RFP 2025-008 Ancillary Health Benefits

Location:	Texas
Posted:	Apr 24, 2025
Due:	May 19, 2025
Agency:	City of Palestine
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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This notice is published in the Palestine Herald Press on Saturday, April 26, 2025, and Saturday, May 3, 2025.

CITY OF PALESTINE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

RFP 2025-008 – Ancillary Health Benefits

Sealed Proposal Bids Due Date: May 19, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.

I. PURPOSE

The City of Palestine (City) is soliciting Request for Proposals (RFP) for Dental, Long Term Disability, Group

Life/AD&D, Critical Illness, Accident, Short Term Disability, Voluntary Term Life/AD&D, Hospital Indemnity and

Whole Life Insurance plans beginning October 1, 2025.

Sealed proposals are due in the City Secretary’s Office by Monday, May 19, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. Sealed proposals will

be opened on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room. To be considered, the sealed

proposal must address each of the services required.

II. SERVICES REQUIRED

This is a request for proposal for ancillary benefit plans. The list below indicates which plans are Employer paid vs. which

are Voluntary. These benefits are offered to all full-time employees. Retiree benefits are offered on a voluntary basis for

Dental and Vision only.

1. Coverages to Bid:

a. Dental – 100% Employer Paid for Employee

b. Long Term Disability – 100% Employer Paid

c. Group Life/AD&D – 100% Employer Paid

d. Critical Illness – Voluntary

e. Accident - Voluntary

f. Short Term Disability - Voluntary

g. Vision - Voluntary

h. Vol Term Life/AD&D - Voluntary

i. Hospital Indemnity - Voluntary

j. Whole Life – Voluntary

2. Plan Design: We are looking for innovative plan options and designs to maximize the promotion of high performing

primary care and wellness within the employee population.

3. Proposers should provide quotes for the plan designs listed in Exhibits A-J, please fill in highlighted portions and

submit additional plan designs with rates for consideration:

4. Proposal Submission Requirements:

a. Detailed premium rates and plan benefits for all coverage tiers for proposals

b. Administrative fee for all proposals

c. Performance guarantees and associated penalties

d. Implementation timeline and resources

e. Reporting capabilities and sample reports

f. References from three similar-sized (preferably public sector clients)

II. GENERAL INFORMATION

The City of Palestine is a home rule city located in Anderson County with a population of approximately 18,544 per the

2020 U.S. Census estimate. The City operates under a Council-Manager form of government with a mayor, six (6)

council members, and a city manager. The council members are elected from single-member districts, with the mayor

elected at large. The City Manager is the chief executive officer of the City. It is the City Manager’s duty to execute and

implement policies established by the City Council.

III. SUBMISSION OF RESPONSE

Deliver: Proposals must be sealed and may be mailed or hand delivered. Sealed Proposals for “RFP 2025-008–

Ancillary Health Benefits Sealed Proposal Bids” are due on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in the City

Secretary’s Office.

Proposal packets are required to include three (3) copies.

The vendor/contractor(s) will provide a certificate of liability insurance with the bid proposal. Also, include any

breakdown of vendor requirements to comply with City of Palestine specifications and/or applicable stipulations for

this bid proposal.

Please include the following on the sealed bid envelope

RFP 2025-008 – Ancillary Health Benefits Sealed Proposal Bids – TO BE OPENED: 05/19/25 AT 1:30 p.m.”

Proposals received after 1:00 p.m. on May 19, 2025, will be returned unopened. The City reserves the right to reject

any proposals, request additional information concerning any proposals for clarification, and waive any irregularities

and informalities in the submittal and evaluation process. This RFP does not obligate the City to pay any cost incurred

by respondents in the preparation of the proposals. Furthermore, this RFP does not obligate the City to accept or

contract for any implied services.

Mailing Address and Hand Delivery Address:

City of Palestine

Attn: April Jackson, City Secretary 504 North Queen

Street

Palestine, TX 75801

Your qualifications shall be governed by the following schedule:

Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., Central Standard Time (CST)

Deadline for inquiries, questions, or requests for information regarding this request for proposal. All questions must be

submitted in writing by E-mail: Rachel.means@ebctx.com.

Monday, May 19, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., Central Standard Time (CST)

Sealed bid proposals are due in the City Secretary’s Office. The date and time received shall be noted on the envelope

or box and initialed. Proposals cannot be altered or amended after the submission deadline. Any interlineations,

alterations, or erasures made before bid opening must be initialed by the signor of the proposal, guaranteeing

authenticity. Bids Proposals received after the published deadline shall remain unopened and be returned to the

vendor/contractor(s).

Monday, May 19, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., Central Standard Time (CST)

Sealed bids will be opened and publicly read in the City Hall Conference Room at 504 N. Queen Street, Palestine, Texas.

Bids that are received, which are unmarked, shall be opened for identification purposes only and resealed. The envelope

or box shall be marked accordingly.

Communications: All communications regarding the submission of your qualification proposal are to be in writing

directly via E-mail address: Rachel.Means@ebctx.com & Genevieve.Tate@ebctx.com.

IV. QUALIFICATION PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Statement of Qualifications:

Each Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must address and include, but does not need to be limited to, the following

information:

Qualifications of Experience

1. List the name and all addresses of the location(s) of your company. Which company location will be used to

provide services for this RFP?

2. List all individuals and contact information for those who will be providing services for this RFP.

3. List your history (if any) in providing services to the City of Palestine.

V. EVALUATION PROCESS

The City reserves the right to request additional information concerning proposals for clarification and waive any

irregularities and informalities in the submittal and evaluation process. After proposals are opened and publicly read,

the proposals will be tabulated for comparison based on the bid prices and quantities (lowest responsible

vendor/contractor) or by the best value.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

x Cost (35%)

x Network adequacy and disruption (25%)

x Customer service and account management (20%)

x Administrative capabilities and technology (15%)

x Wellness and disease management programs (5%)

VI. BID AWARD AND PRICING

The bids shall remain on file, open for inspection, for at least forty-eight (48) hours before the contract may be awarded.

After your response to this RFP is submitted, the City will negotiate a final price, which the City Council will approve

on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Before City Council approval, if any market changes occur, the responding vendor must

notify the Purchasing Department immediately. Once this Council approval occurs, pricing will be subject to the

Market Conditions terms listed previously for price increases and decreases. After the bid is awarded and the vendor

awarded a contract wishes to approve adjusted pricing to the agreement due to changes in the market, they must do so

through certified mail or via e-mail to Rachel.means@ebctx.com . Documentation verifying the reason for the price

increase must be sent as part of the request. Upon review of adjusted proposals, the City of Palestine may elect to

dissolve the existing contract upon the expiration date or accept the price adjustment(s).

The City of Palestine shall be responsible for preparing a tabulation sheet for all bids received that will be made available

to the public upon request. The tabulation sheets will be forwarded to the City Council to make the final decision on

an award.

Point of Contact

In the event clarification or additional information is needed, contact:

Rachel Means

Employee Benefits Consulting

E-Mail: : Rachel.means@ebctx.com

Phone: (281) 896-2774

Notice

Any notice provided by this RFP or required by law is to be given by the City of Palestine. Any interpretations,

corrections, or changes to this Request of Qualifications will be made by addenda. The sole issuing authority of addenda

shall be the City of Palestine City Secretary. The addenda will be mailed to all who have received a copy of this request

for proposal.

Effective Date: 10 /01/2025

Carrier

Benefit - Voluntary

Employee:

Minimum Amount

Maximum Amount

Guarantee Issue Amount

Spouse:

Minimum Amount

Maximum Amount

Guarantee Issue Amount

Children:

Minimum Amount

Maximum Amount

Guarantee Issue Amount

Portability

Benefit Reduction

Rate Guarantee Period?

Exhibit A

Current

Critical Illness

Amounts

$10,000

$3,000

Included

50% at age 70

Age Banded Rates

<30

30 - 39

40 - 49

50 - 59

60 - 69

70 - 79

80 - 99

Critical Illness

Rates

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

RFP 2025-008 Ancillary Health Benefits

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See also