Employer Discovery & Recommendation Memo Template
Give users a structured memo outline for documenting discovery, rejected designs, recommended classes/contributions/geography/support, risks, and expected impact.
Purpose
Give users a structured memo outline for documenting discovery, rejected designs, recommended classes/contributions/geography/support, risks, and expected impact.
When to use
Use after discovery and before employer recommendation, implementation kickoff, renewal decision, or final design approval.
Who should use this
Advisor, consultant, employer sponsor, strategy lead, or HRB designee preparing a recommendation memo.
Review boundary
This memo supports consulting documentation and does not replace legal, tax, compliance, payroll, Medicare, fiduciary, or carrier review.
Resource sections
Employer background
- Employer size, locations, workforce, and current benefit context are summarized.
- Decision-maker and review owner are identified.
- Source notes are retained.
Business goals
- Cost, choice, recruiting, retention, administrative, or renewal goals are stated.
- Priority tradeoffs are visible.
- Success measures are noted.
Workforce facts
- Census/workforce facts are summarized.
- Classes, geography, and employee groups are described.
- Unknown facts are listed.
Current benefit pain points
- Renewal, cost, access, service, or administrative pain points are documented.
- Employee experience concerns are noted.
- Evidence source is identified.
Designs considered
- Design options considered are listed.
- Classes, contribution approaches, and vendor/support models are compared.
- Known risks are captured.
Designs rejected and why
- Rejected designs and rationale are documented.
- Tradeoffs and assumptions are visible.
- Reviewer notes are retained.
Recommended approach
- Recommendation is stated plainly.
- Expected impact and implementation needs are summarized.
- Approval or next step is identified.
Classes and eligibility summary
- Recommended classes and eligibility terms are summarized.
- Class Builder output is linked.
- Nondiscrimination/review issues are routed.
Contribution strategy summary
- Contribution strategy and assumptions are summarized.
- Contribution Strategy output is linked.
- Finance/review questions are flagged.
Geography and market-fit notes
- Market-fit findings are summarized.
- Carrier/network/provider/drug concerns are noted.
- Geographic risks are routed.
Operational support model
- Vendor/platform, notices, reimbursement, support, and evidence lanes are described.
- Owner and escalation path are named.
- Launch readiness needs are identified.
Compliance/review items
- Legal, tax, compliance, Medicare, COBRA, payroll, or fiduciary review items are listed.
- Review owner is named.
- Do-not-answer boundaries are clear.
Risks and mitigations
- Design risks and mitigations are summarized.
- Employee understanding and support needs are noted.
- Evidence location is identified.
Evidence and next steps
- Discovery notes, workforce summary, designs considered, memo, review notes, and approval/next-step record are retained.
- Export or print is stored.
- Next action owner is named.
Evidence to retain
- Discovery notes - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Census/workforce summary - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Designs considered - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Recommendation memo - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Review notes - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Employer approval or next-step record - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
Evidence is not saved in this static version. Assign an owner, repeat the process consistently, review exceptions, explain the rationale, and retain copies in the employer file or local project record.
Print, Copy, or Export This Resource
No database records or server-side files are created. Use these browser-only actions to retain a local copy.
This memo supports consulting documentation and does not replace legal, tax, compliance, payroll, Medicare, fiduciary, or carrier review.