Mediation Services to Address Workload Increases Resulting from Natural and other Disasters

The Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services, has issued Request for Information 2627-01 RFI CS to explore the feasibility of engaging a vendor to maintain a pool of qualified professional mediators. This initiative aims to augment the capacity of the existing non-adversarial mediation program to handle insurance claims disputes related to automobile, residential property, and commercial residential property, particularly during workload surges caused by hurricanes or other natural disasters. This process is strictly for market research and fact-finding to determine if a competitive solicitation is warranted; therefore, it is not a request for bids, and no contract will be awarded based on the responses. Qualified mediators must be Florida Supreme Court certified circuit court mediators or meet specific prior approval criteria from the Division of Consumer Services. The envisioned scope of work includes case management, scheduling, customer communications, and reporting final outcomes to the Division. Mediations may be conducted virtually or in person. While a total contract value is not established due to indeterminate demand, the current fee structure includes flat rates for automobile and residential claims and a combination of hourly and flat rates for commercial residential claims. Responses must be submitted electronically to Becky Hale by November 12, 2026, following the timeline extension provided in Addendum No. 1.