RFP # 1054 Benefit Broker Services

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
PURCHASING DEPARTMENT
Request for Proposal # 1054
FOR
Benefit Broker Services
DATE DUE: October 23, 2026, on or before 2:00 P.M. EDT
SUBMIT TO:
Joshua Howell
Director of Purchasing
Westmoreland County Community College
145 Pavilion Lane
Youngwood, PA 15697
Point of Contact:
howelljo@westmoreland.edu
724-925-4185

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 COLLEGE INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS
1.1 General College Information
1.2 Scope of Work
1.3 CARES Act Grant Disclosure
1.4 Proposal Due Date
1.5 Calendar
1.6 Issuing Office
1.7 Instructions to Vendors
1.8 Format for Response
2 GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
2.1 Terms and Conditions
FORMS
Page 16: References
Page 17: Acknowledgement Form
Page 18: Certification of Contract/Bidder
Page 19: Non-Collusion Affidavit Instructions
Page 20: Non-Collusion Affidavit
Page 22: Business Size and Class Certification Form
Page | 2

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
1.1 GENERAL COLLEGE INFORMATION
Since its founding in 1970, Westmoreland County Community College ("WCCC", or "Westmoreland")
has provided affordable, high-quality, postsecondary education to thousands of southwestern
Pennsylvania residents.
Westmoreland is a comprehensive community college serving approximately 3,000 full-and part-time
students each fall and spring semester at seven locations and online. The college encompasses the
main campus and six education centers in Westmoreland and Indiana counties, strategically located
to serve every area of the region.
The main campus is located in rural Youngwood, PA, a short distance from the New Stanton
Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike off of US Route 119. The 80-acre campus comprises four
buildings: Student Achievement Center, Health and Culinary Center, Science Innovation Center and
the Business and Industry Center all of which contain general classrooms, smart classrooms and
laboratories with modern equipment that provide opportunities for students to gain hands-on
experiences in a variety of career fields. The Student Achievement Center also contains the college
store, library, student activities center, gymnasium and fitness center, and more. In addition, there are
athletic fields for baseball, softball, soccer and other sporting activities.
Westmoreland's state-of-the-art Advanced Technology Center offers education and training for
students and incumbent workers in advanced manufacturing. Occupying 73,500-square-feet-of-
space at RIDC-Westmoreland in Mount Pleasant, the center features numerous specialized labs to
enhance learning including computer-aided drafting and design, numerical computer control,
electronics, energy, metallurgy and welding/virtual welding.
Complementing the credit programming are a full array of student services, including financial aid,
tutoring, and career placement, and student life activities such as intercollegiate athletics, intramurals
and clubs.
The college also offers a variety of continuing education courses in workforce training, professional
development, health care, computer training, personal enrichment, and public safety.
Westmoreland works with government, business and community leaders to continually develop and
offer innovative and educational programs to improve the lives of the constituents it serves.
A full description of the Westmoreland College experience can be found at www.westmoreland.edu.
Page | 3

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
1.2 SCOPE OF WORK
WCCC is seeking to name a Broker of Record for its employee insurance benefits and is looking for
continuity of services in the rapidly changing area of employee benefits. WCCC is particularly interested
in a broker with a proven track record, who will serve as a strategic partner and offer creative, innovative
solutions that allow WCCC to maintain quality programs and contain or reduce benefit-related costs.
The selected broker will perform a full range of benefit program services related to the acquisition,
implementation, maintenance, communication and improvement of WCCC's employee insurance
benefits. We expect a partner who understands and has experience with the complexity of higher
education benefits.
Current Insurances with policy through June 30, 2027
Group Healthcare - Highmark/PPO Blue
Group Stop Loss - HM Insurance Company
Group Vision - VBA (Vision Benefits of America)/PPO
Group Long Term Disability - Reliance Standard
Group Basic Life/AD&D - Reliance Standard
Current Insurances with policy through June 30, 2028
Group Dental - MetLife/PPO
Project Management
Proposals for the services must designate a project manager who will be solely responsible for
conduct of the work. Any change in project manager must be approved by Westmoreland County
Community College. The project manager shall be supported by a team of specialists and generalists
qualified to perform the services required by Westmoreland County Community College. Brief
resumes of each project team member must be submitted with proposals, together with a description
of the duties each member will perform. The team must be available to attend campus meetings as
needed.
Minimum Qualifications of Broker
WCCC will consider proposers who meet the minimum qualifications:
The proposer shall have at least ten (10) consecutive years of experience in Pennsylvania
providing brokerage and benefits consulting services to public or private entities. The firm shall
have provided such services to jurisdictions whose service populations are similar in size and
complexity to that of WCCC.
The proposer must be legally authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
and shall meet all licensing and other requirements imposed by State and Federal laws and
regulations.
Page | 4

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
The proposer shall have experienced management staff, possessing comprehensive
knowledge of benefit administration pertaining to public employers and institutions of higher
education.
The proposer shall possess knowledge of applicable laws, regulations and codes and shall be
familiar with local conditions and trends relating to group insurance in Pennsylvania.
The proposer's office must provide assurance of reasonable staffing continuity over the
contract period, preferably based in the western Pennsylvania area.
Minimum Qualifications of the Staff
The staff members assigned to WCCC's account shall have ten (10) years of benefit
administration and client management experience and provide credentials documenting such
experience.
Basic Selection Criteria
Understanding of the work required as evidenced by the proposal.
The qualifications and experience of key personnel to be assigned to Westmoreland County
Community College.
Extent and success of previous work provided to organizations similar in size to WCCC and
references provided verifying required experience and level of service.
Total resources of the broker that can be applied to the advantage of Westmoreland County
Community College.
The scope of the services offered and the extent to which they meet or exceed the requirements
of Westmoreland County Community College.
Advice and support with respect to the legal implications and requirements of the employee
benefits programs.
The proposed cost to carry out the services requested.
The selected broker shall provide services including, but not limited to, the following:
1. Analysis and Reporting
A. Analyze existing coverages and identify or develop costsaving alternative benefit
strategies and plans.
B. Assist WCCC in monitoring and analyzing experience trends and providing timely alerts on
changing patterns and provide appropriate recommendations.
C. Provide insights on emerging benefit trends in higher education and among comparable
peer institutions. Provide financial and/or performance reviews of selffunded or fully
insured plans and programs.
D. Provide various types of reports as needed, such as cost analysis for benefit changes, and
other statistical, financial, forecasting, trend, or experience reports.
E. Prepare and present reports on trends, new products and audits, as requested.
F. Regularly monitor and evaluate performance measures and guarantees for providers.
2. Long-Range Planning
Page | 5

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
A. Assist Westmoreland County Community College in the development of multi-year employee
benefits goals, including making projections on potential savings and strategies to implement
these goals.
B. Provide Westmoreland County Community College information on employee benefit issues,
trends and proposed/new legislation especially in the educational industry.
C. Conduct reviews upon request of selected employee benefit package for quality of benefits
provided, cost effectiveness, competitiveness and plan administration.
3. Plan Design & Rate Negotiation
A. Assist in the design of a program which meets the benefit needs and budget considerations
of Westmoreland County Community College including employee cost sharing provisions.
B. Assist with annual benefit renewals, including negotiation of changes in contracts.
C. Negotiate renewal rates with current carriers including evaluating retention, formulas, trend
projections and claims reserves.
D. Assistance with respect to benefits during labor negotiations.
E. Go to market as needed for proposal of employee benefits, including preparation of bid
specifications, identification of appropriate markets, analysis of proposals received,
recommendations and assistance in negotiation.
F. Compare renewal rates with proposal responses and provide Westmoreland County
Community College with a detailed analysis.
G. Audit resulting contracts for accuracy of coverage, terms and conditions.
H. Monitor ongoing contracts, including provider plan administration, provider compliance with
contract and incurred claims with reports quarterly. Provide usage data as comparison to
establish strategy for WCCC.
I. Evaluate and prepare possible plan design alternatives and potential premium savings
versus employee exposure.
J. Evaluate various insurance products submitted by carriers, agents and brokers.
K. Research alternate funding arrangements such as self-funding, minimum premium, etc.
4. Day-to-Day Administrative Service
4.1 Liaison and Problem Intervention
A. Act as liaison between WCCC and insurance providers.
B. Provide daytoday consultation on plan interpretation and problem resolution.
C. Provide timely customer service and assistance to staff, with issues such as provider
billing, claims, vendor service issues/problems, advocacy for services, disputes,
interpretation of contracts and services, changes and general troubleshooting.
D. Meet with Westmoreland County Community College management and Human
Resources staff, as requested.
E. Assist Westmoreland County Community College's Executive Director/Human
Resources and Coordinator/Human Resources with any claim or administrative
discrepancies.
F. Provide a key contact person to be available to answer questions and resolve issues that
arise regarding employee benefits, contract administration and service provisions
throughout the term of the contract. Attend employee meetings as needed.
G. Perform other related consultation services as requested.
Page | 6

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
4.2 Employee Communication
A. Assist WCCC in design of appropriate employee benefits communications.
B. Design and produce high-quality employee communication materials including
announcements, benefit/open-enrollment brochures, etc.
C. Participate in the annual open enrollment process/meetings, to whatever degree
Westmoreland County Community College deems appropriate, including the planning
and presentation of onsite employee meetings at various locations.
D. Provide up to date utilization reports and participate in regularly scheduled meetings with
the Healthcare Monitoring Committee.
5. Compliance
A. Assist with ongoing plan administration and ensure that programs are in compliance
with Local, State, and Federal regulations.
B. Provide staff information, as needed, regarding regulatory updates and/or Best Practice
for the effective administration of benefits plan.
C. Review and disseminate information to staff on new or revised State and Federal
legislation that may impact benefits programs.
D. Assist staff with annual audit to ensure compliance with all mandated reporting and
posting/notice requirements for benefit plans.
E. Develop and/or assist in developing communication materials and tools for conducting
dependent verification audits.
F. Provide support with federal, state and local requirements such as COBRA, HIPAA,
FMLA, ACA, and other applicable laws.
G. Provide advanced updates of pending federal, state and local legislative issues which
may affect Westmoreland County Community College.
H. Review employer plans for possible compliance issues based on enacted and impending
legislation.
I. Prepare benefit-related forms as required for compliance on all health & welfare plans for
Westmoreland County Community College.
J. Perform other compliance-related services.
6. Annual Renewal Process and Evaluation
A. Establish a strategy for benefits, both annually and three to five years in the future.
Consider trends, prospective legislation, new delivery systems and geographic health
care practices to make longterm projections.
B. Review and make WCCC cost saving recommendations regarding the modification of
plan design, benefit levels, premiums, communications and quality of current employee
benefit plans.
C. Recommend appropriate premium rates and reserves to maintain the viability of the
plans to ensure that quality and cost-effective benefits are provided by the plans.
D. Provide annual estimates of renewal rates and cost trends to assist staff in preparation
of budget figures.
E. Conduct thorough and applicable market research in preparation for contract renewals.
Page | 7

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
F. Represent WCCC in all negotiations with providers on various topics, including, but not
limited to, premiums, benefit levels and plan design, performance measures and
guarantees, contractual terms and conditions, and quality assurance standards.
G. Make recommendations for items of negotiation with providers, including, but not limited
to, benefit levels and plan design, premiums, quality of service, performance measures
and guarantees, and return on investment, where applicable.
H. Prepare specifications and compile data, obtain quotes and proposals, negotiate rates
and analyze and compare proposals.
I. Review rate proposals to ensure underlying assumptions are appropriate and accurate.
7. Employee Wellness
Assist in the development and implementation of an employee wellness program to improve
employee health and reduce healthcare costs, both in the shortterm and in the longterm.
Draft communication pieces for distribution to WCCC employees and families related to wellness
services, including special events and screenings.
Deliver reports and regularly meet with the WCCC's Wellness Initiative Team.
8. Special Projects
The broker may be requested to do special projects and/or studies required by Westmoreland
County Community College.
Proposal Format
The proposal response must clearly demonstrate the qualifications, expertise, competence and capability of
the vendor. Proposals shall be submitted in the following format:
Introductory comments.
Description of firm, general qualifications and the office from which the account will be serviced.
Nature and years of experience of project manager and team members to be assigned to WCCC.
Description of services to be provided and approach.
Strategic planning process.
Schedule of fees/commission levels and how you expect to be paid. Include any payments your
firm would receive from WCCC benefit plans. (see Broker Compensation below)
Time frame for providing specified services.
Insurance companies used for each of the products.
A list of client references (three to five) with benefit structures similar to WCCC, to include name
of business, contact person, phone number and email address. Include the time period you have
serviced those clients.
Please include sample communication pieces distributed to the employee or the employer on
benefit changes, news or trends. Also describe any on-line capabilities available for both the
employee and employer.
Please discuss methods of communication used to inform employers of compliance issue
changes - via email, employer handbook, etc.
Broker Compensation
Page | 8

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
A. Compensation of the broker will be based either on contractual fees paid by Westmoreland
County Community College and/or sales fees paid by the insurance carrier under the carrier's
standard commission/service fee schedule.
B. Include any payments your firm would receive from overrides, contingencies, or other extra
payments from the carriers of WCCC benefit plans. Detail how this revenue will be used to
reduce the fees paid by Westmoreland County Community College or to provide additional
services.
C. Please provide your suggested structure of annual fees for your services to perform the services
outlined in the Description of Work section. List preferred and all alternative methods of
compensation available along with total annual costs to be paid by WCCC, as well as any
anticipated earnings from other sources related to your service of our plans. Include any
payments that will be received.
D. WCCC reserves the right to review and/or audit any records of the selected broker.
THE COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT ANY
OR ALL BIDS OR ANY PART THEREOF
1.3 CARES ACT GRANT DISCLOSURE
When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations and other
documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with Federal money, U.S.
Department of Education grantees shall clearly state: 1) the percentage of the total costs of the
program or project which will be financed with Federal money; 2) the dollar amount of Federal funds
for the project or program; and 3) the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or
program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
Recipients must comply with these conditions under Division B, Title V, Section 505 of Public Law
115-245, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019.
1.4 PROPOSAL DUE DATE
The due date of this RFP is Friday, October 23, 2026, on or before 2:00 p.m., EDT. Responses
must be clearly marked with the RFP number and RFP title listed in this document and your
company name in the lower left corner of the outer envelope or box. Submissions must also
be emailed to howelljo@westmoreland.edu on or before the due date. The time of submission
will be based on when the email is received. The paper copy must be mailed and cannot be
dropped off on campus. The purchasing department will distribute the copies to proper personnel.
The college will not consider or examine late responses. Amended responses will not be considered
unless they are received in the Purchasing Department on or before the above date and time. The
official copy must contain the complete response and related materials. A duly constituted corporate
official legally capable of binding the contractor must sign responses.
The college reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or any part thereof.
Page | 9

Westmoreland County Community College
Request for Proposal #1054
Benefit Broker Services
1.5 CALENDAR
Date Event
Friday, September 11, 2026 RFP Issued
Friday, September 18, 2026, by 5:00 Questions due to Joshua Howell at
P.M. EDT howelljo@westmoreland.edu
Friday, October 2, 2026, by 5:00 P.M. Addendum emailed (if applicable)
EDT
Friday, October 9, 2026, prior 5:00 P.M. Acknowledgement / Intent to Propose
EDT
Friday, October 23, 2026, on or before Proposals must be submitted to the
2:00 P.M. EDT Purchasing Department:
howelljo@westmoreland.edu
January 4-6, 2027 Final Candidate Interviews
College will contact the selected
Finalists prior to dates listed.
January 27, 2027 Recommendation to the Board
February 1, 2027- January 31, 2032 Original Contract Term (60 months)
Additional 1-year Terms at
written request
1.6 ISSUING OFFICE
This request for proposal is issued for the Westmoreland County Community College by the
Purchasing Department. The issuing office is the sole point of contact for the college for this
RFP. Please refer all inquiries in writing to:
Joshua Howell
Director of Purchasing
Westmoreland County Community College
145 Pavilion Lane
Youngwood, PA 15697
Phone: 724-925-4185
howelljo@westmoreland.edu
1.7 INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS
Page | 10