AGENCY
Pierce Transit is a municipal corporation organized under RCW 36-57A Public Transportation Benefit Area and has a responsibility for providing public transportation service in Tacoma and specified areas throughout Pierce County. The Agency currently has approximately 850 employees. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of its workforce is represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 758.

The Agency became self-insured in 1994. Approximately 100 workers’ compensation claims are filed each year. As of November, 2003 the Agency has 98 open claims, with the claims mix ratio being approximately 60% indemnity (TTD) to 40% medical only (MO) and averages approximately 70 open pending claims per month. The Agency’s Claims Administrator oversees the Agency’s workers’ compensation program and is the appointed liaison with the TPA. The Agency's Administrative Offices are located at 3701 96th Street SW, P.O. Box 99070, Lakewood, Washington, 98499-0070.

QUALIFICATIONS
The successful Third Party Claims Administrator shall have at a minimum the following qualifications.

• Have a claim administration office within reasonable proximity to Agency Administrative Offices.
• Have five years of experience in handling workers’ compensation self-insured accounts for a public entity.
• Have sufficient staff to conduct field investigations, provide prompt reporting and adjudication of medical and indemnity payments.
• Have not received sanctions for non-conforming performance by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (DLI) in the past three years. (Subject to verification with the Department).
• Have sufficient data producing capability to provide the reporting requirements outlined in this Request for Proposal.
• Have compliance rating from DLI in excess of 80%.

TERM OF CONTRACT
This solicitation for proposals anticipates entering into a contract with the successful Third Party Administrator for a period of three years with two optional one-year periods.