POP Press for Liaisons - June 2024

THE PAY OR PLAY PROGRAM

MEET THE ADMINISTRATOR

Walter Merrell II is the Pay or Play Program Administrator for the City of Houston He has overseen the administration of the program for two years and ensures compliance by managing department Liaisons and updating policies, procedures, and project schedules Mr Merrell also manages the POP management system (B2G) used for record keeping, data collection, payment information, and reporting. For more information about the program, you can contact Mr. Merrell at walter.merrell@houstontx.gov or visit POP Webpage On the website, you can access POP Liaison contact information, tutorials for the B2G system, required POP forms, information about the Client Access Program (CAP) and more

Best Practices for POP Liaisons

A Message from the Interim Director Meet the POP

The Pay or Play (POP) Program was established on July 1, 2007, with Ordinance 2007-534 and governed by Executive Order 1-7. POP is important because it serves as a solution in creating a more level playing field by enhancing fairness in the bidding process between competing contractors who choose to offer health benefits to their workforce and those who do not. A City of Houston contractor of a contract valued at or above $100,000 and/or a subcontractor of a contract valued at or above $200,000 can choose to either "PAY" or "PLAY." To “pay” means that the City of Houston contractor or subcontractor contributes $1 per covered employee per regular hour for work performed under the contract with the City to the Contractors Responsibility Fund for their uninsured employee. To “play” means the City of Houston contractor or subcontractor agree to provide their employees a minimum level of healthcare benefits.

Cylenthia Hoyrd

OBO Interim Director

BEST

BUSINESS PRACTICES FOR POP LIAISONS

1. Review Request for Council Action (RCA) to ensure Pay or Play Program (POP) Eligibility with appropriate POP Status.

2. Review B2G to ensure contract/vendor(s) are assigned to the appropriate Department and POP Liaison (Workforce Compliance Officer)

3. Ensure vendor has access to B2G and the contract Workforce Settings are appropriate for the contract.

4. Contact vendor to introduce POP and yourself as POP Liaison.

5. Communicate POP forms workflow process to vendors

6. Periodically visit POP Teams folder for updates.

A Message from the Interim Director

As part of our commitment to promoting fairness and equitable practices, the Office of Business Opportunity is pleased to release our second volume of POP Press, a newsletter focused on providing you with additional insights and guidance related to the City of Houston’s Pay or Play (POP) program The POP program was established to level the playing field during the bid process for vendors We recognize that the cost of providing insurance, or the lack thereof, can influence bids submitted by vendors for City work The POP program aims to offset the cost of caring for uninsured residents in Houston and Harris County We appreciate your commitment to the POP program and its positive impact on our community If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to the POP Program Administrator, Mr Merrell Thank you for your continued partnership