Harnett County Case Study

RiskVersity Marketing
Harnett County Case Study

Background

In 2019, RiskVersity attempted to establish a relationship with Harnett County
after responding to an RFP to help the County find and secure a new insurance provider.
Although RiskVersity did not support that particular project, the proposal we submitted left an
impression on the Harnett County team, and we continued to nurture the relationship through
regular outreach and communication efforts. In 2020, Harnett County had a new need to find a
third partythird-party administrator (TPA) for the self- insured portion of their program—and
they turned to RiskVersity for help.

Overview

Harnett County needed to secure a new TPA. Like many municipalities, Harnett
County was required to do a formal bid for this work to meet internal regulations and
thresholds for governance and review. Although Harnett County wanted to be involved in the
process, they did not have the time or capacity to manage the process on their own.

The Challenge

A formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process can take anywhere from 4-6
months, which can put a strain on employee time and department commitment. As a result,
some organizations rush through the process and end up selecting a TPA that is not ideal for
their needs or does not meet all of the RFP requirements, creating larger problems down the
road. In addition, selecting an insurance provider requires deep knowledge of and expertise in
the insurance industry, including specific vocabulary, terminology, and assumptions that non-
insurance professionals may not fully understand or be aware of. Finally, insurance requires
trust. For many municipalities, this is the biggest challenge to overcome. Individuals who work
within the County have strong ties to the community, its businesses, and their personal
networks. As such, it can be difficult to establish a review committee that is truly unbiased in
the review process. A third-party group of experts like our team at RiskVersity can offer the
unbiased and professional perspective necessary to create a smooth RFP process from start to
finish. Trusting an outside group of experts at RiskVersity solves these problems and creates a
smooth RFP process from start to finish.

Why RiskVersity

RiskVersity has established an RFP management service that has proven
effective with clients in many industries and with many specific needs. Our team includes
experts within the insurance industry, enabling us to ‘talk the talk’ when it comes to creating an
RFP that would meet and exceed the needs of Harnett County.

The Solution

Our team served Harnett County in several ways, including:
• Writing the Request for Proposals, including all specifics and details that must be
considered for both short-term and long-term success within the timeframe and budget
provided
• Issuing the RFP to qualified vendors and candidates to ensure the request is seen by the
best possible TPAs for the work

• Manage the incoming responses, which can require answering logistical questions from
applicants, ensuring completeness of applications, checking applicant credentials, and
more
• Evaluate the responses to ensure the final candidates can satisfy the RFP requirements
in full
• Create a summary of the leading candidates to enable a speedy review by Harnett
County’s reviewing Board
• Make a recommendation for the final TPA selection

“I have to account for 1044 employees—there’s not a lot of extra time to devote to learning
everything I needed to find the right fit. Chris and the RiskVersity team absolutely saved me
time and stress. He worked with me and educated me along the way. They found us a great
third partythird-party worker’s compensation program, and we’re aligned with the vendor
and it has been an excellent fit. From the internal processes to the paperwork to the
education, RiskVersity was professional, knowledgeable, and easy to work with.”
Heather Pollard, Director of Human Resources and Risk Management, Harnett County
Local Government

The Impact

In the end, Harnett County was able to find a TPA that met their needs fully. The
final vendor was selected with the confidence that comes with trusting a team of experts to
collect, review, and compare RFP submissions to find the best fit. In this particular case, the
final vendor selected was not based on price but based on the right choice for Harnett County.
The new TPA was onboarded to Harnett Country in June 2020, roughly six months after
beginning the RFP process with RiskVersity.