The Medina County Board of Commissioners Request for Proposal EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SERVICES Human Resources Department 144 North Broadway, Room 206 Medina, Ohio 44256 (330) 722-9209 FAX: (330) 722-9342
Table of Contents I. Request for Proposal Notice II. Introduction and Background III. Objectives IV. Conditions V. Proposal Requirements and Format VI. Scope of Service VII. Proposal Evaluation Criteria VIII. Conditions and Stipulations IX. Cancellation or Breach X. Vendor Organization Questionnaire XI. Indemnification - 1-
Section I Request for Proposal Notice Notice is hereby given that the Medina County Board of Commissioners ( Board ) will accept Proposals for an Employee Assistance Program until December 21, 2012. The contract will be for 24 months commencing February 1, 2013 through January 31, 2015. The County reserves the right to renew for one additional two year period at the current rate. All Proposals shall be clearly identified as EAP Proposal for the Medina County Board of Commissioners. Copies of the Proposal should be forwarded to the Board at the following address: Medina County Board of Commissioners Attn: Holly Muren Human Resources Director 144 North Broadway, Room 206 Medina, Ohio 44256 Please note that no formal opening of the proposals will take place. Proposals will be evaluated and the successful vendor will be determined and approved by the Board and the successful vendor will be made known on the Board s web site at www.medinaco.org Meetings and Events. The Board assumes ownership of all proposals submitted and reserves the right to select or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this solicitation, to negotiate with all qualified sources, and/or to cancel in part or in its entirety this RFP if it is in the best interest of the County. This RFP does not commit the County to award any contracts, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the proposal under this solicitation or to procure or contract for any services or supplies. Inquiries, clarification, or requests for proposal forms and questionnaires should be directed by telephone or e-mail to the following contacts: Holly Muren Human Resources Director Direct: 330.722.9340 E-mail: hmuren@medinaco.org - 2-
Section II Introduction and Background The Board of Commissioners ( Board ) is a three-member, county-wide, legislative governing body responsible for contracting group insurance health benefits for Medina County s ( County ) thirteen (13) elected officials, social service agencies, departments and their eligible employees and immediate dependents. Elected offices consist of the Auditor, Treasurer, Sheriff, Prosecutor, Recorder, Coroner, Common Pleas Judges (2), Clerk of Courts, Domestic Relations Judge, Probate /Juvenile Court Judge, Highway Engineer, and the Board of Commissioners. County Department and Agencies include the Board of Developmentally Disabled, Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board, Adult Probation, Animal Shelter, Auto Title, Board of Elections, Building Inspection, Child Support Enforcement Agency, County Home, Building Maintenance, Print Shop, Drug Abuse Commission, Drug Task Force, Emergency Management Agency, Finance, Health Department, Human Resources, Job and Family Services, Juvenile Detention Center, Mediation, Office for Older Adults, Park District, Planning Services, Public Defender, Sanitary Engineer s Office, Soil and Water Conservation, Tax Map, Transit, Veteran s Services, and Workforce Development. The County has numerous work sites distributed over a large geographic area. Medina County is located in north central Ohio within short driving distances of the greater metropolitan areas of Cleveland and Akron, Ohio via the I-71 and 76 corridors. The Board entered into a two (2) year Agreement commencing on February 1, 2011 with the Cleveland Clinic Life Style EAP. This Contract expires on January 31, 2013. LEAP. There are approximately 1,250 eligible employees and family members covered under The purpose of this Request for Proposals ( RFP ) is to gather information from your organization relative to the County s required scope of service and key selection criteria. Organizations selected as finalists may be expected to address more detailed issues regarding financial and other specifics of their organization and operations. These same finalists may be expected to participate in interviews with the Board as well as other County representatives. - 3-
The County s current EAP provider offers the traditional range of services comprising 24/7 live professional toll-free phone assistance, provider referral assistance, debriefing services, case management, monthly supervisor/employee newsletters, on-site training at 4 per year, promotional materials, and quarterly utilization reports. Also offered are web-based work/life services, financial and legal assistance, discount center services and access to health and wellness information. The selected EAP provider has to be able to provide timely reporting on employer referrals, their disposition and the employee s ability to be fit for return to work. This information has to be provided to the County at an aggregate and detailed level. The County invites proposals from qualified organizations to administer an Employee Assistance Program. Prospective firms must demonstrate the ability, must meet all quality requirements and must submit a completed proposal package. Applicants are required to have a minimum of five years of experience in administering this type of service. Experience in offering an EAP to public entities (especially within Northeast Ohio) is also desirable. Section III Objectives The selected vendor will be expected to work together in a mutual partnership with the Board to ensure the achievement of these objectives and administer the program in accordance with the specific needs of the County: A. Duplicate and/or enhance the current benefits. B. Secure multi-year rate guarantee(s). C. Ensure that the services provided will meet the standard requirements set forth by the County. D. The service/account representative must be a direct contact with your home office on the County s behalf to handle any problems that may be difficult to resolve. E. Meet all reporting objectives. - 4-
Section IV Conditions 1. The Board specifically reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, and to accept other than the lowest priced proposal if it considers any alternate proposal more responsive. 2. This RFP does not commit the Board to award any contracts, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the proposal under this solicitation or to procure or contract for any services or supplies. 3. The Board assumes ownership of all proposals submitted and reserves the right to select or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this solicitation, to negotiate with all qualified sources, and/or to cancel in part or in its entirety this RFP if it is in the best interest of the County. 4. All licenses required by the State of Ohio and/or local community, if any, necessary to perform this contract must be obtained prior to submitting this RFP. 5. No proposal will be accepted from or contract awarded to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity that is in arrears or in default to the County upon any debtor contract or that is in default as surety or otherwise upon any obligation to the County or that has failed to perform faithfully any contract with the County. 6. No reports, summaries, letters, or other documents prepared with respect to the engagement will be released without approval except as required by state or federal law. 7. No elected official or employee thereof of County of Medina will participate in any decision relating to the Agreement that affects his/her personal interest or relating to any Agreement in which he/she has a personal or pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, either in the contract or in the proceeds. 8. The Request for Proposal, the Proposal, the information contained in the Proposal and any written documents supplementing, amending, or incorporating the Proposal represents the entire and integrated Agreement between the Company and the County and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, or agreements, whether oral or written. The Contract may be amended only by written agreement of the Company and the County. - 5-
Section V Proposal Requirements and Format To ensure consistency, proposals must conform to the following format: I. Cover Letter II. Table of Contents III. Sections A. Introduction This section should contain your understanding of the County s goals and objectives. B. Background / Qualifications To determine ability to perform the services described in the proposal and as a partial measure of demonstrated effectiveness, the Board requires a Statement of Qualifications. The statement should include information regarding the firm s history and experience. Please provide the name of a contact person regarding contractual matters. The proposal should include the name of the state in which the Company is incorporated. C. Program Implementation Describe, in narrative form, your plan for implementing the program(s) as described in this RFP. Modifications of the scope of work are permitted only upon approval by the County Administrator. No outsourcing is permitted. D. Cost - Provide a cost proposal for all services outlined. All services should be bundled under one cost. If there are any services offered at an additional fee, and that are not required in the RFP, such services and fees must be clearly stated. The Board is exempt from all sales, excise and transportation taxes except State of Ohio gasoline tax. The unit prices for the packages will be exclusive of all such taxes and will be so construed. E. References These references should include other entities, preferably governmental, where you have performed, or are currently performing this type of program(s). You should include the name and address of reference, contact person, telephone number, dates when the project/program was performed, and dates of completion of service. F. Additional Information This section should include any additional information you feel necessary to evaluate your proposal/service. G. Required Forms a) Declaration of Personal Property Tax Delinquency b) EEOC Compliance c) Qualification Statement for Professional Services d) Sample Notice of Award (Provided as a sample only.) - 6-
e) Sample Professional Services Contract (This is included as a courtesy to give an example of what Board s contracts may or may not include. Contracts will be modified to conform to the specifications outlined in the Scope of Work.) f) Vendor References g) Pricing h) Affidavit in Compliance with Section 3517.13 of ORC i) Copy of unexpired Certificate from the State of Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation j) Copy of your professional liability insurance policy k) Current Annual Report or completion of a financial certification l) W-9 vendor identification form H. Miscellaneous 1. The name of the Company or agency making this proposal shall be stamped or typed on each page of the proposal. 2. Any material submitted with the proposal will become the property of the Board unless otherwise requested at the time of submission. Any material that is to be considered as confidential in nature must be so marked. 3. The Board reserves the right to refuse to review and classify those proposal documents that are not typed or those proposals that are received after the proposal deadline. Further, the Board reserves the right to refuse to review proposals if three (3) completed proposals are not submitted. 4. Please do not bind proposals. 5. Three (3) copies of the proposal will be received until 4:30pm EST, Friday, December 21, 2012 at the office of the: Medina County Board of Commissioners Attention: Holly Muren, Human Resources Director 144 North Broadway, Room 206 Medina, OH 44256-7-
Section VI Scope of Service The Vendor selected will provide the following services: 1. Vendor will work with the Board through the County s Human Resources Department ( HR ) to develop policies and procedures relative to the operation of the EAP. Vendor will consult with the County to publicize the EAP to employees (e.g. supervisors, union officials and to employees and their immediate families). Vendor will assist with employee education efforts. 2. Vendor will provide specific assistance to the County s employees and members of their immediate families who have been referred to EAP or who request such services of their own volition. Vendor and the County will adopt safeguards to ensure that EAP counseling is conducted in a manner that will preserve the privacy of County employees and their families. Communications between EAP personnel and County employees shall remain confidential, except as specifically waived in writing by the individual employee. 3. Vendor will counsel and encourage County employees to proceed with a course of assistance by referring the individual to clinical or support organizations and medical professionals when additional services are provided. The vendor will ensure that providers available in the employee s health insurance plan are among those recommended and that the employee knows which providers are most cost-effective to the employee. The vendor will strive to provide short-term counseling where feasible, and not simply act as a clearinghouse. 4. Vendor will remain cognizant of the County s insurance benefits program through HR staff in order that the Vendor can advise employees as to the possible coverage of services by such organizations or professionals. Vendor will examine the accreditation of the organizations and professionals to whom it refers employees so as to ensure, as much as possible, medical expense reimbursement under health or medical insurance policies, as well as the County s medical expense reimbursement plan (flex plan). 5. Vendor will provide such follow-up procedures as are necessary to monitor referred employees adherence to the agreed course of treatment. Vendor will make progress reports available through HR staff on employees directly referred to the EAP by the County, but such reports will respect the employees rights to confidentiality, and will be limited to reporting as to whether or not the employee is cooperating with the treatment program. 6. Vendor will periodically prepare reports on the caseload activities of the provider, but such reports shall not jeopardize the rights of confidentiality of the employees or their families. - 8-
8. Vendor will periodically prepare reports on actual cases of supervisory referrals to assure consistency of follow-up, but such reports shall not jeopardize the rights of confidentiality of the employees or their families. 9. Vendor will supply the County with all brochures and literature regarding the EAP program as part of the cost of administering the program. 10. The EAP program shall include the following services: a) A maximum of three (3) counseling sessions; minimum of 50 minutes per session (including assessment and referral when indicated) for employee, their family members and significant others. Clients in extreme crisis (harmful to self or others) will be seen on an emergency basis (within one day). Otherwise, a counseling session appointment will be available to the participant within 2 (two) calendar days of the participant s first contact with the EAP Contractor. b) Toll-free, 24-hour-seven days a week Help line staffed with master level trained counselors will be available to all participants. EAP Contractor shall provide website access to employees which include all pertinent information. The website must be user friendly in terms of access. Access should be login or password required. Unlimited telephonic counseling and unlimited access to web and online services and information. c) An informational campaign will be conducted within thirty (30) calendar days of the effective date of the Contract to acquaint all employees with the EAP. On site trainings/brown bag educational seminars up to a maximum of six (6) per year for employees and /or supervisors to train and inform on a variety of topics, such as, but not limited to Communication Skills; Conflict Resolution; Parenting and Child Development; Stress Management; Time Management, etc. d) Mediation services between employees or between employees and supervisors. e) Organizational development assessment and planning for specific departments at the request of Human Resources. f) As requested, monthly articles for County publications for general County or employee use. Articles may vary in length and scope. g) Annual meeting with appropriate County officials to discuss and evaluate EAP program. h) As requested, serve as County s Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) for the purposes of the County s drug testing program. - 9-
i) Direct link from the County s website to the website of the selected vendor. j) Quarterly utilization reports and annual employee surveys for purposes of ongoing evaluation of the program. k) Quarterly employee communications to promote the EAP services. l) On-site assistance in the event of a catastrophic event or employee death. 11. With respect to inquiries regarding the County s policies and procedures, the Vendor shall act only in the role of counselor/mediator and not provide legal advice to the employee. Section VII Cancellation or Breach Any contract entered into pursuant to this RFP may be terminated by mutual agreement of the parties. In the event of termination by mutual agreement, the Company shall be compensated for services rendered. If the Company fails to fulfill in a timely and proper manner its obligations under any such contract, it shall constitute a material breach, and the County shall have the right to terminate immediately the contract upon written notice to the Company specifying the effective date of termination. In the event of termination all property, finished and unfinished documents, data, studies and reports prepared by the Company, become the County s property. Section VIII Proposal Evaluation Criteria The County will evaluate proposals based on the needs of the County and its employees. The following criteria will be used in evaluating each of the vendor responses: 1. Compliance with specifications. 2. Ability to offer a comprehensive set of core services and benefits. 3. Competitive fees. 4. Access to qualified, professional counselors that are located within a 100 mile radius of the County. 5. Online access to information. - 10-
6. Compliance with applicable State and Federal laws and regulations. 7. Ability for vendor to show compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). 8. Financial position of vendor. 9. Stability of rates and fees over time. 10. Ability to provide the County with requested reports (including, but not limited to, utilization reports and employee surveys and results). 11. Ability to refer employees and their family members to additional qualified and specialized resources/services in a seamless and efficient manner. 12. Ability of the Vendor to provide utilization rate based on employees having at least one face-to-face in person clinical counseling session 13. The ability of the County to customize an employee assistance program that will meet the needs of the County and its employees. 14. Other criteria identified by the County as important in evaluation of submitted proposals. The County will choose the proposal that best fits its needs and the needs of its employees and their family members. The County is not obligated to award the contract based on cost alone. Section IX Conditions and Stipulations You are invited to submit your Proposal for EAP services based on the information contained in this RFP. Unless a specific note is made to the contrary, we will assume that your Proposal conforms to the County s Specifications. You are invited to ask questions during the proposal process and to seek additional information, if needed. We want this to be an interactive process and will make every effort to provide sufficient data for your response. The County will look to contract with a vendor to provide the most comprehensive set of core benefits to the County and its employees. The services provided should address the wide range of unique needs among County employees. Some areas of interest include (but are not limited to) emotional well being, stress management, mid-life and retirement - 11-
concerns, financial issues, alcohol and drug abuse/dependence, wellness and health risk management, critical incident de-briefing. Counselors should have at least a master s degree in counseling or social work and be independently licensed in the State of Ohio. Any proposed deviations to any part of these Specifications must be submitted in writing as a part of the questionnaire, (question #1) and clearly identified in the appropriate section of the Proposal. Any deviation deemed to be significant by the County will disqualify the Proposal. Failure to identify any such deviation(s) shall not in the future accrue to the disadvantage of the County or any qualified participant or dependent in any manner. The vendor awarded the business shall submit properly executed contracts to the County within sixty (60) days of the plan effective date. The vendor awarded the business shall be required to provide aggregate utilization reports on a quarterly basis for purposes of ongoing evaluation of the program. The vendor shall work with the County to conduct employee/participant surveys on a biannual basis. Employees (and their dependents) that terminate their employment for any reason must be given the option to continue EAP services per state mandates and federal COBRA regulations. Such coverage shall not be contingent upon the County s coverage continuing with the EAP vendor. All Providers must be in full compliance with Ohio and Federal requirements relating to the requested coverage or administration of such benefits, including (but not limited to) state and federal privacy requirements. The County will work closely with the selected vendor to promote the EAP to employees and their family members. An account representative must be available to the County on an on-going basis. The County will determine eligibility for participation and access to the EAP. With respect to inquiries regarding the County s policies and procedures, the EAP Vendor shall act only in the role of counselor/mediator and not provide legal advice to the employee. - 12-
The selected vendor shall refer any inquiries relating to potential legal claims against the County to the County Administrator. Section X Vendor Organization Questionnaire Note: A complete response to this questionnaire must accompany all Requests for Proposals. A response such as See Proposal is not sufficient unless there is proper reference to the specific section of the proposal addressing the question. Please be specific in your answers. Deviations 1. Does your Proposal contain any deviations from the benefits, general conditions, stipulations or other provisions of the Specifications? If yes, provide details in a separate cover letter. Otherwise, confirm that you have responded according to Proposal conditions. Fees 1. Are the fees quoted in this Proposal firm and guaranteed for the term of the contract? 2. Provide the per-employee cost to administer services described within the proposal. 3. Provide utilization rates bases on at least one face-to-face session with an EAP counselor on claims paid to your EAP affiliates based on employers of similar size. 4. Provide the percentage of employee substance abuse cases and employees with psychiatric problems who are referred for treatment beyond the EAP affiliates based on employers of similar size. 5. Provide utilization rates over the first five (5) years of EAP start-ups with employers, preferably in the public sector, with whom your company has contracted with. 6. Are additional services available beyond what is described within this RFP and/or your proposal? If so, what are the fees for these services? - 13-
7. Is this Proposal tied to any other benefit offer (e.g. the EAP is only available if the County also purchases medical insurance through the vendor)? Implementation / Eligibility 1. Is participation guaranteed for employees and their family members? If no, please explain. 2. Describe scope of assistance and period of eligibility following layoffs and/or involuntary terminations. If eligibility for assistance is maintained for a defined period of time, is this included in the quoted fees? If not, what is the additional charge and what will it be based on? 3. Are any employee orientation sessions included in the fees being proposed? If so, how many sessions are you recommending be conducted? 4. Will any information be sent to employees to help promote the availability of the EAP? If so, how will that be sent and how soon after a contract is signed? 5. How much notice must the County provide if they wish to termination or non-renew its contract through your company/organization? Describe your termination or non-renewal policy. Administration and Member Services 1. Describe the range of both administrative and member services provided by your organization. 2. Describe the training and employee communication strategy that would be used to educate County employees about the services available. 3. Who will be responsible for assisting the County with rolling out the services and marketing to employees and their family members? Contact Name: Contact Phone Number: Contact Email: 4. Who will assist the County with ongoing administration (i.e. account management)? Contact Name: Contact Phone Number: - 14-
Contact Email: 5. Who will assist the County with ongoing questions or issues? Contact Name: Contact Phone Number: Contact Email: 6. Who will be the EAP Counselor to meet with employees, supervisors, HR staff, and/or County Administrator on a pre-determined scheduled basis? Contact Name: Contact Phone Number: Contact Email: Credentials: 7. Describe how you will handle, process and reply to employee inquiries. Include whether or not you provide a toll free number and if there is 24-hour access to counselors. Also, please provide the office locations and hours in which you will have counselors available by phone. Describe whether all services are provided by telephone or the circumstances under which counselors meet in person. 8. Are the individuals staffing the phones at least master level counselors? If no, please explain. 9. Are background checks conducted on all counselors? Please describe. 10. Are counselors trained on any legal issues associated with employment? Please describe. 11. Does the plan comply with all State and Federal mandates, including COBRA and HIPAA? If no, please explain. Please provide copies of pertinent policies and procedures relating to these requirements. 12. Does your organization outsource administration for any of the services you provide? If so, please explain and identify the other vendors that would be providing services to our employees. 13. In addition to the standard reports presented with your Proposal, do you provide any additional reports upon request? Is there a charge? If yes, please provide additional cost. 14. Are there any reports you will not provide to the County? If so, please describe. - 15-
15. What education services (i.e. seminars, etc.) will you provide and at what charge? Company Overview 1. What experience has your company had with public sector entities? 2. How long has your company been doing business in Ohio? 3. What other state(s) does your company do business? 4. Does your company have a national network of providers? If YES, please indicate whether use of such providers is included in the pricing of referrals. 5. Briefly indicate the main attributes that differentiate your company from your competitors. 6. Is your company a subsidiary or affiliate of another company? If yes, please explain and provide full disclosure of any direct or indirect ownership or control by any administrative service agency. 7. Describe any pending arrangements to merge or sell your company. 8. Provide the names and telephone numbers of five (5) clients in the State of Ohio with whom you have had a working relationship as a reference for the County. Include the number of participants for each group. (Preferably, the references should be governmental units.) Include two groups that recently terminated coverage. - 16-
Section XI Indemnification The proposing Vendor will indemnify and hold harmless the County and its respective officers, agents, and employees from and against all suits or claims that may be based upon any injury to persons or property arising out of an error, omission, or negligent act of the Vendor or its subcontractors; and the Vendor will, at its own expense, defend the County, and its elected officials, agents and employees in all litigation; pay all attorneys fees, damages, court costs, and other expenses arising out of such litigation or claims incurred in connection therewith; and shall, at its own expense, satisfy and cause to be discharged such judgments as may be obtained against the County or any of its elected officials, agents, or employees pursuant to such litigation, or any of its elected officials, agents, or employees pursuant to such litigation. Signature (Provider Representative) Company Title Date Telephone Number - 17-