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HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract 28285STATE OF TEXAS COUI�TTY OF TARRAI�'T �iTM �F������ �C�N'i�AC� (� . � AGREEIVIEI�IT FOR CO1V'SULTIl`TG SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS GR4UP HEALTH AND LXFE Il�TSURANCE PROGRAlViS � WHEREAS, The� City of Fort Worth recognizes the need and value of e�pert con5ulting services in the increasingly complex and expensive health and Iife insUrance field in order ta control costs and to provide the best possible program of coverages and benefits to its active employees, retired emplayees and their eligible dependents; and WHEREAS, the f rm of Effective Plan Managemetit, Inc. has previousl� provid�d excelle�t and beneficial advice and services to the City in this f eld and offers to cantinue the provision of advice and services a:s more fuIly set out be�ovv, NOW, THEREFORE, KNOW ALL BY TI-�SE PRESENT5: � 1. PARTIES The parties to this agr�ement are the City afFort Worth, Texas ("City"), a home-rule municipal corporatian wl�ose authnrized signatory is Cha.rles Boswell, Assistant City Manager, and Effective Plan Management, Inc. ("EPM"), a Texas corporation whose aufhorized signatary is Jim C. MosIey, President. Z. TERM This agreement shail become effeetive ar� 7anuary Ist, 2003 un#il December 31st, 200� ut�less sooner terminated as set out in paragrap� 6 of the Agreement. 3. CONSIDERATTON Tn cettrrn for s�rvices rendered by EPM purs�ant to this Agreement, the City wi�l pay EPM th� sum of $b,000 ger month in advance. In the avent that no funds or insuf�cient funds are collected,. appro�riated and budgetad ar funds are ot�envise unavailable for payment of amounts due hereund�r by City to EPM, �ity sha�l notify EPM and this agr�ement shall terminate on fihe last day o#'the fiscal period for which ap�ropriations were made without penalty or ex��nse to City af any kind whatsoever, axcEpt as to tl�e payment of amaunts due and payabl� for which appr.opriations have been made for said fiscai period. ,^,, , � 4. SERVTCES T� BE RENDERED EPM agrees to provide general consuIting servicas for the Gity' s group health and life insurance programs involving acti�e employees,, retired employees and their eligible dap�ndents. EPM's services will include but will not necessazily be limite� to the fallawing: 1. Confer with City designees as needed regarding health care and Iife insurance pragrams. 2. Represent the interests of the City in the health car� field. 2. Assist in the review of health care pro�rams ta deterrnine their cost effectiveness. 4. Assist in the generai management a�the health care plans. 5. . Develop bid specifications �or propasal reque�ts as desired by the City. 6. Work with potential bidders during the Request For Proposal (RFP) process �o answer any question� regarding the RFP in order to assure their complete understanding of the City's intent. 7. Evaluate bids and/or progosals received an� affer recommendations. S. Assist, as needed, with the transition betwe�n vendors if tha RFP results in a change of vendors. 9. Examine reports of exposures, expenses and paid losses at app�opriate intervals to � determine patterns of risk and to assur� conforrnity of the vendor to its propasal(s). I0. Act as contact betw�en insurance agents and representatives ofHMOs, PPOs and ir�surance companies who make inqu'sries regarding benefits affered by or through the Ciiy. 11, Review per�ormance of the vendor and, iF requested by the City, negotiate contract renewal rates iar the health care plans in a manner calcula#ed to be acceptable ta the City. . �2. Assist with drafting or redrafting of�the health care plan's Plan Dacument or its Summary Plan Descripiion. 13. Assist the Employe� Committee in reviewi�.g optiona� benefits available through payr�ll deductxon at tha empIoyee's sole cost. 14. Assist in d�v�lapment of specifications and discussions with vendars as selection of a plan for optionat long term disability insurance becomes availabie. 15. Assist with the preparation of any reparts which the Treasury Department might require o�the City. 16. �,ssist with the expansion ofthe City's IRC Sec. I25 Plan at the City's request. 17. Attend and participate in scheduled meetings of IGR Committee, designees from City Manager's office, Doctors for Excell�nce �nd United Healthcare of Texas, Inc, which are to be conducted to assure pragress toward M/WBE and Petfarmance G�arantee goaFs for the 2003 Plan Year and the 200�4 Plan Year. 2 Effective Plan Management, Inc. agrees to suhmit a written report not maxe than fifteen {I S) caiendar days after the end of the calendar quar�er datailing its efforts an behal£ of the City ofFort Worth and will prepare and submit a�l such other recommenda�ions and reports necessary ta demanstrate its delivery o�the services outlined above or any subsequent work requirements which may be hereafter mutua�ly agreed by Eif�ctive Plan Managemenf, Inc. and City during the term �f this Agreement. 5. CITY aBLIGATTONS Ci#y will provide such in£ormatian as is reasonable and necessary to EPM to aid in its pesformance o£the Agreem�nt. 6. TERMINATION The City may terminate this Agreement upon 90 days written notice ta Effective Plan Management, Inc. whenever such terminatian is deemed to be in the C�ty's best interest or in the evern ofEPM's default, inability or failure ta per�arm arto corriply with any material term or condition o£this Agreement or far any other gaod cause.� Effective Plan Management, Inc. may terminate this Agreement upon 90 days written notice to the City whan such termination is deemed to be in EPM's best interest or an the event of the City' s failure to pramptly pay amaunts due EPM'as described within this Agreement or%r any ather goad cause. Upon any such termination by aither party, any and aIl informatiQn accumulated by EPM pursuant to this Agreement, in whatever medium stored or created, will become the property af the City. Such property will be returned to �he City as expeditiausly as passible and tha City agrees to resmburse EPM for any. and aIf reasonable expenses incurred in the r�trieval, preparation and transfer of such property to the City. 7. N�N-ASS�GNIV�NT EPM wilt not assign any partion oi its rights or �uties under this Agreement without prior, writt�n approval of the City. Any purported assignment without such prior approval wi11 be a breach of this Agreement and will be vaid in all respects. 8. INDEPEN!]ENT CONTRACT4R EPM shal� operate h�reunder as an independent contractnr and not as an officer, ager►t, servant ar empl�yee ofthe City. EPM shall have exclusive control and right to control the details of its per�ormance under this Agreement and shall be solely responsible for the acts and omissions of its officers, memk�ers and employees. The doctrine of respondent superior shall not apply to any item af performance under this Agreement nor shail anything in this Agreement be construed as creating a partnership or joint enter}�rise hetween EPM and the City. 9. MISCELLANEOUS The provisions o�the Agreement are severable and if, %r any reason, a clause, santence, paragraph or any other part o£ this Agreement shall be deiermined to be invaIid by a court or federal or state agency, board or commission having jurisdiction over the subject matter thereof, such invalidity sha11 not affect ath�r provisions which can be given effect without the invalid provision, T�e failure of ti�e City to insis# upon the performance o�any term or provision of trie Agreement or to exercise any right herein confened shall nat be construed as a waiver ar relinq�ishment to any eartent o#'t�e Czty's right to assert or to rely upon such term or right on any future occasion. Should any action, whether real or asserted, at law or in equi#y, arise out of the execution, perFormance, attempted performance ar nonperformance af the contract and agreemant, venue for said action shall 1ie in Tanant Caunty, Texas. This written instrument�and any exhibits attached hereta which are incorporated by reference and made a part of this Agreement for aIl purposes, canstitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto concerning the �vork and services to be per#'ormed hereunder and any prior or contemporaneous, oral or written agreernent which purports to vary from the terms hereoi shall be void. Any amendrnents ta the tezms of this Agreement must be in �vriting and must be approved by both th� City and EPM. a u Ilv WITNE�S WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed �'our {4) cogies of this Agreement in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas this ��.� day of �{�,�ar4F , A.D. �00�: � . � ATTEST: � L�7 ��� � City ecretary CZTY OF FORT WORTH BY: _ ll�� Char2es Boswell Assistant City Manager e �F���'��.PLAN MANAGEMENT, INC. ATTEST: . � . . ,, � — - _ ,� � �, -� , . � �'� ! • '�J1m C, Mosley � President C; � � �13�_�._ _ _ _ _ Cont�a�t 14utho�i��ti.on _ ��� 1 b ��_. .� __ � � .� Aate APPROVED AS TO F�RM AND LEGALITY: . . c, ity A orney t2j ti4 � c+�— Date: ��, � � .._ � �. � - � C`ity o, f �'o�t �o�th, Texas [�i1�y�r �r�d Cour�cil �o�r�u�i��-t�o� DATE REFERENCE NUMBER LOG NAME � z�� oia2 **C�193�6 14EPM PAGE 1 of 2 SUBJECT CONTRACT WITH �FF��TIV� PLA��i f�1Af��4�EAr1EN�, I�v�, �FOR GROUP BENEF'IT CONSULTING SERVICES RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council autharize the City Manager to execute a cantract with Effective Plan Management, 1nc. (EPM) to prouide group benefit cansulting services far ihe City an a fee basis of $6,pfl0 per month beginning January 1, 2003, and ending no later than December 31, 2003. 1�7�Y�II��y[�]�E Since 1991, the City has contracted wiih EPM to provide consulting services for the City's benefit programs co��ring employees and retirees and their e[igible dep�ndents. These services also includ� representation of the City in the health care field and assis#ance in reviewing programs to ensure their cost effecti�eness. EPM has pro�ided �aluable exper�ise in this �ery complicated fi�ld, but as health benefits become a majar component of the City's tofal compensation package, and as the cost of such ben�fits are rising, it is prudent to evaluate the consulting services available in th� field at this time. ln addition, EPM I�as indicated that there is a possibility they will not provide consultant services for the City's benefit programs beyond December 31, 2003. Staffintends fo search for a new consultant during FY2002-2aa3. EpM's current cantract with the City expires December 3�, 20Q2. In order to provide suffic�ent time to evaluate and select a consultant, it is propase� that a contract with EPM be approved until a new consultan# is selec#ed and a contract executed. Staff estimates that this pracess will be complete� by October 2003, but recommends that the contract with EPM be authorizad thraugh December 31, 2003, to ensure that sufficient time is pro�ided. At such time as a cflnsultant is sefected, the contract with EPM wil� be cancelled (assuming EPM is not ihe consultanf selected). The scope of wor�t fn ihis contract with EPM will include: � Assist in the administration and revi�w of #he City's current henefit prograrns; and � Audit expasures, expenses, and paid losses ta ensure contract compliance of the City's benefit providers; and � Monitor the City's group p�an I�sses with recommendations to obtain such losses; and + Act as a primaty contact for all insurance agen#s and representatives of cam��nies offering s�rvices to the Cify and/or mak�ng in�uiries reEated to the City's benefits; and • Review performance and, if requested, negotiate cantract renewa) rates for plans subject to terms agreeable to ihe City; and �`ity of Fo�i W'or�h, T'exas ��yor �nd Go�an�i[ Corr�mu�Ec��i�r� QATE REFERENCE NUMBER LOG NAME PAGE 121101�2 **�o� 93�6 1�EPM 2 of 2 SUBJECT CONTRACT WITH EF�ECTIVE PLAN MANAG�MENT, fNC. FOR GROUP BENEFIT CONSULTING SERV[CES � Assist in �rafting or redrafting the City's benefit plan documents or summary plan descriptians; and o Serve as a resource to th� Health Benefit Advisary Committee; and + Assist �he Employ�e's Insurance and Benefits Committee in reviewing optional benefits available through payroll deductions at the employee°5 50If; COSt. EPM will continue to provide consultation on the self-insured plan with United HealthCare. EPM will also work closely with City staff to monit�r plan perfarmance and recomm�nd actions designed to assure the plan meets financial and �erformance targets. F15CAL INFORhIIATI�NICERTIFiCATION: The Finance Director certifies that funds are available in the current operating budget, as appropriated, of the Health and L9fe Insurance Fund. CB:k 3ubmit�ed far City Mana�er's Ofiice by: Charles Baswell Driginating Deparfinent Head: Linda Cohb Additional Informat[on Contact: Linda CobU � �vr�n � �cco�rrT � � (to) � 6183 I � 7783 I {from) F�85 53120D � 7783 I C�NTER 014851D I AMOUNT $54,000.00 CITI' S�CRETARY APPROVED 12/10/02