Employee Benefits Consulting, Third-Party Administration, and Managed Benefits Services

The Appalachian Regional Commission is seeking a vendor to provide employee benefits consulting, third-party administration, and comprehensive, day-to-day managed benefits services. The agency needs to reduce administrative complexity, streamline processes, and lessen its operational burden while promoting a sustainable balance between cost stewardship and employee benefits delivery. To solve these challenges, the selected partner must deliver integrated program management across consulting, administration, compliance, and employee engagement. The scope of work covers third-party administration services for self-funded plans, day-to-day benefits operations, eligibility management, and claims oversight. The agency requires compliance support for ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, and other applicable laws, alongside robust employee communication, education, and enrollment support. Additionally, the project includes technology-enabled benefits administration, data analytics, proactive management of carrier relationships and renewals, and fraud detection safeguards to protect plan integrity. Eligible bidders must be onshore organizations based in the United States. The agency requires all performance of the work to occur offsite. The contract period will span two years, and the agency is currently looking for budget proposals to evaluate pricing. Bidders must submit all questions regarding this opportunity no later than June 15, 2026.