What We Do

Vendor Management & Selection

On behalf of the clients we represent, Guidance Point will fulfill the role of the plan committee’s point person when managing the vendor relationship. Our consultants have comprehensive expertise in all aspects of plan operation and management especially in regards to vendor management.

Guidance Point will represent our clients to all appropriate vendors and assist in coordinating their duties. Additionally, we will evaluate a client’s vendor through annual qualitative analysis, quality review of all administrative and recordkeeping work, and annual fee benchmarking.

Our Vendor Selection process begins with a thorough understanding of the plan sponsor’s goals and objectives. We develop either a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Bid (RFB). We pre-qualify vendors and request they complete either a RFP or a RFB. We coordinate and manage any questions from the vendors and prepare a comprehensive analysis of all vendor responses.

As the search process continues, we help the client narrow the field of possible vendors and coordinate finalist interviews and reference checks. We work with the client through the decision-making process and recommend a vendor to service the plan. As a final step, we provide communication and implementation support.

Fiduciary Governance

Our firm serves as a co-fiduciary with all clients who enlist our services. We lead our clients in creating a fiduciary governance system with a goal of helping fiduciaries conform to industry best practices.

With many of our clients, this process begins with specific education to all committee fiduciaries relative to their duties and responsibilities.

Guidance Point will lead the committee in implementing a complete fiduciary governance system by providing the following services:

  • Review board delegations
  • Establish and review investment committee charter
  • Development of an Investment Policy Statement
  • Development of an Education Policy Statement (ERISA)
  • Benchmarking of plan fees and expenses
  • Quarterly due diligence meetings with investment committee
  • Record committee meeting minutes for prudent documentation
  • Electronic backup of investment committee documentation
  • Act as an ERISA 3(21) or 3(38) Fiduciary

ERISA Plan Consulting

Our consultants have a national perspective and decades of experience working with all types of qualified retirement plans. We are able to use our experience to help our clients meet their objectives.

We have direct experience working with the following types of plans:

  • 401(k) and 403(b)
  • Profit Sharing
  • Money Purchase
  • Target Benefit
  • 457
  • Defined Benefit
  • Cash Balance

We help our clients meet their fiduciary duty by conducting unbiased, objective, comprehensive reviews of fees, fiduciary governance, investment process, and vendors. We then benchmark the results of the reviews using appropriate industry standards and surveys.

A plan sponsor may engage us to provide advice to participants on an individual basis. Our advice will be limited to general retirement planning issues such as fund selection and asset allocation of plan assets.

Investment Consulting

Our investment consulting services include the development of an Investment Policy Statement, a target investment allocation, the selection of appropriate investment vehicles for the plan, and ongoing monitoring of the portfolio. GPRS investment recommendations generally include mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, collective investment funds and insurance company separate accounts. We also may recommend certificates of deposit, U.S. Government securities, insurance company fixed accounts and money market funds.

Discretionary Asset Management

Guidance Point may be hired as a discretionary investment manager to build and maintain portfolios suited for a variety of markets over the long term. Together, we will develop an investment policy that recognizes your unique circumstances, investment management objectives, and personal preferences. Guidance Point will identify an appropriate level of risk for each client and optimize the portfolio using the efficient frontier to maximize returns.

As an investment manager, our philosophy follows the premise of efficient and semi-efficient markets. We don’t believe our job is to outperform the market as very few investment managers are able to do so continually over time.