Committee reviews BenTech integration and RFQs for benefits and liability insurance

Committee members discussed a multi-part procurement approach for benefits administration and insurance brokerage, including a proposed BenTech integration and two requests for qualifications (RFQs).

Dr. Michael Engel described BenTech as an integration partner that links benefits elections, payroll and census data and can produce 834 files for vendors; he said BenTech integrates with Skyward, has lower cost relative to a Businessolver quote, and that the district could implement the system in roughly six months to meet a November 2026 open-enrollment timeline. Engel reported outreach to other districts and called the product a good long-term fit.

Separately, Engel said the district will publish an RFQ for employee benefits brokers to solicit competitive pricing for health-related coverages (medical, vision, dental and related services), noting the district has not run such a competitive process in more than 15 years. The selection process is expected to return to the board May 18 via the insurance committee. He also outlined a separate RFQ for liability/property/workers’ compensation insurance and consulting services, using the same timeline and insurance-committee review.

Engel said the initial health-care contract would be structured as an 18-month first-year agreement to realign contract dates to the school calendar, with subsequent 12-month renewals; broker engagement is expected to be a three-year arrangement with RFP cadence suggested at three to five years. The committee did not vote and deferred decisions to the full board process and insurance-committee selection.