Project Information

Bid Title

Request for Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant

Issuing Agency

Lakota Local Schools

Location

Ohio

Published Date

May 6, 2026

Closing Date

Jun 1, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Request for Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant

May 6 , 2026

Updated
May 6 , 2026

Please see the “Request for Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant” for the Lakota Local School District.

The proposal must be submitted to Benefits@Lakotaonline.com, labeled “Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant”. Proposals are due on or before 4:00 p.m., Monday, June 1, 2026. No proposals will be accepted after that date and time.

Attachment Preview

Lakota Local School District, Liberty Township, OH

Request for Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant

INTRODUCTION

Lakota Local School District (LLSD) is seeking proposals from benefits consulting firms to provide on-going

assistance in benefit plan selection, cost effectiveness, employee education, and compliance with benefit

laws and regulations. LLSD offers a combination of self-funded and fully insured benefits. LLSD offers the

following coverages:

Medical Insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible Spending (Section 125)

Pharmacy (Current Carve Out)

Stop Loss

Compliance

Actuarial Process

Analytics

COBRA Processing

Supplemental Life

Voluntary Long-Term Disability

Voluntary Short-Term Disability

Voluntary Critical Illness

Voluntary Accident

Voluntary Hospital Indemnity

Identify Theft

Employee Assistance Program

Wellbeing (CALM)

Specialty Program (Cancer Experts Now)

Any Future Worksite Products

The consultant will have the primary responsibility of monitoring the performance of the benefit plans

and providers selected by LLSD, making recommendations regarding benefit plans and providers,

requesting proposals from benefit plans and providers and providing support to LLSD’ staff in selecting

and administering benefit plans.

The consultant will conduct monthly meetings, present utilization/claims reports during those meetings,

analyze trends, and provide suggestions for cost containment and plan selection.

The consultant will work closely with the LLSD Benefits Team and members of the administrative staff and

will be expected to be available during regular business hours to provide prompt support.

The selected consultant will be required to enter into a professional/consultation services agreement with

LLSD and a business associate agreement with LLSD.

LLSD reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to award the contract in whole or in part to the

respondent determined by LLSD, in its sole discretion, to be most responsive to the needs of LLSD and

most advantageous to LLSD.

LLSD is not liable for any costs incurred by respondent associated with the preparation of a proposal or

the negation of a contract for services prior to the issuing of the contract.

Respondents are advised that proposals shall be binding on the respondent for 90 calendar days from the

proposal due date. A respondent may withdraw or modify its proposal at any time prior to the proposal

due date by a written request signed by the same person who signed the proposal.

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Lakota Local School District, Liberty Township, OH

Request for Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

LLSD is a full-service school district with approximately 1,700 employees who are eligible for group health

and other benefits.

The selected respondent must provide a fee-based compensation structure for core benefits consulting

services and shall not receive commissions or other incentives related to core benefit plans.

For voluntary/worksite benefits, respondents may receive commissions or other carrier-paid

compensation. All such compensation must be fully disclosed in detail, including commissions, overrides,

bonuses, and any indirect incentives.

Respondents must clearly distinguish compensation related to:

• Core benefits consulting services

• Voluntary benefits brokerage and enrollment services

The selected consultant will be required to attest that over the last 5 years such consultant has not

received any money or other form of compensation from any third-party administrator or insurance

provider without the disclosure of such compensation to the relevant client and obtaining the prior

consent of client.

LLSD current benefit plans and the renewal dates of such plans are as follows:

Line of Coverage

Medical

Pharmacy

Stop Loss

Vision

Dental

Basic Life & AD&D

Voluntary Life

Voluntary Short-Term Disability

Voluntary Long-Term Disability

Voluntary Accident

Voluntary Critical Illness

Voluntary Hospital Indemnity

HSA/FSA Administration

EAP

Voluntary Identity Theft

COBRA

Mental Health & Well-being

Cancer Program

Current Carrier

Anthem

ARORx/EVO

Voya

EyeMed

Sun Life

AFLAC

AFLAC

AFLAC

AFLAC

AFLAC

AFLAC

AFLAC

Health Equity

Telus (AFLAC)

Norton Life Lock

Flores

Calm

Cancer Expert Now

Next Renewal Date

1/1/27

1/1/28

1/1/27

1/1/29

1/1/27

1/1/28

1/1/28

1/1/28

1/1/28

1/1/28

1/1/28

1/1/28

1/1/27

1/1/28

Evergreen

1/1/28

7/1/26

Evergreen

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Lakota Local School District, Liberty Township, OH

Request for Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant

SCOPE OF SERVICES – CORE AND VOLUNTARY BENEFITS

Core Benefits Consulting Services (Fee-Based Only)

The successful consultant, in cooperation with LLSD, will be responsible for reviewing and providing

guidance in the evaluation of current and future employee benefits needs of LLSD and the best solutions

for meeting those needs.

The main business activity of the individual/firm selected by LLSD shall be employee benefits consulting

and/or voluntary benefits brokerage and enrollment services with considerable experience and emphasis

in the area of requesting and evaluating proposals for benefits (e.g. life, health, dental, and vision

insurance; benefit communication and surveys; plan documents; coverage interpretations; rate setting

and forecasting; and flexible spending plans)

Respondents should have extensive experience with large public sector (especially school districts with

500 or more employees) insurance programs.

At a minimum, the scope of benefits consulting services shall include the following:

a. Solicit proposals from independent third-party insurance providers licensed in the State of Ohio

to meet the benefits needs of LLSD and its enrollees;

b. Provide independent recommendations to the LLSD team regarding plan selection;

c. Provide advice and recommendations concerning benefits provided to employees of LLSD;

d. Solicit and negotiate rates and renewal rates for benefits plans most advantageous to LLSD;

e. Develop requests for proposals for submission to potential insurance providers;

f. Initiate annual contract renewals;

g. Monitor claims and utilizations rates and present monthly reports to the LLSD team, providing

copies of report to each member;

h. Serve as a liaison with carriers when service problems occur;

i. Provide estimated annual financial projections on rates for plans;

j. Monitor and report to the LLSD team regarding rate structure and amount changes;

k. Monitor, report and recommend cost savings proposals to the LLSD team;

l. Provide educational and informative seminars as required by the LLSD team; and

m. Provide services without receiving or accepting any commissions, kickbacks, salary overrides or

other forms of compensation or incentive either directly or indirectly from any third-party

administrator or insurance provider.

VOLUNTARY BENEFITS BROKERAGE AND ENROLLMENT SERVICES

The successful respondent, in cooperation with Lakota Local School District (LLSD), will be responsible for

evaluating, implementing, and managing a comprehensive voluntary/worksite benefits program designed

to meet the diverse needs of LLSD employees.

The selected firm shall demonstrate significant expertise in voluntary (employee-paid, payroll-deducted)

benefits, including product strategy, carrier marketing, enrollment execution, employee education, and

ongoing program management. Emphasis should be placed on driving employee participation, ensuring

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Lakota Local School District, Liberty Township, OH

Request for Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant

ease of enrollment, and delivering high-quality communication and service.

Respondents should have extensive experience supporting large public sector clients (particularly school

districts with 500 or more employees) and a proven track record of successful voluntary benefit

enrollments and participation outcomes.

At a minimum, the scope of voluntary benefits brokerage and enrollment services shall include the

following:

a) Develop and recommend a comprehensive voluntary benefits strategy aligned with LLSD’s

workforce needs and overall benefits philosophy;

b) Market and solicit proposals from qualified insurance carriers licensed in the State of Ohio for

voluntary/worksite benefits (e.g., voluntary life, short-term disability, long-term disability,

accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and other supplemental offerings);

c) Provide recommendations to LLSD regarding carrier selection, plan design, pricing, and program

structure, including multi-carrier vs. bundled solutions;

d) Negotiate competitive rates, guarantees, and contractual terms with carriers, including rate

locks, participation requirements, and underwriting concessions where applicable;

e) Develop and execute a comprehensive employee enrollment strategy, including on-site, virtual,

and/or call center enrollment options;

f) Provide end-to-end enrollment services, including scheduling, employee outreach, education,

decision support tools, and one-on-one benefit counseling;

g) Create and deliver a communication and education campaign to promote voluntary benefits,

including print, digital, and in-person materials tailored to LLSD’s employee population;

h) Provide enrollment technology solutions or integrate with LLSD’s existing systems, ensuring

seamless employee experience and accurate payroll deductions;

i) Serve as the primary liaison between LLSD and voluntary benefit carriers to resolve service

issues, enrollment discrepancies, and claims concerns;

j) Monitor program performance, including participation rates, employee feedback, and carrier

service levels, and provide periodic reports and recommendations for improvement;

k) Conduct post-enrollment analysis and provide strategic recommendations to enhance future

enrollments and product offerings;

l) Support ongoing employee education throughout the year, including new hire enrollment and

life event changes; and

m) Fully disclose all forms of compensation, including commissions, overrides, bonuses, or other

incentives received from carriers, and maintain transparency in all financial arrangements

related to LLSD’s voluntary benefits program.

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Lakota Local School District, Liberty Township, OH

Request for Proposal for Employee Benefits Consultant

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Proposals should be in clear, concise 8 1/2” x 11” format.

The proposal must be submitted to Benefits@Lakotaonline.com, labeled “Proposal for Employee

Benefits Consultant”.

Only firms submitting proposals by the deadline date will be considered. The proposals are due on or

before Monday, June 1, 2026, by 4:00 PM

Each proposal must include the following in this order:

FIRM OVERVIEW

• Company Background:

o Provide your firm’s history, mission, ownership structure, and any recent mergers or

acquisitions. Include specific experience in providing employee benefits consulting

and/or voluntary/worksite benefits services to large public sector organizations,

particularly school districts.

• Growth and Stability:

o Describe your firm’s growth over the past 5–10 years, including current staffing levels

and turnover rates. Highlight the stability and tenure of key consulting, account

management, and enrollment staff.

SERVICES AND DELIVERY MODEL

• Scope of Services:

o Describe your firm’s full scope of services, including core benefits consulting (strategic

planning, actuarial analysis, compliance, vendor management, employee advocacy) and

voluntary/worksite benefits services (product strategy, carrier marketing, enrollment,

and communication). Identify which services are provided internally versus outsourced.

• Account Management and Local Support:

o Describe the team that would be assigned to LLSD, including roles, experience, and

location. Indicate which resources are local versus centralized and how continuity of

service is maintained across both consulting and enrollment functions.

• Strategic Approach:

o Explain your approach to developing an overall benefits strategy, including:

▪ Core benefits: renewal planning, multi-year forecasting, plan design, and cost

containment

▪ Voluntary benefits: product selection, program structure (bundled vs. multi-

carrier), and alignment with workforce needs

ACTUARIAL, FINANCIAL, AND CLINICAL EXPERTISE (CORE BENEFITS)

• Actuarial and Underwriting Capabilities:

o Detail your actuarial and underwriting resources, including experience with self-funded

plans. Indicate whether these services are internal or outsourced and how they support

decision-making.

• Financial Analytics and Reporting:

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Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541612Human Resources Consulting Services

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