Employee Assistance Plan Addenda 1

Agency:	The Military College of South Carolina
State:	South Carolina
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	624190 - Other Individual and Family Services
Posted Date:	Nov 28, 2023
Due Date:	Dec 7, 2023
Solicitation No:	RFP 24005-JM
Bid Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
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Solicitation Number RFP 24005-JM

Addendum # 1

Date Issued 11/28/2023

Procurement Officer Jeff Molloy

Phone 843-953-6873

E-Mail Address procurement@citadel.edu

SOLICITATION TITLE: Employee Assistance Plan

TYPE OF ADDENDUM:

X Change or clarification to the Solicitation’s specifications, requirements, or scope of work.

X Questions posed regarding the Solicitation and their respective answers by The Citadel.

Questions and Answers

The Citadel Responses are in Blue.

1. How long has the current vendor provided EAP services to The Citadel?

Since 02/01/2019

Are there specific areas of enhancement you are seeking currently? We would like to increase employee

engagement, client/provider relations (more input and interaction from the provider on promoting EAP

and its resources based on data trends, and supporting our leadership, supervisors and managers to

improve overall wellbeing and employee relations on our campus.

What is The Citadel currently paying for their EAP services? Under $10,000 annually

o Based on how many employees? 1000

o Based on what session model? 3-session model

2. What was the total dollar spent for the EAP in the most recent contract year? $9.998.00

3. We recognize The Citadel provided some utilization information in Appendix A, but there is no information

regarding what is included within the reported cases. Based on The Citadel’s earlier shared utilization % of

approximately 2%, we would like to gain more insight/clarity, as the numbers in Appendix A would seem to

indicate a rate higher than 2%. Can you provide recent utilization reports or provide the following specific

utilization statistics? Utilization Reports are attached below.

o Specifically, can you provide total number of initial inquiry/assessment calls to the EAP in the most

recent contract year? Refer to most recent utilization reports

o Can you provide the total number of EAP counseling cases in the most recent contract year?

Refer to most recent utilization reports

o Can you provide the total number of EAP counseling sessions provided in the most recent contract

year? Refer to most recent utilization reports

o Can you provide the total number of EAP counseling sessions provided in the prior contract year?

Refer to most recent utilization reports

o Can you provide the average number of EAP counseling sessions provided per counseling case in

the most recent contract year? Refer to most recent utilization reports

o If unable to provide response to above points, could more detail be shared regarding Appendix A?

Refer to most recent utilization reports Example what is all being counted in the 35 cases from

2022, please provide a breakdown.

4. Can you provide the number of orientation, training, benefit fair hours provided in the most recent contract

year? 4 hours How many of those hours were provided in-person? 4 hours

o How many hours are included annually in the current contract? 4 contract hours

o Are include hours part of a bundle or per type of event? Please share details. Up to 4 hours of

onsite training per year which includes EAP employee orientation, EAP supervisor

orientation/training, EAP core training and compliance training. Unused hours do not

carryover.

5. How many Critical Incident events were responded to in the most recent contract year? 0

6. How many Critical Incident events were responded to in the prior contract year? 0

7. How many hours of Critical Incident support were provided in the most recent contract year? 0

8. How many hours of Critical Incident support were provided in the prior contract year? 0

9. How many hours of on-site Critical Incident support are currently provided in the contracted rate? Up to 3

consecutive hours of onsite critical incident response is included per calendar year

10. In an effort to be a “green” company, we generally provide promotional materials electronically. If printed

materials are desired, how many printed brochures and how many printed posters are requested annually?

Our request for printed materials are minimal annually since we, too, prefer electronic promotional

materials. We normally receive approximately 500 printed brochures and wallet cards, but very few

posters (less than 20) annually.

11. What hours is the Citadel open for receipt of the proposal from FedEx?

The Procurement office is open at 8:00 a.m. and deliveries are not accepted after 2 p.m. The physical

address, date and time requirements are listed in the RFP.

12. Regarding the requirement of hardcopies:

o With our ongoing green efforts, we try to reduce our footprint as much as possible, and therefore

would like to ask if this requirement could be reduced or moved to entirely being electronic?

No, please submit as required in the RFP

o Do you have specific requirements regarding binding if hard copies remain required? Example

would a three-ring binder be acceptable?

Three ring binder is acceptable.

13. Can more information be shared regarding the 300 temporary employees, such as:

o When do the majority of them work (during the year)? Schedules do vary; some work 9 months

(adjuncts) and others work year-round. Our business hours are Monday-Friday 8:30a-5:00p

except summer months, we are on a 4-day work schedule (Monday-Thursday 7:30a-5:30p)

o How many hours do they average when working per week? 25 – 30 hours

o What is the turnover rate throughout the year? Currently our turnover rate is under 20%

o What type of roles do they fulfill? Adjuncts, and various staff roles as admin support or

program coordinators

14. From Background – Program Requirements – “The Citadel has roughly 600 full-time, benefits eligible

employees and approximately 300 temporary employees. We would like to receive a quote that would

differentiate number of visits for a population of around 900 employees.” - Can more specifics be provided

here, such as:

o Are you looking for different session models? The Citadel is open to for multiple number of

sessions per incident, some vendors may offer three sessions and some may offer a different

number of sessions per incident. The incident price will be divided by the number of sessions

to determine the evaluated session cost which will aid in determining the awarded vendor.

Please refer to the bid schedule and do not provide a different bid schedule in your response.

o Are you seeking different session models for full-time vs. temporary? No

o Something else? No

15. Regarding “1.6. Counseling must also be provided on campus in the event of an emergency as determined

by The Citadel.” – Please confirm that this would be in connection with an approved critical incident

response/critical incident stress debriefing. Yes

16. Regarding “1.11 When maximum # of visits has exhausted, program should include telephonic consultations

on an unlimited basis for eligible employees.”

o We provide unlimited access to the EAP benefit via the toll-free number; however this does not

imply unlimited counseling, please confirm that telephonic counseling in this requirement refers to

in-the-moment type support and general inquiry. Yes

17. Regarding “1.13 Provide a cab reimbursement for employees at least once a year”

o Is this currently in place? No, this is preferred not mandatory.

o Can annual utilization detail be shared? N/A

18. Regarding 2.1 – “DOT drug and alcohol training” how many trainings are provided annually, and is it in-

person or virtual? 0- it is included as part of our current EAP contract as compliance training Also,

how long is this training typically? Based on need and content- no more than 4 hours for onsite training

19. Regarding 2.5 – “and/or drug and/or alcohol screenings and testing.”

o Drug and/or alcohol screenings and testing are not typically conducted by an EAP, but rather by a

medical lab. Are these being conducted today by the EAP? No

o If yes, is this actually the new-hire/reasonable suspicion screening/testing or some other type of

screening/testing? N/A

20. Regarding “3.4 Must provide a Quality Assurance Plan that ensures quality of services provided.”

o Can the Citadel provide details on the current Plan, or share more insight into expectations? Quality

assurance is monitored on an on-going basis and is evaluated through employee feedback and

review of utilization reports. Vendor shall have a quality assurance plan in place to ensure

EAP effectiveness.

21. Regarding “3.5 If and where applicable, provide collaborative efforts on health and wellness incentives for

overall stress and conflict management.”

o Are these in place today through the EAP vendor? No, but this is a task The Citadel would prefer

to explore

o Are they included in the EAP rate, and if not, how are these being charged? N/A

Can examples of those in place or desired be shared? N/A

o How is tracking being done, or expected to be done? N/A

o Regarding Technical Proposal section – “The resolution rate for the proposed number of sessions” –

this could mean different things; can The Citadel provide more insight into what it wants to learn in

regard to this item? The Citadel would like to review and follow resolution rates in order to

evaluate the EAP effectiveness. The Citadel wants to confirm the EAP is addressing staffing

needs and requirements that allow improvements in the employee’s overall health and well-

being.

22. Regarding Technical Proposal section – “The number and name of providers per county in South Carolina

and the maximum driving distance”

o Could details be limited to Charleston County? We prefer all counties in South Carolina

o Regarding driving distance, from where to where (what is the constant that should be used for

starting point, the campus address)? Campus address to providers’ office location, Citadel staff

and their family members live in multiple parts of the state and may live out of state.

23. Regarding Technical Proposal section – “The resource capability to provide services, face-to-face

consultations in South Carolina, but nationwide as well through telephonic consultations on secure web

communications based on historical data, Appendix A - Face-to-Face Visits for Employees and Eligible

Dependents.

o Not understanding what is meant by/asked for in regard to “based on historical data”, can more

information be shared? Based on historical data and utilization reports The Citadel wants

to confirm the proponent has the resources required to meet Citadel staff needs.

24. Regarding Cost Proposal – “2. Includes on-line wellness coaching program and related wellness services

and minimum Program Requirements listed on page 14.” – We are not finding a listing of wellness services,

unless this refers to the listing related to short term counseling on page 14. Can more detail/clarity be

provided? The Citadel needs to ensure that the proponents overall wellness services will meet staffing

and family requirements. Page 14 provides an outline of mandatory requirements; however, The

Citadel does not want to limit the proponent's wellness service offering. Vendors are free to offer all

the services they provide above and beyond this list.

25. Due to the length of audited financials, can these be limited to being included in one copy only, or simply be

provided in the electronic USB file?

No, all copies must include the required documents.

26. Please verify if you want Work-Life Resources and Legal and Financial Services included in the pricing.

Yes – we currently have WLR and LFS with our current EAP provider.

27. Page 15 1.11 – Please elaborate on what you mean by “consultations.” Same as evaluation – falls under

assessment, counseling and treatment.

28. Please clarify the number of training hours you would like included in the program. Please describe type of

training desired as well. 4 hours of onsite training per year (EAP core training, supervisor training, and

compliance training)

29. Pg 15 2.4 – Please elaborate on what your expectation is around “Train the Trainer” as well as the types of

training (customized training, manager orientations, etc.). Training support, supervisor training

30. Pg 16 – “Optional Programming” – it’s a little confusing re: wellness coaching. Please verify how you want

us to address this additional benefit. Wellness Coaching is a desired additional service to employees, as it

relates to financial wellness, for example. There is no mention of where to include Wellness Coaching in

the technical proposal. Are we to recreate the cost proposal and add Wellness Coaching? No, do not

recreate the cost proposal. Respondents should include wellness coaching in their offering, if

provided.

31. Where did the 2% utilization number originate from? From our most current UR report- current EAP

Provider shows 2.40% UR for count and 2.80% for serviced As the incumbent, we thought it relevant

for us to correct the utilization number listed in the RFP so that pricing is accurate. The average EAP

utilization for the past five years is 3.4%, with current utilization trending at 3.7%. This also does not

consider Work-Life utilization which is currently trending at 24.5%. Correct, the utilization was in excess

of 2% to be exact.

32. Who is the current EAP provider and how long have they been providing services to the organization?

MyGroup- 4 years (since February 1, 2019)

33. Please provide the current rate and a rate history throughout the contract term for the EAP. The current

annual rate is $9,998.00 annually.

34. How many hours of the following services are included within the current EAP contract per year? 4 hours

for training (combined hours for all services below) •Onsite training/orientation/educational seminars

•Onsite health fair/event participation •Onsite critical incident support events (# events/# hours) •Webinar

training

35. How many total hours of the following services were utilized in each of the last two (2) years? 4 hours for

onsite and virtual training and event participation over the last two years •Onsite

training/orientation/educational seminars •Onsite health fair/event participation •Onsite critical incident

support events (# events/# hours) •Webinar training

36. Please provide copies of 2021 and 2022 EAP utilization reports. Utilization Reports are attached below.

37. If reports are not available, please provide the following for each of the last 2 years and YTD: refer to

utilization reports •Number of employees on which the report is based •Total number of clinical cases

•Total number of work-life cases •Total number of clinical sessions

38. On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest, how would you rate your current vendor? 3

39. What are the three components that are most important to you in an EAP? Employee education and

engagement, an organizational resource and support for our supervisors, managers, etc., and

providing short term counseling and assessment to our workforce

40. Is your workforce currently in-office, remote, or hybrid? In office

41. How many employees covered under the EAP fall under Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations?

No employees currently fall under DOT regulation.

42. Are DOT Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) evaluations included within the EAP contract? We

currently have it in our current contract. If yes, is there a cap on the number of evaluations included each

year within the EAP rate or are evaluations provided on a fee-for-service basis? We have not used this

service

43. How many Department of Transportation (DOT) Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) evaluations have

been requested in each of the last three years? None

44. Please provide insight into the condition of the workforce. Are your employees facing:

•Stress?•Morale?•Inflation?•Financial challenges?•Burnout? Our workforce is currently facing all of

these conditions sporadically dependent on life events.

45. How do you utilize EAP in managing employee health and well-being? We offer onsite trainings, access

to resources, such as webinars, legal and financial forms, attorney consultations, just to name a few.

46. How do you currently track the effectiveness of the EAP program? We create trainings, newsletters and

programs based on utilization reports from our current EAP provider.

47. How do you currently track and manage contract compliance? We use utilization reports and continuous

communication with our current EAP provider to determine compliance.

48. Have there been any major events in the last year (i.e. reductions in force, critical incidents, etc.)? None

49. Is your EAP Helpline currently answered by customer service representatives or by clinical personnel?

Clinical personnel

50. Are legal, financial and daily living work/life services currently a part of your EAP program? Yes

51. What will be required of the clients we list as references? Will you conduct a telephone interview, require a

written reference response, etc.? A written reference response- References will be contacted to obtain

feedback of the vendors service quality.

52. Who is your health plan provider and is the plan self-funded? Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South

Carolina- Yes, we have a self-funded plan.

53. "It is expected that Covered Individuals (including dependents and household members) in need of

simultaneous psychiatric care be assisted with acquiring those services during the time frame in which the

counseling is provided." Is this to be interpreted as the EAP is responsible for providing psychiatric care

through the EAP, or is this referencing a referral to psychiatric care outside of the EAP, through insurance,

if available? No, A referral to psychiatric care outside of EAP through private insurance plans is

expected.

54. "Counseling must be offered via a variety of methods including: 24-hour toll-free telephone access (24/7),

in-person within 24-72 hours after request, virtually, and referrals as needed, follow-up within 72 hours."

Are these timelines an absolute requirement? This is a Mandatory requirement Ours differ slightly and we

would like to know if that would be an automatic disqualifier from further consideration if we do not meet

these exactly.

55. "When necessary, psychiatric care should be assisted with the EAP provider for adequate care and treatment

of the eligible employee, dependent or household member." Is the psychiatric care expected to be provided

through the EAP as part of the counseling sessions, or is this referring to referrals for psychiatric care

outside of the EAP? No, A referral to psychiatric care outside of EAP through private insurance plans

is expected.

56. Drug and/or alcohol screenings and testing: Are these included in the current rate or provided on a fee for

service basis? No, alcohol and drug screening are not presently part of the EAP

57. "If and where applicable, provide collaborative efforts on health and wellness incentives for overall stress

and conflict management." What incentives are expected to be provided? Does the current EAP provider

provide incentives? If so, what are they? Current provider is not currently providing any additional

incentives. However, The Citadel would like a provider that offers them. The Citadel does not

anticipate a vendor providing any financial incentives for health and wellness but does prefer a

vendor to provide initiatives to incentivize staff toward better health and well-being.

58. Is the wellness coaching program included in the current rate or is this a separate charge? No, not currently

covered in the current agreement however, it is a desired service to be included if offered.

Employee Assistance Plan Addenda 1

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See Also

Solicitation Number	Description	Issue Date	Due Date
RFP 24005-JM	Employee Assistance Plan Addenda 1	November 28, 2023	December 7, 2023