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Winona County hires North Risk Partners to run health‑insurance RFP for $12,000 flat fee
Summary
After debate, commissioners approved contracting a private broker to run an RFP for county employee health insurance at a $12,000 flat fee; some commissioners questioned whether the county could achieve the same results internally and whether fee should be tied to outcomes.
The Winona County Board approved a recommendation to hire North Risk Partners to run a request‑for‑proposals process for the county’s employee health insurance program, agreeing to a $12,000 flat fee for the consultant’s services.
Supporters said the firm will advertise the RFP, gather and analyze vendor quotes, and negotiate with carriers on the county’s behalf. The board voted to approve the recommendation after a motion by Commissioner Myers and a second by Commissioner Olsen; at least one commissioner expressed opposition to paying an external consultant when county staff could handle parts of the process.
Commissioner Elsing asked for clarity on what the $12,000 buys and on longer‑term costs, noting the potential for recurring fees if the county retained consultants year after year. “So for the health insurance side of things … is it necessary? What do we really gain out of this? Are they just pointing us in the right direction, or what are we getting for 12,000?” Elsing asked. Deputy county staff explained the consultant will solicit quotes, handle advertising, collect and analyze data, and negotiate with vendors; staff also said that by statute the procurement process is required at least once every five years, which is why the county periodically runs a full RFP.
Board members discussed that the county can typically only secure one‑year insurance contracts because of utilization, so a three‑year lock is often not feasible. Commissioners also asked who will monitor the consultant contract; staff said HR and the board will oversee the work. The fee was described in the meeting as a flat $12,000, not prorated.
The board approved the contractor engagement; the motion record shows the recommendation carried after discussion with a recorded dissent in the transcript (opposition voiced by Commissioner Elsing). Staff will monitor the $12,000 contract and report results back to the board.
