. 5306 for Voluntary Benefits with Education/Communication Services Department Name: Human Resources - Professional Development Contact Person: Lori A. Krieck, Director Sign-Off Approvals: Contact Phone: 813 276 2758 Assistant County Administrator 03/12/2015 Date Department Director 03/12/2015 Date Management and Budget – Approved as to Financial Impact Accuracy 03/12/2015 Date County Attorney – Approved as to Legal Sufficiency 03/12/2015 Date Staff's Recommended Board Motion: 1) Approve RFI No. 5306 for Voluntary Benefits with Education/Communication Services; (2) Authorize the Procurement Services Department, pursuant to their policies, to issue an RFI to obtain competitive proposals; and (3) Waive Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Policy 07.04.01.01, Board of County Commissioners - Insurance Committee Organization and Responsibilities. There is no fiscal impact to the County as a result of this agenda item. Financial Impact Statement: There is no fiscal impact to the County as a result of this agenda item. Background: On May 21, 2014, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners ("BOCC") approved the development of a Request for Proposal to solicit a vendor to provide voluntary benefits and education and communication services to employees, in order to improve the overall value of employee benefit programs. The intention is to offer these voluntary benefits and education and communication services in time for the 2015 open enrollment period. As there is no cost associated with this procurement, the appropriate means for solicitation of this service is through a Request for Information ("RFI"). The Human Resources Department, with the assistance of the County's consultant, Gallagher Benefit Services, prepared the RFI. Through the RFI, the County will solicit proposals for vendors who will offer voluntary benefits to employees, including, but not limited to, accident, cancer, critical care, personal sickness, hospitalization, short-term disability (for employees in sick plan A), whole/universal life, pet insurance, pre-paid legal plans and identity theft protection policies. All voluntary benefits will be 100% employee paid. The selected vendor will also provide assistance to the Department of Human Resources in educating and communicating employees regarding the County's core benefits (such as health, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, health spending accounts and deferred compensation plans) and voluntary benefits. In addition, although the selected vendor will not be enrolling employees in core benefits, they will have the option to enroll employees in voluntary benefits. The selected vendor's staff shall not receive bonuses/commissions from policies sold or premiums solicited. Employees will be able to work with their current/existing insurance broker on any existing voluntary benefits' policies and for any renewals, changes, or enhancements to those current/existing policies. This includes all policies previously purchased through Loyal, Colonial, Aflac, or Employee Family Protection. New policies will be serviced by the selected vendor. The Hillsborough County Insurance Committee met on February 24, 2015 and voted, unanimously, to recommend approval of the RFI to the BOCC, subject to any non-material modifications. The RFI is anticipated to be released on or about Friday, March 20, 2015. Proposing vendors will have approximately five weeks to submit an electronic proposal. Pursuant to Hillsborough County Ordinance No. 13-24, there shall be a Cone of Silence for all procurement solicitations issued by the County to safeguard the integrity of the County's procurement and protest process. In order to maintain the protections of the Cone of Silence throughout the evaluation process for this procurement, County Administration recommends that an evaluation committee, comprised only of County employees covered by the Cone of Silence, be convened to review and score proposals and make recommendations to the BOCC, regarding the selection of a vendor. In order to effectuate this proposed process, the BOCC will have to waive BOCC Policy 07.04.01.01, Board of County Commissioners - Insurance Committee Organization and Responsibilities. List Attachments: RFP No 5306; BOCC Policy 07.04.01.01