Employee Benefits Consulting Services

Overview Haslett Public Schools (the "District") is requesting proposals from qualified firms to provide employee benefits consulting services. The District operates 8 buildings and employs nearly 350 staff. The selected firm will act as the District's objective benefits advisor. It will support the management, renewal, marketing, and compliance of the District's health and welfare programs, including medical/prescription drug, dental, vision, group life, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, and related programs. Information on the District's current health care plans is available under "Employer Sponsored Health Care Programs" on the District's Budget Transparency Reporting page . Scope of Services At a minimum, the firm will provide the following services: Renewal Analysis – Review and evaluate carrier renewal projections; negotiate with carriers; model plan costs and employee contributions; develop working rates; provide renewal alternatives with the cost impact of plan changes; and assist with budget projections. Financial Reporting – Provide periodic plan financial reports (plan costs, actual vs. budget, employee contributions, large claims, utilization, and trends) on a schedule agreed to with the District, plus an annual financial summary and future cost projections. Carrier Marketing and Negotiations – As directed by the District, develop and manage RFPs for benefit lines; analyze carrier responses, network disruption, and pricing; conduct finalist interviews; review and negotiate vendor contracts; and support implementation and transition so there is no disruption in coverage. Public Act 106 and Public Act 152 Compliance – Conduct PA 106 medical benefit plan bidding as required, and support PA 152 compliance, including employer contribution calculations and annual election options. Legislative and Regulatory Compliance – Provide updates on state and federal changes (ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, USERRA, Medicare Part D, and similar); review plan documents, SPDs, and contracts; and provide template compliance notices as reasonably requested. Collective Bargaining Support – Provide cost modeling of benefit proposals during bargaining and help educate union and non-union leadership on health care cost drivers. Benefit Committee Facilitation – Help the District form and facilitate a health insurance committee, including meetings to review insurance basics and bidding results. Employee Communication and Education – Support open enrollment, new-hire orientation materials, employee meetings, and ongoing benefit communications. Plan Design and Strategy – Conduct an annual strategic planning meeting, pre-renewal and renewal meetings, benchmarking against comparable Michigan public school districts, and evaluation of plan design and funding alternatives. Vendor Management – Monitor vendor performance, financial ratings, and performance guarantees, and periodically evaluate the District's benefit administration processes; and participate in annual service meetings with the District and carriers. Proposal Requirements Proposals should include the following: Firm Overview – Firm history, ownership, size, Michigan office location(s), and any carrier ownership or affiliations. Michigan K-12 Experience – Number of Michigan public school district clients served, and experience with PA 106, PA 152, and collective bargaining environments. Service Team – Names, roles, qualifications, and years of experience of the staff who will be assigned to the District, including the primary day-to-day contact. Approach to Scope of Services – How the firm will deliver each service listed above, including a sample annual service calendar and examples of renewal and financial reports. Compensation – Proposed fee structure (a fixed, all-inclusive fee is preferred), and full disclosure of all commissions, contingent/override payments, bonuses, or other compensation the firm may receive from carriers or vendors related to the District's business. Performance Guarantees – Proposed service standards (e.g., response times, report delivery timelines) and any guarantees tied to fees. References – At least three current Michigan public school or public sector clients of similar size, with contact name, title, phone, email, and length of relationship. Conflicts of Interest – Disclosure of any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Insurance and Licensing – Evidence of professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance and any licenses required to perform the services. Evaluation Criteria Proposals will be evaluated on the following factors: Experience with Michigan public school districts and relevant state law (PA 106 and PA 152) Qualifications and availability of the assigned service team Approach to the scope of services and quality of sample deliverables Cost and transparency of compensation References The District reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, waive informalities, and select the proposal that is in the best interest of the District. Finalists may be invited to present.