It’s great you are taking an active role in reviewing your investment options through your district’s 403(b) Plan. If your previous vendor was deselected, you should ask your district why the vendor is no longer part of the district’s list of approved vendors. Currently, California is an open vendor state and districts need to adhere to Insurance Code Section 770.3 sometimes referred to as “any willing provider.” The intent of this legislation was to promote choice for school employees using 403(b) plans to save for retirement. Sometimes there is a legitimate reason that a vendor is deselected from the list of approved vendors. However, if the district has hired a Third Party Administrator (TPA) to handle the compliance for its 403(b) plan, the TPA might be influencing the list of approved vendors. Start by asking the district for an explanation for the deselection of your previous vendor. If you are not satisfied with the explanation, contact your local CTA office and speak to the UniSERV or Primary Contact Staff for assistance.