TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF JUNE 15, 2017
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement for Contract 17-RFP-17 Employee Assistance Program with Inova Health Care Services in an amount not to exceed $210,000.00, Account 101-25000-612260, Requisition 1451373
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with Inova Health Care Services (Inova) to provide a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to the District’s approximately 1,900 employees and their family members for the period July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022.
On February 1, 2017, Request for Proposal 17-RFP-17 Employee Assistance Program was publicly advertised. Ninety-eight (98) firms were notified and eighteen (18) requested proposal documents. On March 3, 2017, the District received four (4) responsive proposals from the following vendors: ComPsych Corporation; Employee Network, Inc.; Inova; and New Avenues, Inc.
The proposals were evaluated by staff from the Human Resources Department and the Procurement and Materials Management Department. The criteria for these evaluations were outlined in Request for Proposal 17-RFP-17 and included: approach to the work; programs and services provided; experience and technical competence; financial stability; compliance with insurance requirements; possession of appropriate licenses/permits; and cost.
Following the preliminary evaluation of proposals, excluding cost, three (3) proposers were deemed to be finalists and were invited to interviews conducted April 6, 2017 and April 7, 2017. On April 12, 2017, a solicitation was sent to each of the three finalists that participated in the interviews requesting an unqualified “best and final” offer. The “best and final” offers were returned to the Director of Procurement and Materials Management on April 19, 2017.
Based on the evaluation of proposals and interviews, it is recommended that a purchase order be awarded to Inova. Inova received the highest technical score among the proposers. Inova Employee Assistance is a division of Inova Health Care Services which operates a non-profit, AA+ rated health system in the Virginia area. It has been providing EAP services to employers nationally for over 35 years including Prince Georges County (Maryland), Fairfax County (Virginia), Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority and Fairfax Water in the public sector. Its processes are ISO 9001 certified. Under its program, services are offered to employees and any other person living in the household. Calls to the employee assistance program are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by highly credentialed counselors holding at least a master’s degree. Inova’s network of counselors and providers includes approximately 1,500 in the Chicagoland area. Every case receives a follow-up from the case manager to ensure the employee is satisfied. Its work-life balance services include resources related to elder care, child care, adoption, education, will and document services and more. Health and wellness resources include a monthly wellness newsletter, local wellness referrals, online wellness tools and more than 100 online wellness seminars. Services are offered in multiple formats including face-to-face counseling, telephonic counseling/coaching, video counseling, online chat and self-help tools and a mobile app. Inova provides on-site critical incident services such as grief counseling upon request and can mobilize staff to respond to these needs immediately upon notification that an event has occurred. Finally, Inova offered the most cost effective program of the three responsive bidders.
The Diversity Section has reviewed the proposal and has concluded that Inova is in compliance with the District’s Affirmative Action Policy.
In view of the foregoing, it is requested that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to award a contract to Inova in the amount of $210,000.00. The estimated expenditures are $21,000.00 in 2017, $42,000.00 in 2018, $42,000.00 in 2019, $42,000.00 in 2020; $42,000.00 in 2021 and $21,000.00 in 2022. Funds are available in Account 101-25000-612260 for 2017. Funds for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 are contingent on the Board of Commissioners’ approval of the District’s budget for those years.
Recommended, Beverly K. Sanders, Director of Human Resources
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Barbara J. McGowan, Chairman Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for June 15, 2017