WV Higher Education Policy Commission and WV Community and Technical College System

WV HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY COMMISSION
WEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM COUNCIL
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
WORKERS COMPENSATION PROGRAM
RFP #26258
1 INTRODUCTION
The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission/West Virginia Community and Technical
College System Council is seeking qualified insurance companies (direct writers, brokers, and
agents) to submit proposals to design and assist with the implementation of a comprehensive
Workers Compensation Program to be utilized by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy
Commission (Commission), the West Virginia Community and Technical College System Council
(Council), the West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing (WVNET), and various higher
education institutions. The Commission is interested in a workers compensation program that will
provide improved services to state higher education employees and provide the lowest possible
costs for workers compensation benefits.
The four-year institutions eligible to use this Workers Compensation consortium contract are as
follows:
Bluefield State University
Concord University
Fairmont State University
Glenville State University
Marshall University
Shepherd University
West Liberty University
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
West Virginia State University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Potomac State College of West Virginia University
The two-year institutions eligible to use this Workers Compensation consortium contract are as
follows:
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
BridgeValley Community and Technical College
Eastern Community and Technical College
Mountwest Community and Technical College
New River Community and Technical College
Pierpont Community and Technical College
Southern WV Community and Technical College
WV Northern Community College
West Virginia University at Parkersburg
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 2

The current members of the consortium are:
Four-year institutions:
Bluefield State University
Concord University
Fairmont State University
Glenville State University
Shepherd University
West Liberty University
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
West Virginia State University
Two-year institutions:
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
BridgeValley Community and Technical College
Eastern Community and Technical College
Mountwest Community and Technical College
New River Community and Technical College
Pierpont Community and Technical College
Southern WV Community and Technical College
WV Northern Community College
2 INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL
This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued in two (2) parts. All Proposers shall be qualified and
reviewed as follows:
2.1.1 Part One - Proposers are required to submit the firm's credentials, qualifications and
specific examples of current worker compensation programs in place in order to reflect the
firm's ability to provide the scope of services covered by this RFP.
2.1.2 Part Two - Qualified Proposers selected from Part One evaluations, shall be required to
participate in a service/cost competition.
Inquiries, Information, Notice and Correspondence - Interpretation, Correction or
Changes in RFP. All inquiries, requests for information, notices, and correspondence
concerning this RFP shall be submitted in writing. Any interpretation, correction, or change
in the RFP will be made by formal addendum by the Commission. Interpretations,
corrections, or changes to the RFP made in any other manner will not be binding, and no
Proposer may rely upon any such interpretation, correction, or change.
The point of contact for all inquiries, requests for information and clarifications, notices and
correspondence concerning this Request for Proposal (RFP) is:
Kelley Smith, Director of Procurement
Email: bid.receipt@wvhepc.edu
Proposers shall make any requests for additional information or clarification in writing only to the
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 3

appropriate individual, as indicated above. No other individuals shall be contacted regarding this
RFP or any matter concerning this process. If a representative of any company or party submitting
a response violates the foregoing prohibition, such contact may result in the proposer being
disqualified.
Written questions regarding this RFP shall be due no later than 3:00 PM, EST on May 1, 2026.
Telephone and verbal questions will not be accepted.
Answers to questions, requests for information and clarifications regarding this RFP will be issued
in writing by Addendum and posted at the following webpage on May 5, 2026. It is the vendor's
responsibility to check this webpage for addenda and additional information concerning this RFP.
Vendors shall acknowledge receipt of addenda in the proposal.
https://www.wvhepc.edu/resources/purchasing-and-finance/
Responses to Part One and other required documents must be emailed to:
bid.receipt@wvhepc.edu on or before the date required below to be considered. Proposals
received after this date and time will not be considered. Please see Exhibit A for email
submission guidelines.
RFP Schedule of Dates:
Release of RFP April 21, 2026
Written Questions Due from Vendors May 1, 2026 @ 3:00PM, ESDT
Answers to Questions Posted May 5, 2026
Proposals Due May 13, 2026@ 3:00 PM, ESDT,
The typical RFP process may consist of any of the following steps, at the Commission's discretion:
* An advertised invitation for vendors to express their interest in providing a solution
* Receipt of vendor credentials and qualifications
* Preliminary evaluation of proposals, credentials, and qualifications
* Presentations, discussions, fact-finding, solution demonstrations, and interviews of
selected vendors.
* Secondary evaluation of selected vendors only
* Best and Final cost/revenue proposals from selected vendors only
* Final evaluation and vendor selection
* Contract Negotiations
* Implementation
No timeframe or promise of engagement or contract is either expressed or implied by the
publication of this RFP, and the Commission/Council reserve the right, in their sole opinion, to
accept or reject any or all responses and/or to terminate this process at any time with or without
notice. The Commission/Council may or may not employ any or all of the steps listed in Section
2.8 to select a qualified vendor. The Commission/Council, in its sole discretion, may award a
contract to any respondent at any time in the process.
The purpose of the response to Part One is to demonstrate the qualifications, competence, and
capacity of the firms seeking to undertake this project for the Commission/Council in conformity
with the requirements of this RFP. As such, the substance of a response will carry more weight
than its form or manner of presentation. The response shall demonstrate the qualifications of the
firm and of the particular staff to be assigned to this engagement. It shall also specify an approach
that will meet the RFP requirements.
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 4

RESPOND ONLY TO PART ONE REQUIREMENTS AT THIS TIME. The time and date
for responses to Part Two of this RFP shall be determined based on the evaluation of
Part One responses and shall be published by addendum to this RFP at the appropriate
time.
Vendors are expected to examine the entire RFP, including all specifications, standard provisions,
and instructions. Failure to do so will be at the Vendor's risk. Each Vendor shall furnish the
information required by the RFP. Time periods, stated in number of days, in the RFP, or in the
Vendor's response, shall be in consecutive calendar days.
By submitting a proposal, the Vendor warrants that: (a) the vendor has read and understands the
RFP documents, instructions, and terms and conditions; (b) that the proposal is made in
accordance therewith; and (c) the proposal is based upon the services specified.
Costs Incurred. Any and all costs incurred by the vendor in preparation of a response to this
request or for presentation of credentials are the responsibility of the vendor and will not be
reimbursed. All responses and documentation submitted by the vendor become the property of
the Commission/Council at the time the documents are opened.
Life of Proposal. All proposals shall remain in effect for a minimum period of one hundred twenty
(120) consecutive calendar days from the proposal opening date. Proposals may not be canceled,
altered, or withdrawn, except as otherwise provided herein.
Proposal Response Certification. Exhibit B Title page, included herein, shall be attached to
the front of the proposal, and should contain the Vendor's certification of the submission.
Proposals must be signed by an individual or individuals who have full authority to execute a
binding contract on behalf of the company, firm, or individual. Vendors shall acknowledge receipt
of any addenda or amendments to the RFP. If a Title page is not included, the bid must be
otherwise signed by an individual with full authority to bind the company.
2.16 Proposal Confidentiality. Ownership of all data, materials, and documentation
originated and prepared for the Commission/Council pursuant to the RFP shall belong
exclusively to the Commission/Council and be subject to public inspection in accordance
with the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Trade secrets or proprietary
information submitted by a Proposer shall not be subject to public disclosure under the
West Virginia Freedom of Information Act; however, the Proposer must invoke the
protections of Article 1, Chapter 29B of the Code of West Virginia in writing, either before
or at the time the data or material is submitted. The proprietary or trade secret material
submitted must be identified by some distinct method such as highlighting or underlining
and must indicate only the specific words, figures, or paragraphs that constitute trade
secrets or proprietary information.
2.16 Modification or Withdrawal of Proposals. Proposers may modify or withdraw their
proposal before the time and date as specified for receipt of the proposals as directed in Exhibit
A. Notice shall be received before the designated date and time for receipt of proposals.
Modifications must be worded so as not to reveal the amount of the original proposal.
The Commission/Council reserve the right to waive technicalities or irregularities to any process
or proposal during this solicitation.
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 5

3 SCOPE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
3.1 SCOPE OF WORK
The Commission/Council are seeking qualified insurance companies (direct writers), brokers, and
agents to submit proposals to design and assist with the implementation of a comprehensive
Workers Compensation Program for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and
the West Virginia Community and Technical College System Council.
For information purposes only, attached as Supplemental Information, is general claim
information, premium and payroll information. See Exhibit C.
Specific deliverables for the Commission/Council's Workers Compensation Program shall
include, but may not be limited to, the development, design, and implementation of the most highly
advantageous plan to improve services to state employees and to sustain the lowest possible
costs for Workers Compensation benefits as required by West Virginia law. More specifically,
each vendor must demonstrate and submit qualifications that relate to the following:
Insurance and Underwriting:
* Proof of current licensing to transact workers compensation insurance sales/service
in West Virginia.
* Insurance companies (direct writers) must be an admitted insurance carrier in the
State of West Virginia and licensed to transact workers' compensation insurance
sales/service in West Virginia.
* Proposed insurance companies must demonstrate an AM Best Rating of no less than
(A).
* Knowledge of and experience with management of funding mechanisms from which
retained claims amounts will be paid, according to established requirements and
regulations as promulgated by the West Virginia Insurance Commission.
Claims Administration:
* Ability to effectively and efficiently administer and process claims in the volume and
complexity anticipated by the Commission/Council as they relate to a higher education
environment and in accordance with the coverage required by West Virginia Law.
* Proof of demonstrated experience in claims administration in the anticipated volume
and complexity by the Commission/Council. Provide examples of experience with
similar size (5,000 or more employees) organizations.
* Information, data, customer surveys, or other information relating to the Vendor's
current customer satisfaction in the Workers' Compensation Insurance industry.
* Information relating to Vendor's intended use of a third-party administrator(s) (TPA), if
applicable. The Vendor must provide the TPA's name, history of the relationship,
qualifications, and other information for the Commission/Council to fully evaluate the
TPA based upon services requested in this RFP.
Claims and Risk Management:
* Ability and expertise to proactively manage new, existing, and ongoing claims to
ensure that required benefits are neither denied nor extended beyond reasonable
requirements.
* Approach and methodologies for claims and risk management in a governmental
and/or higher education environment.
* Experience and expertise in the management of a return-to-work program.
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 6

* Experience and expertise in the management of a loss control program.
* Agreements with regional preferred workers compensation provider networks.
The Commission/Council will not provide written designation of rights (commonly referred to as
an "Agent of Record Letter") to propose a specific insurance company or third-party administrator,
to any respondent during the course of Part ONE evaluations. The Commission/Council may, at
its sole discretion, provide a limited number of such letters to those respondents selected to
compete in PART TWO of the selection process. (The legal definition for "Agent of Record" does
not apply to this section.)
Part Two Responses with cost and premium proposals may be subject to the Commission
/Council's request for best and final offers.
All materials submitted in response to Part Two shall become the property of the
Commission/Council, and may be used, and/or incorporated into other designs or programs
without any compensation whatsoever to the submitting vendor.
3.2 VENDOR REQUIREMENTS - PART ONE
All responses shall be formatted with the items and sequence as presented in this
Section. Except as otherwise set forth herein, this Section outlines the minimum
requirements and packaging for the preparation and presentation of a response. Failure
to comply may result in rejection of the response. The proposal should be specific and
complete in every detail, prepared in a simple and straightforward manner.
Vendors are expected to examine the entire RFP, including all specifications, standard
provisions, and instructions. Failure to do so will be at the vendor's risk. Each vendor
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 7

should furnish all information required by the RFP. Time periods, stated in number of
days, in this request or in the response, shall be in calendar days.
The following documents and information shall be provided in the Vendor's response:
* Exhibit B - Title Page including addendum acknowledgement, signature, title,
company name, address, telephone number and email address of an individual with
full authority to execute a binding contract.
* A Table of Contents clearly identifying the proposal material by section and page
number.
* The name of your firm or company and include the date and location of incorporation,
principal officers, board of directors, number of employees, size and locations of field
offices, company history and organizational structure. Provide copies of your
organization's annual reports for the last three years, including any independently
audited financial statements and other performance information related to the fiscal
strength and resources of your organization.
* Is your company or firm engaged, or planning to engage in any merger, acquisition,
litigation, or business reorganization that might have an impact on your relationship
with the Commission/Council?
* Describe in detail your firm's qualifications to provide the services required in the RFP
including but not limited to, details of projects of a similar size and scope that your firm
has been associated with over the last two years, and how your programs have
performed in the actual marketplace.
* Describe in detail your firm's approach to providing the required services in the RFP
and the methodologies you employ. Provide information including, but not limited to,
all the services your firm can provide, research and reporting capabilities, and how
actual performance is measured.
* Not compromising any client confidentiality, submit five (5) comprehensive examples
of similar programs you have managed or implemented in similar governmental and/or
higher education environments.
* If applicable, submit a complete list of third-party claims administrators including their
qualifications, credentials, experience, financial status, and customer satisfaction
assessments. Indicate and fully disclose your firm's relationship and indicate which
firms on the list are considered "preferred" and state why.
* If applicable, submit a complete list of claims and risk management firms including
their qualifications, credentials, and experience. Indicate and fully disclose your firm's
relationship and indicate which firms on the list are considered "preferred" and state
why.
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 8

* Provide the names, title, function, and vita of the individuals within your organization
who will be assigned to this project.
* Submit a sample of your typical service agreement(s). Specifically, agreements with
governmental agencies or higher education institutions are preferred.
* Submit at least three (3) current references that the Commission/Council may
contact to evaluate customer satisfaction. References from institutions of higher
education are preferred.
3.3 VENDOR REQUIREMENTS - PART TWO
If a Part One vendor is selected for further participation, Part Two proposals shall be
formatted in the order listed below, providing information, as requested, for each item.
Selected vendors (direct writers, brokers, agents) shall submit "where applicable",
programs with all required elements they can or are licensed to provide. Responding to
all options is not required.
Based on the Supplemental Information provided in this and subsequent addenda
hereto, submit one or more of the following three comprehensive program designs and
cost quotations:
* Fully Insured: Submit comprehensive supporting material regarding your Workers
Compensation program design, features, components, and full implementation
timeline.
* Per Claim Deductible Option: Submit comprehensive supporting materials regarding
your program design, features, components, and full implementation timeline.
* A Commission/Council managed high per claim deductible program with an insurance
company provided excess of per claim deductible (stop-loss) layer of coverage to
include an annual aggregate limitation of loss.
Where applicable, for each option submitted, name and provide detail for the underwriters,
carriers, third party administrators, and risk management firms you prefer and submit a formal
request for the Commission/Council to provide an "Agent of Record Letter" authorization.
For each option submitted, provide a detailed and comprehensive cost proposal for all services
you might provide, including but not limited to, any and all premiums, professional fees,
commissions, design charges, hourly rates for managers and all billable classes of professional
and non-professional personnel, and reimbursable expenses, etc.
4 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA
4.1 PART ONE EVALUATION CRITERIA
The Commission/Council shall select vendors that will be invited to respond to PART TWO based
on their proposal to Part One Scope of Work requirements. Evaluation will consider the
completeness of the response to Part One proposal specifications and the demonstrated ability
to perform the required work, including but not limited to:
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 9

* Insurance and Underwriting qualifications and expertise
* Claims Administration qualifications and expertise
* Claims and Risk Management qualifications and expertise
* Financial resources and stability
4.2 PART TWO EVALUATION CRITERIA
Based on the Supplemental Information provided by selected vendors (below) and subsequent
addenda hereto, the Commission/Council, in its sole opinion, will select the vendor whose
program is determined to provide the highest possible service quality and lowest possible
sustainable cost, including but not limited to:
* Quality and scope of vendor's proposed plan or plans for the Commission/Council
* Cost
5 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
General. Generally, the purpose of an RFP is to identify and ultimately contract with a qualified
vendor or vendors for services required by the Commission/Council. The RFP process and legal
requirements are outlined in detail.
Process. By publication of a Request for Proposals, the Commission/Council begins an
administrative process that may or may not lead to the award of a contract(s). The
Commission/Council may stop the process at any time, with or without cause, and nothing in a
RFP document may be interpreted as an offer to purchase, procure, or otherwise acquire any
service from any vendor.
Except as specifically noted in the RFP, there is no time limit either expressed or implied on the
completion of each step in the process.
Definitions. The following definitions apply to this RFP:
* West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission may be referred to as
Commission, Policy Commission, HEPC, or Owner.
* West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education may be
referred to as Council or CTC.
* An RFP or various steps therein, including prequalification, refers specifically to an
officially published and numbered document and all the attachments, amendments,
and addenda, that are a part or may become a part of the document. Applicable
paragraphs from this instruction document are often included and made a part of a
final agreement should a contract be awarded.
* A vendor is any bona fide business entity, individual, partnership, or corporation who
submits a response to this RFP in accordance with the terms and conditions
specified herein.
* A Contractor and/or Seller is any bona fide business entity, individual, partnership, or
corporation who, a) having submitted a proposal in compliance with the terms and
conditions of a RFP; and b) being duly authorized to conduct business in the State of
RFP No. 26258- Workers Compensation Services
Page 10