About Us

Rose Thomas-Bendel

Founder & Executive Advisor

Cornerstone SCA Benefits Advisory LLC

20+ years of Service Contract Act fringe benefits expertise, forged supporting Boeing's aerospace and defense federal contracting organizations — now helping federal contractors turn benefits compliance into contract success.

Executive Summary

Rose Thomas-Bendel is the Founder of Cornerstone SCA Benefits Advisory LLC, providing strategic benefits and workforce advisory solutions to federal prime contractors, subcontractors, and small to mid-sized organizations navigating the complex intersection of Service Contract Act (SCA) Fringe Benefits, Health & Welfare strategy, federal contractor benefits compliance, prevailing wage requirements, open enrollment, union workforce obligations, fractional benefits leadership, and contract performance.

After more than two decades of a distinguished career supporting federal contractors in the aerospace and defense industry, including over 20 years with Boeing, Rose brings a rare combination of SCA fringe benefit expertise, federal contracting knowledge, total rewards leadership, and operational workforce strategy experience. Throughout her career, she has advised complex organizations on how benefits, workforce planning, compliance requirements, and total compensation strategies directly influence contract success. Her mission is to help organizations transform benefits from a compliance obligation into a strategic advantage that supports successful proposals, competitive pricing, workforce stability, and long-term contract success.

Full SCA Lifecycle & Advisory Capabilities

Throughout her career, Rose served as a trusted Subject Matter Expert in Service Contract Act fringe benefits and Health & Welfare compliance, advising executive leaders on the complete SCA contract workforce lifecycle—from capture and proposal strategy through contract award, task order mobilization, employee onboarding, contract execution, successor contractor transitions, audit readiness, and contract closeout.

Capture & Proposal Strategy

Helps federal contractors evaluate Service Contract Act (SCA) benefit obligations, align Health & Welfare and fringe benefit strategies with pricing models, assess workforce assumptions, analyze total compensation and total rewards strategies, and develop sustainable benefit solutions that support successful bids.

Contract Award & Execution

Assists organizations in evaluating fringe costs, cash-in-lieu considerations, benefit funding, workforce planning, benefits compliance, and federal contract compliance while ensuring benefit assumptions align with contract requirements.

Successor Contractor Transitions

As a recognized expert in SCA Successor Contractor transitions, Rose supports organizations through workforce changes by conducting equivalent benefit analyses, evaluating incumbent benefit programs, developing transition strategies, implementing compliant benefit solutions, and supporting workforce communications for union and non-union workforces, including Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) obligations, labor relations activities, pre- and post-negotiation benefit requirements, and successor contractor compliance.

Complex Contract Environments

Provides strategic guidance for Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts, multi-task-order environments, recompetes, rebids, workforce expansions, mergers and acquisitions integration, multi-site contract operations, and government contractor benefits programs. This helps federal contractors maintain SCA compliance, control labor costs, strengthen workforce engagement, optimize employee benefits, and deliver consistent employee benefit strategies across complex federal contract environments.

Audit Readiness & Compliance Leadership

Her compliance expertise includes Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audit readiness, Department of Labor (DOL) requirements, fringe benefit documentation reviews, benefit record validation, ACA and ERISA compliance considerations, internal control improvements, and audit-ready process development.

Proven Strategic Benefit Results

As a proven benefits strategist, Rose has designed and implemented cost-effective, SCA-compliant benefit programs that improve efficiency, reduce organizational risk, and enhance employee value. One of her notable accomplishments was consolidating more than 20 benefit plans into two streamlined programs, simplifying administration, improving compliance, reducing complexity and cost, and strengthening the overall employee experience. She also played a key role in designing and launching SCA-compliant benefit programs for newly acquired subcontractor populations, enabling organizations to expand operations while maintaining regulatory alignment.

Union Benefits & Collective Bargaining Expertise

Advises organizations on union benefit provisions, CBA requirements, negotiation strategies, and cost impacts to develop compliant benefit solutions that support both workforce needs and business objectives.

Annual Open Enrollment Leadership

Leverages 20+ years of open enrollment expertise to design effective benefit communications, streamline enrollment processes, coordinate vendors, and deliver a positive employee experience while ensuring compliance.

Health & Welfare Strategy & Administration & Vendor Management

Over 20 years of experience leading Health & Welfare administration, vendor management, and benefits operations for complex organizations. Partners with employers and vendors to optimize benefit delivery, improve operational efficiency, manage costs, and ensure compliant, employee-focused solutions that support workforce retention and business success.

Healthcare & Foundations

Prior to joining Boeing, Rose spent seven years as a Human Resources Benefits and Compensation professional with INTEGRIS Health, one of Oklahoma's largest healthcare systems. This experience established a strong foundation in employee benefits strategy, compensation, benefits administration, regulatory compliance, workforce planning, and Total Rewards programs—expertise that continues to enhance her ability to advise healthcare organizations and federal contractors on complex workforce and benefits challenges.

Education, Leadership & Public Service

Rose holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management from Southern Nazarene University, with a minor in Organizational Leadership. She is a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership, workforce development, and creating opportunities for diverse talent to thrive.

Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Diversity and Inclusion Council Leader

Served eight years as a Diversity Council Leader, advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives that strengthened organizational culture, employee engagement, and leadership development.

Boeing Women in Leadership (BWIL)

As a charter member and elected President of BWIL in Oklahoma City, she served a four-year term and helped establish mentoring programs that supported the growth and advancement of diverse women leaders across the aerospace industry.

State Appointment

Appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma to serve on the Oklahoma Pharmacy Choice Commission Advisory Board (2020–2024), providing strategic workforce and benefits perspectives while collaborating with state leaders and stakeholders. Her leadership is rooted in service, inclusion, and the belief that diverse perspectives inspire innovation and strengthen organizations.

Commitment & Mission

Known for her collaborative, people-centered leadership style, Rose combines strategic vision with hands-on execution to solve complex workforce challenges. At Cornerstone SCA Benefits Advisory, she helps federal contractors connect people strategy with contract success by providing practical solutions that strengthen compliance, optimize benefits investments, and support mission-critical workforce performance. She is a trusted advisor who builds sustainable workforce solutions that deliver measurable business results.

For her, helping federal contractors solve the same complex benefits and compliance challenges she successfully managed throughout her career is both a passion and a purpose that she is excited to continue as she begins this next journey through Cornerstone SCA Benefits Advisory.

Cornerstone SCA provides strategic guidance to government prime contractors, subcontractors, and small to mid-sized organizations seeking expert support in Service Contract Act (SCA) benefits compliance, including: