10-RFP 00 Request For Proposal.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Incorporated County of Los Alamos Procurement Division

101 Camino Entrada, Building 3 Los Alamos, NM 87544

RFP26-68 Employee Vision Benefits

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NOTIFICATION REGARDING SUBMISSION PROCESS AND REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

The Incorporated County of Los Alamos (“County”) has recently implemented a new on-line eProcurement portal. This new platform, Euna Procurement powered by Bonfire, provides the County’s electronic Bid and Proposal process (“County’s Procurement Portal”). It is where the County will post solicitation opportunities, including Invitation for Bids (IFB), Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and Request for Information/Interest (RFI). The County’s Procurement Portal will streamline the County’s Bid process for Bid or Proposal submission, acceptance, evaluation, and award. For vendors, the County’s Procurement Portal will enhance communication, allow for fast and accurate Bids and Proposals, and provide automatic notification about projects.

Registered vendors will view and submit Bids and Proposals electronically. The past practice of submitting electronic Bids and Proposals by email or submitting paper Bids and Proposals is being phased out. If you are seeing this notification in a solicitation document, submissions will be accepted ONLY electronically through the County’s Procurement Portal for this solicitation. It is every Offeror’s responsibility to read, understand, and submit Bids and Proposals in accordance with the instructions provided in and specific to each solicitation document.

Requested Action: Please register as a vendor on the County’s Procurement Portal by visiting https://losalamosnm.bonfirehub.com and click on “Register”. Registration is free and only takes a few minutes. Please be sure to select the applicable NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement (“NIGP”) Commodity Codes for your business when you are prompted so that you can receive notification of recommended opportunities when they are sent out by the County to the NIGP Commodity Codes you have selected.

Already Have a Bonfire Vendor Account? If you already have a Bonfire vendor account and are already registered for another agency’s portal, you will still need to visit the County’s Procurement Portal at https://losalamosnm.bonfirehub.com and click on “Log In” to provide County-requested information, view open opportunities, receive opportunity notifications, and submit Bids and Proposals through the County’s Procurement Portal. You will be able to manage the multiple agencies with whom you do business through the button labelled “My Supplier Hub” in your Bonfire account.

For Bonfire Support, visit the Vendor Help Center at https://vendorsupport.gobonfire.com where you can view support articles and videos and search FAQ’s on all aspects of Bonfire. For personal assistance, you can email Support.Bonfire@eunasolutions.com . Support is available Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

https://losalamosnm.bonfirehub.com/ https://vendorsupport.gobonfire.com/ mailto:Support.Bonfire@eunasolutions.com

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NEEDS STATEMENT

Los Alamos County is requesting proposals from licensed and qualified Offerors to provide fully insured Vision Insurance Benefit Coverage to the employees of Los Alamos County. The purpose of this RFP is to secure high-quality, cost-effective vision coverage with a seamless transition from our current plan.

The County considers its benefit programs to be an essential component of its total compensation package.

These benefits are intended to help attract new employees and support the retention of long-term staff. As such, high-quality service and responsiveness to member needs are critical. Broad access to a comprehensive provider network is also a key priority. The County is seeking a vendor that can deliver the optimal combination of network strength, service excellence, flexibility, and cost efficiency.

SOLICITATION INFORMATION

Solicitation No. RFP26-68

Solicitation Title Vision Insurance Benefits for Los Alamos County Employees

Single-step or Multi-step Single-step

Requesting Dept. Human Resources

SOLICITATION SCHEDULE

Advertised July 9, 2026

Pre-Proposal Conference A pre-Proposal conference is not scheduled for this solicitation.

Question Submission Deadline

July 21, 2026, 5 p.m. Mountain Time

Responses to Questions Issued by County

July 29, 2026, 5 p.m. Mountain Time

County reserves the right to issue responses at any time prior to this date.

Proposal Due Date and Closing

August 13, 2026, 2 p.m. Mountain Time

Late Proposals will not be considered

CONTACT INFORMATION

Procurement Contact Name Patricia Masterson

Title Management Analyst

E-Mail Patricia.masterson@losalamosnm.gov

Phone No. 505.662.8127

ESTIMATED PROCESS SCHEDULE AFTER CLOSING

The estimated dates of the solicitation process after closing are tentatively planned as follows, are provided here for informational purposes only, and at County’s discretion, may be subject to change without prior notification. Discussions may be conducted with responsible offerors who submit Proposals determined to be reasonably likely to be selected for award for the purpose of clarification to ensure full understanding and conformation with the solicitation requirements for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers.

Proposal Evaluation August 14, 2026 – August 31, 2026

Contract Drafting, Legal Review, and Negotiations

September 1, 2026 – October 10, 2026

County Council Approval Required for contracts >$300,000.00 October 27, 2026

Estimated Contract Award October 28, 2026 mailto:Patricia.masterson@losalamosnm.gov

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1. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS

A full copy of the solicitation and all associated documents can be found on the County’s Procurement Portal at https://losalamosnm.bonfirehub.com/. Only Proposals submitted through the County’s Procurement Portal by the Proposal Due Date stated herein, or as may be modified by addendum, will be considered. Late responses will not be considered. To register to view and download solicitation documents and submit a Proposal through the County’s Procurement Portal, follow the instructions on page 1 of this solicitation.

Simultaneously, an electronic proposal with all attachments must be sent, via secure portal, to Aon Consulting, Inc. (Charlene.fairchild@aon.com) to facilitate analysis of the proposals. Hard copy proposals and electronic proposals must be identical in content and form.

2. REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

Due to the sensitive, confidential nature of specific information to be disclosed for preparation of this RFP, a signed Letter of Transmittal, provided for in Exhibit A, attached, is required before census and claim data will be released. Only Offerors qualified to provide the scope of services listed in this RFP and who complete and submit a signed Letter of Transmittal will be eligible to receive this and any additional information related to the RFP. The signed Letter of Transmittal must be scanned and emailed by 2:00p.m Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) on July 18, 2026.

Email to the following:

a. victoria.pacheco@losalamosnm.gov

b. patricia.masterson@losalamsnm.gov

c. charlene.fairchild@aon.com

3. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION INCLUDED AS A PART OF THIS RFP

Additional documents are referenced in this RFP, which may include, but are not limited to, exhibits, attachments, links to documents online, and documents that are provided through the County’s Procurement Portal. Any such documents are considered to be a part hereof and constitute, along with this solicitation document and any addenda, the complete solicitation package. Documents required to be submitted as a component of Offeror’s Proposal will be noted as such in each individual solicitation posted on the County’s Procurement Portal, and Offerors will be unable to submit their Proposals through the County’s Procurement Portal until all required documents and information have been uploaded or provided by Offerors.

Please also reference “Proposal Format and Response Components” below.

4. GRANT RELATED INFORMATION

It is not anticipated that this project will be funded by a grant; no additional grant-related information provided.

5. QUESTIONS

Any questions must be received in writing at least five (5) business days prior to the submission due date, unless otherwise stated herein or in an addendum. Questions must be submitted through the County’s Procurement Portal. Please follow the instructions on page one (1) of this document to register for the County’s Procurement Portal to submit written questions. Offerors who submit questions via e-mail or by phone shall be redirected to submit written questions through the County’s Procurement Portal.

mailto:Charlene.fairchild@aon.com mailto:victoria.pacheco@losalamosnm.gov mailto:patricia.masterson@losalamsnm.gov mailto:charlene.fairchild@aon.com

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Offerors must submit in writing through the County’s Procurement Portal, as stated herein, any questions or requested clarification necessary for Offeror to provide a complete response with all Proposal response components and pricing included. Offerors are asked to refrain from including in Proposals statements such as “more information available upon request,” “pricing to be determined,” or other similar statements. Such statements and failure of Offeror to seek clarification needed for Offeror to provide the requested information may result in an Offeror being found non-responsive or non-responsible. This in no way may be construed to conflict with County’s right to hold interviews and discussions for clarification with Offerors, as further described herein.

6. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

A pre-Proposal conference is not scheduled for this solicitation.

7. MULTI-STEP PROCESS

This is a single-step RFP; multi-step process information does not apply.

8. DEMONSTRATION INFORMATION

Demonstrations are not planned for this RFP.

9. GENERAL INFORMATION

9.1. About Los Alamos County. The Incorporated County of Los Alamos is situated at the foot of the Jemez Mountains on the Pajarito Plateau with an elevation ranging from 6,200 feet to 9,200 feet. Los Alamos is an incorporated county, established under a special provision of the State constitution, giving it both county and municipal authority and powers. Two distinct communities, Los Alamos Town site and White Rock, each with its own visitor center, are home to ~19,000 people. Los Alamos is mostly known for the historic accomplishments of its largest employer, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and continues to gain notice for its vast scenic assets and recreational opportunities. Visit the Los Alamos County website (www.losalamosnm.gov) and the tourism website (www.visitlosalamos.org) for more information.

9.2. Unless otherwise defined, the following terms may be used interchangeably throughout this RFP:

“Offeror,” “Contractor,” and “Vendor” “Proposal,” “Response,” and “Submittal” “Software,” “Solution,” and “System” “Project” and “Services” “RFP” and “Solicitation”

9.3. The County invites Proposals from all qualified respondents. No Proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time. Proposals will not be accepted after the scheduled closing time. Please make note of the submittal requirements outlined in this solicitation. Read and follow the instructions carefully.

Include the required documents stated in this RFP as part of your submittal packet. Any misinterpretation or failure to comply with the submittal requirements could result in rejection of the Proposal. Proposal preparation is at the Offeror’s expense.

9.4. Any change(s) to the solicitation will be conveyed through the written addenda process. Read carefully and follow all instructions provided on any addendum, as well as the instructions provided in the original solicitation. Offerors are expected to acknowledge receipt of addenda by submitting signed copies of addenda with the submitted Proposal.

9.5. County reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to accept or reject any Proposals; to waive any and all irregularities in any or all statements or Proposals; to request additional information from any or all respondents; and to award a contract to the responsible Offeror whose Proposal is most beneficial to

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County. While County intends to execute a contract for the services listed herein, nothing in this document shall be interpreted as binding County to enter into a contract with any Offeror.

9.6. Proposals are Public Records. Pursuant to the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act, NMSA 1978, Chapter 14, Article 2, all materials submitted under this RFP shall be presumed and considered public records. Except to the extent any information may be protected by state or federal law, Proposals shall be considered public documents and available for review and copying by the public. County declines to sign any non-disclosure agreements or confidentiality agreements submitted by potential Offerors. If an Offeror fails to submit information requested in the RFP that Offeror considers to be confidential, the County reserves the right to find any Offeror’s Proposal non-responsive or non-responsible based on the information provided in or excluded from Offeror’s response.

9.7. The County contemplates a multi-term contract as a result of this RFP. The term of the contract may be for a period of up to seven (7) years. This is the written determination of the Chief Purchasing Officer that such a contract will serve the best interests of the County by promoting economies in County procurement.

9.8. Offerors are notified that they must propose pricing for each potential year of the contract. County may consider, but is under no obligation to accept proposed cost escalators (e.g., a proposed specific dollar amount) or a cost escalator mechanism (e.g., an annual percentage escalator or use of a Consumer Price Index or Producer Price Index) for future years of an agreement. Pursuant to County Ordinance, the use of a cost-plus-a-percentage-of-cost contract is prohibited.

9.9. Offerors are informed that State law requires that all foreign corporations (NMSA 1978 §53-17-5) and limited liability corporations (NMSA 1978 §53-19-48) procure a certificate of authority to transact business in the state prior to transacting business in the State of New Mexico.

10. PROPOSAL REVIEW AND EVALUATION

Proposals shall be handled so as to prevent disclosure of the identity of any Offeror or the contents of any Proposal to competing Offerors during the process of negotiation.

After the RFP has closed, Procurement Division staff prepares a register of Proposals containing the name of each Offeror, the number of modifications received, if any, and a description sufficient to identify the item offered. The register of Proposals is open to public inspection only after contract award.

Procurement Division staff releases Proposals to the Evaluation Committee. The Evaluation Committee reviews and evaluates the submittals. If interviews are conducted, they may only be for the purpose of clarification and may be used for adjusting the final score. Discussions may be conducted with responsible offerors who submit Proposals determined to be reasonably likely to be selected for award for the purpose of clarification to ensure full understanding and conformation with solicitation requirements for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers. For proposals that qualify for Preference, as described in the Request for Preference form provided through the County’s Procurement Portal, preference factors will be applied as applicable in accordance with the most current County Code Section 31-261(b) and NMSA 1978 Section 13-1-21 et al., as may be modified from time to time.

The Evaluation Committee Chairperson provides its final evaluation results to the Procurement Division. Award shall be made to the responsible Offeror whose Proposal is determined in writing by the Evaluation Committee to be the most advantageous to the County, taking into consideration the evaluation criteria set forth in the solicitation.

11. AWARD OF SOLICITATION

Following award of the solicitation, the successful Offeror will be required to execute a contract with County in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Sample Agreement, which is

Template Version: 20250321 provided through the County’s Procurement Portal. Offerors must identify any exception or other requirements, if any, to the terms and provisions in the Services Agreement, along with proposed alternative language addressing the exception. County, as a governmental entity, is subject to certain laws and prohibitions and may, but is not required to, negotiate changes in contract terms and provisions, but will not agree to language that is in violation of the law. The Agreement as finally agreed upon must be in form and content acceptable to County.

Successful Offeror will be required to sign a Business Associate Agreement, as presented in Exhibit B, pursuant to the final regulations promulgated to the Administrative Simplification Subtitle of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 including all pertinent regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as outlined in 45 C.F.R. Parts 160, 162 and 164;

(“HIPAA Privacy Rules and/or Security Standards”).

12. OBLIGATIONS OF FEDERAL CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS; CONTRACT CLAUSES

Federal Contractors and Subcontractors shall abide by applicable state and federal requirements, which may include but are not limited to all the provisions set forth in 29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A, and may be required to be included or incorporated by reference into the Agreement.

13. ILLEGAL ACTS

The County Procurement Code, Article 9, imposes remedies and penalties for violation of the County Code. In addition, New Mexico criminal statutes impose felony penalties for illegal bribes, gratuities, and kickbacks.

14. CERTIFICATION FORM REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, AND OTHER

RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS

Offerors are requested to complete the Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters Form, provided through the County’s Procurement Portal, and submit with the Proposal. If this completed document is not included with the Proposal, it must be provided prior to the evaluation of the received Proposals, otherwise the Offeror’s Proposal will not be considered. This form serves as a warrant of the Offeror’s responsibility and may not necessarily preclude the Offeror from consideration for award.

15. CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION DISCLOSURE FORM

A Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form is provided through the County’s Procurement Portal.

Offerors are requested to complete and submit with the Proposal. If the Form is not submitted with the Proposal, upon award, Contractor must submit this form prior to County’s obligation to pay for the services.

16. VERIFICATION OF AUTHORIZED OFFEROR

A Verification of Authorized Offeror Form is provided through the County’s Procurement Portal. Offerors are requested to complete and submit with the Proposal. This form provides County with the name and information of the authorized Officer who can obligate the selected firm in providing the services to the County.

17. BACKGROUND INFORMATION RELATED TO THE SCOPE OF WORK OR SERVICES

Los Alamos County (County) is currently fully insured for vision insurance coverage. The plan is administered by VSP. Currently the County has 582 employees enrolled in the vision program.

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The County has engaged Aon Consulting. Inc. (Aon) to assist with the solicitation and evaluation of proposals, as well as implementation and ongoing benefits consulting. All proposals must be submitted simultaneously to both the County and Aon, following the instructions provided earlier in this document.

Plan year - January 1 through December 31

Proposed effective date - January 1, 2027

Eligibility provisions are as follows:

Eligibility Vision

Employee Only active regular and limited term employees, working 20+ hours per week. (Full-Time; Three Quarter-Time; Half-Time; or Limited Term).

Spouse Legally recognized in New Mexico

Children Birth to age 26

Effective Date 1st of month following date of hire

Number of eligible employees - Approximately 700 active employees

Number of enrolled employees and dependents - Approximately 1384

18. SCOPE OF WORK OR SERVICES (“SCOPE”)

18.1. The County is seeking proposals for a fully insured vision insurance plan to include the following:

18.1.1. Current plan benefits, as illustrated in Attachment 1, Section A, or better, and may include optional alternative(s), cost effective plan;

18.1.2. Multi-year rate guarantees;

18.1.3. In-network established provider access in New Mexico, specifically in Los Alamos, Espanola, Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque, or Rio Rancho;

18.1.4. Communication materials (including plan document and benefit booklet/ Summary Plan Description (SPD) and Plan Summaries);

18.1.5. Online access to resources available to our members to better control costs and provider access;

18.1.6. Comprehensive on-line tools for ease of administration for the County.

18.2. The County is seeking Offerors who offer the greatest flexibility regarding claim systems, plan designs, to include innovative suggestions that distinguish an organization from their competitors, contract terms, and a robust network of in-network providers to support the plan.

19. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND RESPONSE COMPONENTS

19.1. Offerors must submit a Proposal to the County in the format described herein, subject to Section 8.5, and through the County’s Procurement Portal. Information provided in the Proposal may be used in the contract between the successful Offeror and the County.

19.2. Offerors shall carefully read all information contained in this Request for Proposal (RFP) and respond accordingly. Offerors must complete Attachment 1 in the format originally provided (i.e., Word and/or Excel). Forms MUST be completed as provided. Do NOT alter files or convert the exhibits to PDF or any other format.

19.3. To facilitate the review process, unless otherwise stated herein, County’s preference, though not a requirement, is that Proposals be limited to fifty (50) pages, not including exhibits, attachments, or marketing materials; that Proposals are 8.5 x 11-inch format; and that general marketing materials should not exceed ten (10) pages.

19.4. Unless otherwise specified herein or on the County’s Procurement Portal, Proposal documents should be submitted in PDF format.

19.5. For uniformity in the Proposal review process, please sequence Proposals as shown below using the same header names as below. Additional information may be included by Offerors in attachments, provided that Proposals include and address, in the sequence requested, the elements requested in the Proposal Format and Scope.

19.6. Whenever describing Offeror’s ability to provide the services described in the Scope, reference the header for that section and restate the section to which Offeror is responding.

19.7. As determined acceptable by the evaluation committee, the successful Offeror will be selected to provide some or all of the services described herein, to meet the County’s needs. Offerors are expected to identify in their Proposals any modifications to the proposed Scope that may be deemed necessary or might aid in successfully delivering services

19.8. Proposal Response Components. Responses should include the following Proposal Response Components:

Sect.

No. Section Title

Submission Information

(In addition to any other information requested herein.

1 Cover Sheet (One page only)

1. Provide the full legal name of the Contractor who will execute the contract, and the name, phone number, and e-mail address of the primary person responsible for responding to questions and communication related to the RFP.

2. Reference the RFP number and name.

Cover Letter and

Executive Summary (One page only)

1. Include qualifications and a narrative description of the characteristics that set the Offeror apart, such as unique examples of service or added value, and any recognition or endorsements received.

2. Provide a clear, concise overview of Offeror’s Proposal.

3 Qualifications and Experience

1. Describe Offeror’s prior experience performing similar work, particularly providing examples from the last 3-5 years.

2. State qualifications of Offeror’s staff who might be assigned to provide services. List all applicable licenses and certifications

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Sect.

No. Section Title

Submission Information

(In addition to any other information requested herein.

for each individual. Describe training and ability to perform the required services.

References And Previous Clients

1. The County reserves the right to contact some or all the references and previous clients to verify any information provided and to request that references provide additional information.

2. If previous client reference information is confidential, you may state so, however, evaluation scores will reflect Offeror’s inability to include requested reference information in the Proposal.

3. Using the Reference Worksheet provided on the County’s Procurement Portal, provide a minimum of 3 references and previous clients where similar services were performed in the last 3-5 years.

4. References and previous clients should include company name, address, contact name, position, telephone number, and the period during which services were provided.

Applicable Industry

Standards, Laws, and Regulations

1. It is expected that Offerors have knowledge of and comply with all applicable industry standards, laws, and regulations.

2. Describe Offeror’s understanding and ability to comply with applicable industry standards, laws, and regulations.

3. Describe any required valid licenses, permits, trainings, and certifications Offeror possesses to perform the requested services.

4. Confirm that Offeror is properly authorized to conduct business in the State of New Mexico and briefly describe those authorizations (e.g., Offeror possesses a New Mexico Business License issued by the New Mexico Secretary of State).

Description of Services and Ability to Provide the Scope of Work or

Services

1. Use the headers from the Scope of Work in the Proposal.

2. Summarize, in narrative form, Offeror’s understanding of the requested Services, and describe Offerors process, planning methodology, approach and ability to fulfill the Scope of Services and identify any modifications to the proposed Scope of Services that may be deemed necessary or may aid in successfully delivering the Services described.

3. Identify and describe any known constraints in fulfilling the Scope of Services as described.

4. Describe responsibilities of Contractor versus County for each item under Scope of Services.

5. Identify any deliverables.

6. Provide detailed information for any optional services not otherwise described in the Scope of Services, defined clearly as individual items, and provide a narrative to describe the optional services.

7 Cost Proposal

1. Provide total costs proposed for all possible years of a proposed agreement using the instructions provided on the Cost Proposal Sheet available in the County’s Procurement Portal.

2. In accordance with County Code, the use of a cost-plus-a-percentage-of-cost contract is prohibited.

3. It shall be unethical and unlawful for a person to be retained, or to retain a person, to solicit or secure a county contract upon an

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Sect.

No. Section Title

Submission Information

(In addition to any other information requested herein.

agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or bona fide established commercial selling agencies for the purpose of securing business.

Submission of County’s Standard

Sample Service Agreement with Deviations or

Exceptions Noted or Statement of No

Deviations or Exceptions.

1. Offeror must note in their response any deviations or exceptions, if any, to the County’s Standard Sample Services Agreement, provided on the County’s Procurement Portal. Provide the original language with the County’s standard terms and any suggested edits; or

2. Alternatively, state that Offeror has no deviations or exceptions.

3. Offerors should provide with their Proposal any of their own standard contractual terms or provisions the County will be asked to consider if Offeror is selected for award. This may include, but is not limited to, such things as a sample Master Services Agreement or Licensing Agreement and any additional governing documents referenced within those sample standard agreements. Offerors should note if their own standard contractual terms or provisions conflict with those provisions provided in the County’s Sample Services Agreement.

4. The County may consider, but is under no obligation to accept, any of Offeror’s contractual terms or provisions included in Offeror’s Proposal.

Additional

Documents to Submit with Proposals

In addition to all other components requested herein, submitted Proposals should include, but may not be limited to the following. If a document is required, it will be noted as such in the County’s Procurement Portal, and Offerors will be unable to submit Proposals without all required documents.

1. Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and other Responsibility Matters

2. Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form

3. Verification of Authorized Offeror

4. Request for Preference Form

5. Letter of Transmittal (Exhibit A)

6. Confidential Information Disclosure Statement (Exhibit C)

7. Attachment 1

8. Signed copies of any addenda issued.

20. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Responsible Offeror means a person, who has been determined by the Chief Purchasing Officer or evaluating committee to have the capability in all respects to perform fully the contract requirements, and the integrity and reliability which will assure good faith performance.

Responsive Offeror means a person who has submitted an offer that conforms in all material respects to the requirements set forth in the RFP.

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Criteria Weighted Points

1. Minimum Requirements, as per Attachment 1, Section A 175

2. General Questionnaire Responses, as per Attachment 1, Section B, and Response to Request for Client Information

4. Technical Questions as per Attachment 1, Section C 125

5. Network Accessibility as per Attachment 1, Section D 275

6. Cost proposal as per Cost Proposal Worksheet included with RFP documents. Points to be divided between years one and three as follows:

Years 1-2 – 100 Points

Year 3 – 75 Points

Year 4 – 50 Points

Year 5 – 25 Points

Years 6-7 – 25 Points

TOTAL 1000

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EXHIBIT A

Letter of Transmittal

The completed, signed Letter of Transmittal is required for an offeror qualified to provide the scope of services listed in this RFP to be considered for continuing as an interested vendor, and to receive any further communications regarding this solicitation. By signing this letter of transmittal, respondent agrees to maintain and protect the confidentiality of any information contained in Attachment 1, the Census information, Claims Information, and Benefit Booklets respectively.

The signed Letter of Transmittal must be scanned and emailed by 2:00 p.m. MDT on July 18, 2026, to:

a. victoria.pacheco@losalamosnm.gov

b. patricia.masterson@losalamosnm.gov

c. charlene.fairchild@aon.com

The undersigned hereby acknowledges that, with specific reference to this Request for Proposal (RFP), all solicitation documents have been reviewed as made available through the County’s Procurement Portal and via the Vendor Discussion Module.

Please Print or Type–

OFFEROR: ___________________________________________________________________

REPRESENTED BY: ___________________________________________________________

TITLE: ___________________________________________________________

PHONE NO.: ________________________ FAX NO.: ________________________

E-MAIL: ___________________________________________________________

ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________________

CITY: __________________________________ STATE: _________ ZIP CODE: __________

SIGNATURE: _____________________________________ DATE: _____________________

This name and address will be used for all correspondence related to this RFP.

Please submit this letter by the deadline above to the names listed above.

mailto:victoria.pacheco@losalamosnm.gov mailto:patricia.masterson@losalamosnm.gov mailto:charlene.fairchild@aon.com

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EXHIBIT B

Business Associate Agreement

BUSINESS ASSOCIATES AGREEMENT

(Completed by Successful Awardee)

This Agreement ("Agreement") is made and entered into on this 1st day of January 2027, by and between ___________________ ("Business Associate"), and INCORPORATED COUNTY OF LOS ALAMOS, an incorporated county of the State of New Mexico (“Covered Entity”).

WHEREAS, Business Associate acknowledges that Covered Entity has in its possession data that contains individual identifiable health information as defined by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191 ("HIPAA") and the regulations promulgated thereunder; and WHEREAS, Business Associate and Covered Entity are parties to an agreement (the "Service Agreement"), pursuant to which the fulfillment of the Parties' obligations thereunder necessitates the exchange of, or access to, data including individual identifiable health information, NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants hereinafter contained, the Parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Terms used, but not otherwise defined, in this Agreement shall have the meanings set forth below.

1.1 “HHS” shall mean the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

1.2 "HHS Transaction Standard Regulation" means the Code of Federal Regulations ("CFR") at Title 45, Sections 160 and 162.

1.3 “Individual” means the subject of protected health information or, if deceased, his or her personal representative.

1.4 "Parties" shall mean the Covered Entity and Business Associate. (Covered Entity and Business

Associate, individually, may be referred to as a "Party.")

1.5 “Privacy Rule” shall mean the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information at

45 CFR Part 160 and Part 164, Subparts A and E.

1.6 “PHI” shall have the same meaning as the term “protected health information” found in 45 CFR

§160.103, limited to the information created or received by Business Associate from or on behalf of the Covered Entity.

1.7 “Required by law” shall have the same meaning as “required by law” in 45 CFR §164.501.

1.8 “Secretary” shall mean the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services or his designee.

ARTICLE 2

CONFIDENTIALITY

2.1 Obligations and Activities of Business Associate. Business Associate agrees as follows:

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(a) not to use or further disclose PHI other than as permitted or required by this Agreement or as Required By Law;

(b) to establish, maintain, and use appropriate safeguards to prevent use or disclosure of the PHI other than as permitted herein;

(c) to report to Covered Entity any use, access or disclosure of the PHI not provided for by this Agreement, or any misuse of the PHI, including but not limited to systems compromises of which it becomes aware and to mitigate, to the extent practicable, any harmful effect that is known to Business Associate as a result thereof;

(d) to enforce and maintain appropriate policies, procedures, and access control mechanisms to ensure that any agent, including a subcontractor, to whom it provides PHI received from, or created or received by Business Associate on behalf of Covered Entity agrees to the same restrictions and conditions that apply through this Agreement to Business Associate with respect to such information.

The access and privileges granted to any such agent shall be the minimum necessary to perform the assigned functions;

(e) to provide access, at the request of Covered Entity, and in the time and manner reasonable designated by Covered Entity, to PHI in a Designated Record Set (as defined in the Privacy Rule), to Covered Entity or, as directed by Covered Entity, to an Individual in order to meet the requirements under 45

CFR §164.524;

(f) to make any amendment(s) to PHI in a Designated Record Set that the Covered Entity directs or agrees to pursuant to 45 CFR §164.526 at the request of Covered Entity or an Individual, and in the time and manner reasonably requested by Covered Entity.

(g) to make, enact, and maintain internal practices, books, and records relating to the use and disclosure of PHI received from, or created or received by Business Associate on behalf of, Covered Entity available to the Covered Entity, or at the request of the Covered Entity to the Secretary, in a time and manner reasonably requested by Covered Entity or designated by the Secretary, for purposes of the Secretary determining Covered Entity’s compliance with the Privacy Rule;

(h) to document such disclosures of PHI, and information related to such disclosures, as would be required for Covered Entity to respond to a request by an Individual for an accounting of disclosures of PHI in accordance with 45 CFR §164.528;

(i) to provide to Covered Entity or an Individual, in a time and manner reasonably requested by Covered Entity, information collected in accordance with Section 2.1(i) above to permit Covered Entity to respond to a request by an Individual for an accounting of disclosures of PHI in accordance with 45

CFR §164.528;

(j) to promptly notify Covered Entity of all actual or suspected instances of deliberate unauthorized attempts (both successful and unsuccessful) to access PHI;

(k) to maintain and enforce policies, procedures and processes to protect physical access to hardware, software and/or media containing PHI (e.g., hardcopy, tapes, removable media, etc. ) against unauthorized physical access during use, storage, transportation, disposition and /or destruction; and

(l) to ensure that access controls in place to protect PHI and processing resources from unauthorized access are controlled by two-factor identification and authentication: a user ID and a Token, Password or Biometrics.

2.2 Disclosures Required By Law.

In the event that Business Associate is required by law to disclose PHI, Business Associate will immediately provide Covered Entity with written notice and provide Covered Entity an opportunity to oppose any request for such PHI or to take whatever action Covered Entity deems appropriate.

2.3 Specific Use and Disclosure Provisions.

(a) Except as otherwise limited in this Agreement, Business Associate may use PHI only to carry out the legal responsibilities of the Business Associate under the Service Agreement.

(b) Except as otherwise limited in this Agreement, Business Associate may only disclose PHI (i) as Required By Law, or (ii) in the fulfillment of its obligations under the Service Agreement and provided

Template Version: 20250321 that Business Associate has first obtained (A) the consent of Covered Entity for such disclosure, (B) reasonable assurances from the person to whom the information is disclosed that the PHI will remain confidential and used or further disclosed only as Required By Law or for the purpose for which it was disclosed to the person, (C) reasonable assurances from the person to whom the information is disclosed that such person will notify the Business Associate of any instances of which it is aware in which the confidentiality of the information has been breached, and (D) "except as otherwise limited in this Agreement, Business Associate may use PHI to provide Data Aggregation services to Covered Entity as permitted by 42 C.F.R. § 164.504(e)(2)(i)(B).

2.4 Obligations of Covered Entity.

(a) Covered Entity shall notify Business Associate of any limitations in its notice of privacy practices of Covered Entity in accordance with 45 CFR §164.520, to the extent that such limitation may affect Business Associate's use or disclosure of PHI.

(b) Covered Entity shall notify Business Associate of any changes in, or revocation of, permission by an

Individual to use or disclose PHI, to the extent that such changes may affect Business Associate’s use or disclosures of PHI.

(c) Covered Entity shall notify Business Associate of any restriction to the use or disclosure of PHI that

Covered Entity has agreed to in accordance with 45 CFR §164.522, to the extent that such restriction may affect Business Associate's use or disclosure of PHI.

(d) For any PHI received by Covered Entity from Business Associate on behalf of a third party or another covered entity, Covered Entity agrees to be bound to the obligations and activities of Business Associate enumerated in Section 2.1 as if and to the same extent Covered Entity was the named Business Associate hereunder.

2.5 Permissible Requests by Covered Entity.

Covered Entity shall not request Business Associate to use or disclose PHI in any manner that would not be permissible under the Privacy Rule if done by the Covered Entity.

2.6 Policy and Procedure Review.

Upon request, Business Associate shall make available to Covered Entity any and all documentation relevant to the safeguarding of PHI including but not limited to current policies and procedures, operational manuals and/or instructions, and/or employment and/or third party agreements.

ARTICLE 3

SECURITY

3.1 Government Healthcare Program Representations.

Business Associate hereby represents and warrants to Covered Entity, its members, directors, officers, agents, representatives, or employees that Business Associate has not been excluded or has not been served a notice of exclusion or has not been served with a notice of proposed exclusion, or has not committed any acts which are cause for exclusion, from participation in, or had any sanctions, or civil or criminal penalties imposed under, any federal or state healthcare program, including but not limited to Medicare or Medicaid, and has not been convicted, under federal or state law (including without limitation a plea of nolo contendere or participation in a first offender deterred adjudication or other arrangement whereby a judgment of conviction has been withheld), of a criminal offense related to (a) the neglect or abuse of a patient, (b) the delivery of an item or service, including the performance of management or administrative services related to the delivery of an item or service, under a federal

Template Version: 20250321 or state healthcare program, (c) fraud, theft, embezzlement, breach of fiduciary responsibility, or other financial misconduct in connection with the delivery of a healthcare item or service or with respect to any act or omission in any program operated by or financed in whole or in party by any federal, state or local government agency, (d) the unlawful, manufacture, distribution, prescription, or dispensing of a controlled substance, or (e) interference with or obstruction of any investigation into any criminal offense described in (a) through (d) above. Business Associate further agrees to notify Covered Entity immediately after Business Associate becomes aware that the foregoing representation and warranty may be inaccurate or may be incorrect.

3.2 Security Procedures.

Each Party shall employ security procedures that comply with HIPAA and all other applicable state and federal laws and regulations (collectively, the "Law") and that are commercially reasonable, to ensure that transactions, notices, and other information that are electronically created, communicated, processed, stored, retained or retrieved are authentic, accurate, reliable, complete and confidential.

Moreover, each Party shall, and shall require any agent or subcontractor involved in the electronic exchange of data to:

(a) require its agents and subcontractors to provide security for all data that is electronically exchanged between Covered Entity and Business Associate;

(b) provide, utilize, and maintain equipment, software, services and testing necessary to assure the secure and reliable transmission and receipt of data containing PHI;

(c) maintain and enforce security management policies and procedures and utilize mechanisms and processes to prevent, detect, record, analyze, contain and resolve unauthorized access attempts to PHI or processing resources;

(d) maintain and enforce polices and guidelines for workstation use that delineate appropriate use of workstations to maximize the security of data containing PHI;

(e) maintain and enforce policies, procedures and a formal program for periodically reviewing its processing infrastructure for potential security vulnerabilities; and

(f) implement and maintain, and require its agents and subcontractors to implement and maintain, appropriate and effective administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the security, integrity and confidentiality of data electronically exchanged between Business Associate and Covered Entity, including access to data as provided herein. Each Party and its agents and subcontractors shall keep all security measures current and shall document its security measures implemented in written policies, procedures or guidelines, which it will provide to the other Party upon the other Party’s request.

ARTICLE 4

EXCHANGE OF STANDARD TRANSMISSIONS

4.1 Obligations of the Parties. Each of the Parties agrees that for the PHI:

(a) it will not change any definition, data condition or use of a data element or segment as proscribed in the HHS Transaction Standard Regulation.

(b) it will not add any data elements or segments to the maximum denied data set as proscribed in the

HHS Transaction Standard Regulation.

(c) it will not use any code or data elements that are either marked "not used" in the HHS Standard's implementation specifications or are not in the HHS Transaction Standard's implementation specifications.

(d) it will not change the meaning or intent of any of the HHS Transaction Standard's implementation specifications.

4.2 Incorporation of Modifications to HHS Transaction Standards.

Each of the Parties agrees and understands that from time-to-time, HHS may modify and set compliance dates for the HHS Transaction Standards. Each of the Parties agrees to incorporate by reference into this Agreement any such modifications or changes.

4.3 Business Associate Obligations.

(a) Business Associate shall not submit duplicate transmissions unless so requested by Covered Entity.

(b) Business Associate shall only perform those transactions, which are authorized by Covered Entity.

Furthermore, Business Associate assumes all liability for any damage, whether direct or indirect, to the electronic data or to Covered Entity's systems caused by Business Associate's unauthorized use of such transactions.

(c) Business Associate shall hold Covered Entity harmless from any claim, loss or damage of any kind, whether direct or indirect, whether to person or property, arising out of or related to (1) Business Associate's use or unauthorized disclosure of the electronic data; or (2) Business Associate’s submission of data, including but not limited to the submission of incorrect, misleading, incomplete or fraudulent data and agrees to indemnify Covered Entity for any damages, costs, expenses or liabilities, including legal fees and costs, arising from or related to a breach of the Business Associate’s obligations hereunder.

(d) Business Associate agrees to maintain adequate back-up files to recreate transmissions in the event that such recreations become necessary. Back-up devices shall be subject to this Agreement to the same extent as original data.

(e) Business Associate agrees to trace lost or indecipherable transmissions and make reasonable efforts to locate and translate the same. Business Associate shall bear all costs associated with the recreation of incomplete, lost or indecipherable transmissions if such loss is the result of an act or omission of Business Associate.

(f) Business Associate shall maintain, for seven (7) years, true copies of any source documents from which it produces electronic data.

(g) Except encounter data furnished by Business Associate to Covered Entity, Business Associate shall not (other than to correct errors) modify any data to which it is granted access under this Agreement or derive new data from such existing data. Any modification of data is to be recorded, and a record of such modification is to be retained by Business Associate for a period of seven (7) years.

(h) Business Associate shall not disclose security access codes to any third party in any manner without the express written consent of Covered Entity. Business Associate furthermore acknowledges that Covered Entity may change such codes at any time without notice. Business Associate shall assume responsibility for any damages arising from its disclosure of the security access codes or its failure to prevent any third party use of the system without the express written consent of Covered Entity.

(i) Business Associate shall maintain general liability coverage, including coverage for general commercial liability, for a limit of not less than one million dollars, as well as other coverage as Covered Entity may require, to compensate any parties damaged by Business Associate's negligence.

Business Associate shall provide evidence of such coverage in the form of a certificate of insurance and agrees to notify Covered Entity and/or HOI immediately of any reduction or cancellation of such coverage.

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(j) Business Associate agrees to conduct testing with Covered Entity to ensure delivery of files that are HIPAA-AS Compliant and to accommodate Covered Entity specific business requirements.

4.4 Confidential and Proprietary Information.

(a) Proprietary Information

Business Associate acknowledges that it will have access to certain proprietary information used in

Covered…