RENEWAL OF AGENT OF RECORD AGREEMENT
RENEWAL OF AGENT OF RECORD AGREEMENT
This AGREEMENT made this~ day of~, 2006, by and between the City of
Clearwater, Florida (City), a Florida municipal corporation, P. O. Box 4748, Clearwater,
Florida 33758-4748, and the Gehring Group (AOR), a Florida corporation, 1645 Palm Beach
Lakes Boulevard, Suite 480, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401.
WHEREAS, City and AOR have previously executed an Agent of Record Agreement
on May 2, 2001, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "A"; and
WHEREAS, the original Agent of Record Agreement expired on September 30, 2002;
and
WHEREAS, City and AOR both desire for AOR to continue to provide agent of record
services for employee benefits as described in the Scope of Services, attached hereto as
Exhibit "B"; and
WHEREAS, City and AOR both desire to renew the original Agent of Record of
Agreement for a two-year period and subsequently to automatically renew said Agreement
absent termination by either party;
NOW THEREFORE, and in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants
herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. TIME OF PERFORMANCE. This agreement shall be renewed for a renewal
period, as provided for in Paragraph 2. of Exhibit "A", said period to commence on October 1,
2002, and running through September 30, 2004. This agreement will thereafter be
automatically renewed for successive one-year terms unless terminated in writing by City or
AOR at least thirty calendar days prior to the annual expiration date [September 30].
2. All remaining terms and conditions of the original Agent of Record Agreement
are incorporated herein by reference and shall continue in full force and effect throughout the
remaining term of this agreement.
3. All terms and conditions of the Scope of Services are incorporated herein by
reference and shall continue in full force and effect through the remaining term of this
agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City and AOR, have executed this Renewal of Agent of
Record Agreement on the date first above written.
Countersigned:
CITY OF CLEARWATER, FLORIDA
B~~t>.~
William B. Horne, II
City Manager
Approved as to form:
Attest:
Leslie K. Dougall-Si s
Assistant City Attorn
\.
ia E. Goudeau
lerk
GEHRING GROUP
By:
Print Name: Kurt Gehrin
Its: President/CEO
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Exhibit B
Scope of Services
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As outlined by the City of Clearwater in the Request for Qualifications, #50-01,
the following list outlines the Scope of Services requested and agreed to by
the Gehring Group:
1. Represent the City with best efforts regarding its employee benefits and when
dealing with service providers. Obtain specific reports and information from
service providers in a timely manner on an as-needed basis. Remain fully
knowledgeable and up-to-date in order to interpret benefit policy and provide
expert information regarding benefits issues.
2. Attend regular Benefits Committee meetings or other scheduled sessions as
required by City.
3. Provide periodic training sessions to educate City staff regarding benefits options
and considerations for decision-making.
4. Serve as a resource to the City's Human Resources staff as needed on a wide
variety of issues, including but not limited to:
. Negotiating renewals for medical, EAP, basic life, SAMP (Supervisory,
Administrative, Management, and Professional employees) life, L TO, voluntary
dental, AO&O, cancer/intensive care/accident, etc.
. Reviewing insurance contracts for conformity with the City's requirements.
. Bidding all products on an "as required" basis.
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. Timely receipt and review of medical plan management reports.
. Development of open enrollment communication materials, including
employee benefits booklet.
. Evaluation of medical self-insurance as an option.
. Provide on ongoing basis medical trends affecting the City's medical plan.
. Oversee the plan documents and summary plan descriptions.
. Develop, conduct, and summarize employee satisfaction and/or needs
surveys.
. Develop special plan design options as needed (i.e., three tiered medical
options, flex benefit plans, etc.).
. Provide input and guidance regarding the City's Employee Pension Plan and
other retirement options.
. Make recommendations to City staff and develop and present materials to the
City Commission.
. Coordinate and present at Open Enrollment meetings.
. Resolve employee claims issues and expedite resolution of
contractual/coverage/billing disputes.
. Create employee communications materials.
5. Assist the City with legislative compliance issues, including but not limited to:
. COBRA
. Section 125 Cafeteria Plan
. FMLA
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· Federal mandated benefits, such as HIPAA
. State mandated benefits
6. Develop, conduct, and summarize benefits surveys of public and private
employers, focusing on benefits, contribution practices, funding, premium
structures, etc., and comparisons to the City of Clearwater's package. Develop,
conduct, and summarize surveys for other purposes, such as disruption reports.
Conduct market analysis and industry trend reports. Provide legislative updates.
7. Develop RFPs for:
. Medical
. EAP
. Group Term Life, statutory AD&D and/or Voluntary Dental
. Short Term and/or Long Term Disability Plans
. Other benefits, as needed
This service would include the ability to complete an RFP in a timely manner for
medical coverage which would go into effect on January 1, 2002.
8. Conduct Feasibility Studies, such as Advantages of Pooled Purchasing of Medical
Insurance
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9. The selected Proposer shall have the staff that possesses talent and expertise in
the following fields:
. Project management
. Developing Requests for Proposals
. Senior level administration
. Group insurance underwriting
. Actuarial science
. Claims auditing
. Statistical analysis
. Plan design
. Cost containment
. Federal and State laws regarding employee benefits
. Communications materials
. System design and programming
The Gehring Group further clarified their Scope of Services for the City of Clearwater
in their response to the RFQ, follows:
As outlined in the Scope of Services in the RFQ (see above), the Gehring Group is
committed to representing the City with best efforts regarding its employee benefits and
when dealing with service providers. We strongly believe in obtaining specific benefit related
reports and information from service providers in a timely manner in order to properly
manage the benefits program. It is also a Gehring Group priority to remain fully
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knowledgeable and up to date on changes in the law and policy language in order to interpret
benefit policy and provide expert information regarding benefits issues.
As Agent of Record, the Gehring Group would be involved in any Benefits Committee or
other committee meetings as requested by the City. Due to the fact that many committees
are comprised of members of the general employee population and other staff members, it is
important for the City's Agent of Record to give presentations to the committee in a manner
that is easily understood. We take pride in our ability to help employees relate to the
complicated terminology that exists within the insurance industry.
Customarily, the Gehring Group also meets with the City staff on a regular basis regarding
the everyday aspects of managing its benefits program. We monitor claims reports and plan
benefits and, if necessary, discuss and evaluate other benefit options and considerations that
may be beneficial to the City.
The Gehring Group will serve as a resource to the City's HR staff as needed on a wide
variety of issues including but not limited to those services outlined in item number (4) of
Appendix A of RFQ # 50-01 (see above). Our traditional list of services includes but is not
limited to the following:
. Generating the Request for Quote (RFQ)
. Evaluating plan designs
. Negotiating with carriers
. Presenting to insurance committees and/or union representatives
. Performing market analyses
. Producing in-depth evaluation booklets for council/commission
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. Making recommendations to City Staff
. Presentations to council/commission
. Implementing programs
. Coordinating and presenting in all enrollment meetings
. Meeting with City Staff regularly to monitor claims utilization and overall program
efficiency
. Expediting the resolution of contractual/coverage/billing disputes
. Evaluating monthly experience data
. Conducting employee enrollment meetings
. Translating benefit offerings at new employee orientations
. On-site employee benefit training
. Resolving employee claim issues
. Development of employee benefits booklet
. Generating employee communication pieces
. Sponsoring health fairs and wellness seminars
. Producing a variety of surveys including physician selection, employee satisfaction,
and industry trends
. Provide legislative updates
. Production of benefit materials in Spanish upon request
. Bilingual enrollers, claims representatives, and service personnel
. Remain fully knowledgeable in order to interpret the health care benefit policy
In addition to the services outlined in item number (4) of Appendix A of RFQ # 50-01 and
those listed above, the Gehring Group will also be available to assist the City with legislative
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compliance issues, including but not limited to COBRA, Section 125 Cafeteria Plan, FMLA,
federal and state mandated benefits, etc. As previously stated, it is a priority to remain
knowledgeable on law and policy changes.
As stated in the RFQ, the City requests an agent who will "develop, conduct and summarize
benefits surveys of public and private employers, focusing on benefits, contribution practices,
funding, premium structures, etc., and comparisons to the City of Clearwater's package."
Attachment 4 (in the RFQ response) is a specific example of one such survey conducted by
the Gehring Group. During a recent presentation at the annual Florida Government Finance
Officer's Association (FGFOA), Kurt Gehring's presentation included the results of a survey
of public employers throughout the State of Florida and their benefit programs. The results
of this survey are included in the presentation handout labeled "Health Care Crisis". Other
such surveys include employee satisfaction surveys.
In addition to conducting surveys, the Gehring Group is also able to offer expert knowledge
on such concepts as Pooled Purchasing of Medical Insurance and the benefits and setbacks
of insurance pools and consortiums. Studies and analyses of such issues of interest to the
City can be discussed.
In summary, the staff of Gehring Group possesses the experience, knowledge and expertise
to provide a higher level of service to the City relating to its employee benefits program. Our
philosophy is one of superior service and we pride ourselves in these high standards.
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