Amendment 1.docx

SAP

State of South Carolina

Request for Proposal

AMENDMENT 1

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400030134 09/25/2026

JENNIFER ABNEY

803-737-3410 jabney@mmo.sc.gov SFAA, Div. of Procurement Services PO Box 101103 Columbia SC 29201-3734

DESCRIPTION: ATHLETIC INSURANCE (Winthrop University)

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: WINTHROP UNIVERSITY

SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 10/13/2026 (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 09/17/2026 11:00AM (ET) (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: Submit online only. One (1) Electronic Technical marked "Original", One (1) Redacted Electronic Technical Copy marked "Redacted”, One (1) Electronic Price marked “Original”, and One (1) Electronic Price Copy marked “Copy” See Section II. A “DISCLOSURE OF YOUR BID / PROPOSAL and SUBMITTING CONFIDENTIAL DATA, Section II. B “Electronic Copies- Required Media and Format”. Initial here if a redacted copy is NOT necessary

CONFERENCE TYPE: Not Applicable

DATE & TIME:

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions) LOCATION: Not Applicable

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of thirty (30) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer) Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________

___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE - ON-LINE ONLY (MAR. 2015)

SAP

SAP

PAGE TWO

(Return Page Two with Your Offer) HOME OFFICE ADDRESS (Address for offeror's home office / principal place of business)

NOTICE ADDRESS (Address to which all procurement and contract related notices should be sent.) (See "Notice" clause)

_________________________________________________ Area Code - Number - Extension Facsimile

_________________________________________________ E-mail Address

PAYMENT ADDRESS (Address to which payments will be sent.) (See "Payment" clause)

____Payment Address same as Home Office Address ____Payment Address same as Notice Address (check only one) ORDER ADDRESS (Address to which purchase orders will be sent) (See "Purchase Orders and "Contract Documents" clauses)

____Order Address same as Home Office Address ____Order Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

Offerors acknowledges receipt of amendments by indicating amendment number and its date of issue. (See "Amendments to Solicitation" Provision)

DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See "Discount for Prompt Payment" clause)

PREFERENCES - A NOTICE TO VENDORS (SEP. 2009): Preferences do not apply per SC Consolidated Procurement Code Section 11-35-1524 (E) (3).

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (JAN 2004)

The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov (b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by signing and returning the amendment, (2) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two, (3) by letter, or (4) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged. [02-2A005-1]

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICIATION (JUN 2017)

The solicitation is amended as provided herein. Information or changes resulting from questions will be shown in a question-and-answer format. All questions received have been reprinted below. The “State’s response” should be read without reference to the questions. The questions are included solely to provide a cross-reference to the potential offeror that submitted the question. Questions do not form a part of the contract; the “state’s response” does. Any restatement of part or all of an existing provision of the solicitation in an answer does not modify the original provision except as follows: Underlined text is added to the original provision. Stricken text is deleted. [02-2A097-1]

COVER PAGE UPDATE:

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: Submit online only. One (1) Electronic Technical marked "Original", One (1) Redacted Electronic Technical Copy marked "Redacted”, One (1) Electronic Price marked “Original”, and One (1) Electronic Price Copy marked “Copy” See Section II. A “DISCLOSURE OF YOUR BID / PROPOSAL and SUBMITTING CONFIDENTIAL DATA, Section II. B “Electronic Copies- Required Media and Format”. Initial here if a redacted copy is NOT necessary

CLAUSE UPDATE:

IV. INFORMATION FOR OFFERORS TO SUBMIT - REVISED

INFORMATION FOR OFFERORS TO SUBMIT -- EVALUATION (Modified)

In addition to information requested elsewhere in this solicitation, offerors should submit the following information for purposes of evaluation:

· Proposals are to be prepared simply and, in a manner, designed to provide the SC State Fiscal Accountability Authority (SFAA) with a straightforward presentation of the offeror's capability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Elaborate brochures and other promotional materials are not necessary.

INFORMATION FOR OFFERORS TO SUBMIT -- GENERAL (Modified)

YOU SHALL SUBMIT A SIGNED COVER PAGE AND PAGE TWO. If you submit your offer electronically, you must upload an image of a signed Cover Page and Page Two. Your offer should include all other information and documents requested in this part and in parts II.B. Special Instructions; III. Scope of Work; V. Qualifications; VIII. Bidding Schedule/Price Proposal; and any appropriate attachments addressed in Part IX. Attachments to Solicitations.

You should submit a summary of all insurance policies you have or plan to acquire to comply with the insurance requirements stated herein, if any, including policy types; coverage types; limits, sub-limits, and deductibles for each policy and coverage type; the carrier's A.M. Best rating; and whether the policy is written on an occurrence or claims-made basis.

All responses must be presented in the order listed. Offerors must restate each item below and provide their response to that item immediately thereafter. Follow the RFP format below utilizing the same section titles and numbers.

1. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL -

1. Company information, applicable signatures and acknowledgement of amendments

1. Describe the storage of our information showing how you comply with HIPPA regulations.

1. Describe how or who will be our direct point of contact and will we be assigned to one person or multiple people covering Winthrop’s needs.

1. Describe resources needed to complete coverage for a university B. Experience and Qualifications:

1. A detailed, narrative statement listing the three most recent, comparable contracts (including contact information) which you have performed and the general history and experience of your organization.

1. Organizational plan for processing our claims.

1. Describe how the adjustor will process our claims and respond to inquiries from our organization.

· Include offeror’s procedures and capacity for utilizing or replacing personnel.

· Include training programs available for employees both formal and “on the job”.

1. Price Proposal:

1. An Original and also redacted copy of the price proposal shall be submitted on the same USB drive or file as the technical proposals.

1. Price proposal shall be a separate file.

VII. TERMS AND CONDITIONS -- B. SPECIAL

PRICE ADJUSTMENTS LIMITED BY CPI "OTHER GOODS and SERVICES" (JAN 2006) - CLAUSE DELETED

Upon request and adequate justification, the Procurement Officer may grant a price increase up to, but not to exceed, the unadjusted percent change for the most recent 12 months for which data is available, that is not subject to revision, in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all urban consumers (CPI-U), "Other Goods & Services" for services, as determined by the Procurement Officer. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics publishes this information on the web at www.bls.gov [07-7B175-1]

The State understands that prior years’ claims may result in a higher/lower price change by mutual agreement of both parties after the initial term only. This change will be agreed upon and a change order will be issued based upon the language in the Changes clause.

ANSWERS TO BIDDERS’ QUESTIONS:

1. Will you please share a copy of the current in force master policy?

State Response: Attached at the end of document

2. Will you please share a sport census listing covered sports and estimated athlete count for each?

State Response: Attached at the end of document

3. Will you please share a recent, formal loss report showing claims activity for the last 5 years?

State Response: Attached at the end of the document

4. Due to the timing of this RFP, carriers will not offer official quotes for the policy year of 2027-28 this far in advance. Is Winthrop open to making this RFP for broker services instead of market quotes? Adjusting the RFP to broker services would enable Winthrop to select the broker to best represent them in the market and then approach the market to obtain optimal pricing when carriers are willing to offer quotes in early 2027.

State Response: Winthrop University recognizes that carriers may not be willing to provide firm quotes for the 2027–28 policy year this far in advance.

a) At this time, Winthrop intends to proceed with the RFP as issued. Respondents should provide their proposal based on the requested scope of services and their approach to representing Winthrop in the insurance market. Please clearly identify any assumptions regarding the timing of carrier marketing, quotes, and final pricing.

b) Winthrop will evaluate proposals based on the criteria outlined in the RFP. The University may address the timing of the formal marketing and quoting process with the selected broker as the 2027–28 renewal approaches.

5. Please provide loss runs for the five most recent policy years, valued as of a current date, showing paid, outstanding, and total incurred amounts and claim counts for each year.

State Response: Would be answered in #3

6. Please provide, by sport, for each of the five most recent policy years, participation counts (including developmental team members, student managers, and student trainers, interns, and fellows) and total incurred losses.

State Response: Would be answered in #2

7. Please provide, for each of the five most recent policy years, the premium, the aggregate deductible or annual aggregate attachment point, and all fees applicable to the program, including but not limited to third-party administrator fees and claims administration fees, shown separately from premium.

State Response: Please see attached schedule of benefits.

8. Please provide the current Schedule of Benefits and the current policy form, including all endorsements and riders in force.

State Response: See attachment

9. Section III.C requires coverage for sports-related hernias, a heart and circulatory rider, and coverage for infections, dermatologic conditions, tendonitis, bursitis, stress fracture, and shin splints. The exclusions in Section III.L separately exclude hernia treatment, heart attack, stroke, and other circulatory disease unless caused by external trauma, and sickness, disease, and infection other than specified pyogenic and food-borne infections. Please confirm that the specific coverage requirements in Section III.C control over the general exclusions in Section III.L for these conditions.

State Response: Any of the above listed items have to be caused by an athletic injury and the diagnosis has to be clear. Illnesses are not a covered expense.

10. Section III.C states a benefit period of 104 weeks. Item 3 under End of Contract Concerns requires the Contractor to pay for continued treatment for up to three years following termination of the contract. Please confirm the maximum benefit period the University intends to require and how these two provisions are intended to operate together.

State Response: The coverage is 104 weeks only, 2 years from the date of injury.

11. Exclusion 13 in Section III.L excludes travel or activity outside the United States. Please confirm whether the University requires coverage for team travel, practice, and competition outside the United States, and if so whether that coverage should be included in the base price or quoted as a separate option.

State Response: Insurance for any international travel is purchased through Winthrop University’s International Center. This is a separate plan for our teams when they travel internationally.

12. The exclusions in Section III.L exclude mental and nervous disorders except as provided in the contract. Please confirm whether the University requires any mental health benefit within the accident policy, and if so, the limit and any sublimit the University requires.

State Response: This has not been a covered benefit on our insurance.

13. Section III.C requires coverage for pre-existing injury. Please confirm whether that requirement extends to injuries sustained prior to the effective date of the resulting contract, including injuries incurred under the expiring program.

State Response: The injury would have to have occurred during their sports careers at Winthrop, this would be if an athlete incurred an injury and benefits expired. Winthrop University would prepare a new claim after the policy term expires if the injury is not resolved.

14. Please confirm whether coverage is required for recruits and prospective student-athletes during official visits and tryouts.

State Response: We do not require insurance for recruits or prospective student athletes.

15. Section III.C states an annual aggregate policy limit of $1,000,000 and separately provides that the Contractor will define the Aggregate Deductible. Please confirm whether the University is requesting a fully insured program subject to a $1,000,000 annual aggregate, an aggregate deductible or self-insured retention structure, or both presented as options. If a hard annual aggregate applies, please state the University's intent should that limit be exhausted during a policy year and confirm whether Offerors may propose a higher aggregate or a reinstatement provision as a priced option.

State Response: The University has never faced this issue, but if that were to happen, we would look into negotiating with the provider on options.

16. Section III.B references fourteen intercollegiate sports and separately states that twenty additional female students will be added for women's flag football. Please confirm whether women's flag football will be classified as a varsity intercollegiate sport or as a club sport during the policy period beginning August 1, 2027, and confirm that coverage is required under either classification. Please also confirm whether coverage for cheer, dance, band, club sports, intramural activity, camps, and clinics is required in the base price or should be quoted as separate options under the Additional Departments provision.

State Response: Women’s flag football will be a club sport during the policy period beginning August 1, 2027 and coverage would be needed under club sports. We would also need the quote to cover spirit squad, pep band, Esports, disc golf and cornhole all as club sports. These numbers are included in the roster list that is attached. Camps and clinics are not included in our policy as the coaches obtain their own coverage for any camps or clinics that they have. Intermural sports are not covered by the athletic insurance coverage.

17. The Bidding Schedule requires a unit price for each of Years 1 through 5. The solicitation also includes the Fixed Pricing Required provision, a CPI "Other Goods and Services" price-adjustment limitation, a HEPI price-adjustment limitation, and a statement within the CPI provision that prior years' claims may result in a higher or lower price change by mutual agreement of both parties after the initial term. Please confirm which of these provisions governs adjustments to the Year 2 through Year 5 unit prices and confirm that Offerors may submit those unit prices as good-faith estimates subject to that provision.

State Response: Winthrop University understands that these are probably more estimates rather than hard numbers. Over the last 5 years we have not seen a huge change in our current coverage of more than 3%.

18. Award is scheduled for December 8, 2026, for a policy period beginning August 1, 2027. Accident and health carriers ordinarily hold quoted rates for a limited period. Please confirm whether the University will accept a rate confirmation at a fixed date prior to the effective date, or whether Year 1 pricing submitted on October 13, 2026 must be firm through August 1, 2027.

State Response: Winthrop University would accept a rate confirmation within 3% of the quoted price.

19. Please confirm whether the unbalanced pricing analysis described in the Pricing provision will be applied across all five line items of the Bidding Schedule.

State Response: The university is not sure what this is referencing.

20. Section III.K states that the first premium is due on the policy effective date unless determined differently following award. Please confirm whether installment premium payment is available and, if so, the schedule the University prefers.

State Response: The university has paid the premium usually due on the effective date in August in one lump sum in years past.

21. The Special Standards of Responsibility require that the Offeror and underwriter hold an A.M. Best rating of A- or a Standard and Poor's rating of A or better. Please confirm whether a rating held by a managing general underwriter, program administrator, or other intermediary that is not the issuing carrier satisfies this requirement, or whether the rating must be that of the carrier issuing the policy.

State Response: The policy forms can be shared with the university once award is made as needed.

22. Section V requires the Schedule of Benefits and all policy provisions for each policy option requested in the bid schedule. Please confirm whether Offerors should submit the specific policy form and endorsement pages evidencing each rider required by Section III.C, including Expanded Medical, HMO/PPO Denial, pre-existing injury, and heart and circulatory coverage.

State Response: The policy forms can be shared with the university once award is made as needed.

23. The Cover Page requires the Offeror to be a single and distinct legal entity, and Section V(3) states that the financial capability of an affiliated or parent company will not be considered. Please confirm that a parent company corporate guaranty will be accepted as security under Section V(3).

State Response: Refer to Section V. QUALIFICATIONS, QUALIFICATIONS OF OFFEROR (MAR 2015) in the solicitation; the “NAME OF OFFEROR” should be the company name the contract will be awarded to. Financials provided should be from the company intended for the state to contract with. If you can’t provide that information; the State will accept options noted in (3) Corporate subsidiaries….

24. Please confirm whether the Third-Party Administrator identified under Section III.G should also be identified as a subcontractor under the Subcontractor, Identification provision.

State Response: Yes

25. Section III.H requires a dedicated customer service and claims coordination agent for each of the campuses included in the resulting contract. Please confirm the number of campuses and locations covered by this solicitation.

State Response: Winthrop University consists of one campus. Our home athletic events are held at the Winthrop Coliseum and our additional athletic complexes (baseball stadium, softball stadium, track complex and LAX/Soccer complex). Away schedules vary so insurance would be covering team travel as well.

26. Please identify the athletic training documentation or electronic medical record system the University uses for claim submission integration and confirm whether the University will accept electronic delivery of insurance identification cards or whether printed cards are required.

State Response: Winthrop University currently uses Sportsware as their electronic medical records program. We will accept electronic delivery of all insurance documentation. We currently do not have printed insurance cards for each athlete.

27. Please confirm whether a page limit applies to the technical proposal, and whether the University prefers a particular order of response.

State Response: 30 page maximum I believe is fair.

28. Are you requesting firm pricing proposals for both Secondary Athletic Accident and Primary Student Athletic Insurance coverage for the 2027-28 policy year, effective August 1, 2027, to be submitted by October 13, 2026?

State Response: The current policy is a secondary policy but the policy becomes the primary insurance in cases of the athlete having no primary health insurance, Tricare, Kaiser, or Medishare.

29. Is there a census? If so, how do we acquire a copy?

State Response: see #2

30. Are we able to acquire the current policy docs?

State Response: See answer to #1

31. It appears the University just renewed their coverage for the 2026-2027 policy year (assuming it renewed on 8/1/2026). What is the reasoning behind releasing the RFP so early in the renewal cycle? Some of the carriers we work with will not provide options this early.

State Response: The initial RFP was sent to the State in April of 2026, they are just getting to the point of publication this month. See answer to #4

32. What is your current aggregate deductible, premium, and any additional fees for the 2026-2027 policy year?

State Response: see answer #1

33. Has the University added or dropped any sports in the prior 5 policy periods?

State Response: We have not.

36. Does the University have any contracts or special arrangements with any of medical providers utilized by student-athletes? If so, can you please provide details of those?

State Response: Our Athletic Training Department is staffed by employees of Advocate Health (formerly Atrium Health). We have Advocate Health physicians in our facility at least one-time a week to see student athletes. They are our first point of contact for any athletic injuries.

AMENDMENT #1 ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A - Athletic Roster Attachment B - Claim Summary Attachment C - Premiums Attachment D - Schedule of Benefits Attachment E - Sports Summary Attachment F - 2022-2023 BMI Policy Endorsement Attachment G - 2023-2024 BMI Policy Endorsement Attachment H - 2024-2025 BMI Policy Endorsement Attachment I - 2025-2026 BMI Policy Endorsement Attachment J - 2026-2027 BMI Policy Endorsement

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