ESBD_503812_1777066408928_SBA-26-280 Addendum 1.pdf

THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

Office of Procurement & HUB Program

ADDENDUM NO. 1

Date: April 24, 2026

RFP Due Date: May 4, 2026

RE: RFP01-SBA-26-280 – Life and AD&D Plan

Respondents shall acknowledge receipt of addendum(s) on the Execution of Offer (Exhibit A).

Questions/Responses:

1. Please provide an updated census that includes the following:

• Employee ID on all census tabs so that all coverages can be linked to the correct employee, or a census that includes all coverages for each employee on one tab.

• Basic Dependent Life coverage indicator.

• There are 477 employees shown as both and Active employee and Retiree. Please correct this with the updated census or provide clarification of how employees can be covered under both programs.

• Please have the Optional Life information include an indicator for Class 3, as these employees are not eligible for Basic Life.

Response: We do not include personally identifiable information on the demographic files. All qualifying employees and retirees have basic or alternate basic life. Page 15 of the RFP explains the structure of the dependent basic life plan. We do not track dependent basic life as part of the basic and alternate basic life plan. The employees with both active and retiree status are working retirees.

These working retirees are covered under the retiree basic life policy. They are not covered under more than one basic life policy. We will provide a file with those that have optional life that do not qualify for basic life or alternate basic life due to not having A&M System coverage or certifying other medical coverage.

2. There are 496 children on the census with benefits of 1x Salary. This is not one of the current plan options for children. Please provide an explanation for this discrepancy.

Response: For those employees that enrolled prior to September 1, 2009, grandfathering is permitted, which is stated on page 17 of the RFP.

3. Please confirm the current Basic Life rate of $4.75 is per employee per month.

Response: The current Basic Life rate is $4.70 per enrolled employee/retiree per month.

4. Please provide the following experience information:

• Please provide experience information broken out by Actives and Retirees for all coverages.

• Please provide a claim list that includes Active/Retiree indicator, Date Incurred, Date Paid, and

Amount Paid (Basic, Voluntary, Dependent Life, AD&D, Voluntary AD&D) for all coverages.

• Please provide a copy of a current invoice.

• Please provide monthly paid premium, volume, and lives information for the experience period.

Response: We will include the current month as a sample invoice, which will include counts for each plan type.

5. The contract states a claimant must have at least $10,000 in coverage to qualify for the Accelerated Death Benefit. Please provide clarification of how this is paid for Class 1 Basic Life, as this class only has coverage of $7,500.

Response: The Accelerated death benefit would not currently be available to those with only basic life coverage. Requesting an accelerated death benefit is not required.

6. Can we obtain experience split between active and retirees for all coverages including premium and claims?

Response: The experience files provided generated by the current vendor are what is available.

7. Can we obtain an individual claims listing with DOD and amounts paid including any interest amounts?

Response: The experience reports generated by the vendor are what is available for claims.

8. Can we get updated experience? The last exhibit goes through 8/31/2025? Any additional experience can we get the information split between active and retirees?

Response: These are received by plan year, which is 9/1 – 8/31. The experience report through 8/31/2025 is the most recent.

9. For spouse, we do not see an option of 1 X salary in the booklet, but it is on the census data. How can we identify who is Plan C for spouse?

Response: For those employees that enrolled prior to September 1, 2009, grandfathering is permitted, which is stated on page 17 of the RFP.

10. Confirm the Basic alternate plan is fully contributory.

Response: Alternate Basic life is fully paid by the employer.

11. Does Texas A& M offer retirees’ medical coverage and if they take it, they are in Class1 otherwise Class 2?

a. Need some more clarification about how the retirees are classed out.

b. Confirm is retiree coverage is contributory for both classes.

Response: The A&M System offers all retirees medical coverage. If they are covered, they will receive basic life coverage. If they certify other coverage they can obtain alternate basic life.

12. Confirm that only 5 individuals are on WOP and premiums are being paid by Texas A&M.

Response: This is correct.

13. Any additional fees to be included?

Response: All vendor fees should be included in the rate.

14. Does Texas A&M want us to include an EAP in our quote?

Response: Value added benefits are at the discretion of the vendor. Refer to the Life and AD&D website for the current value added programs. https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/life-add/

15. Can we get a recent bill?

Response: See response to Question #4

16. Can we get Hartford’s premium billing report by month?

Response: See response to Question #4

17. When was the last open enrollment?

Response: Open Enrollment information is included on page 14 of the RFP in Section 3.7.

https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/life-add/

18. Is Texas A&M looking for any type of implementation credit?

Response: This is at the discretion of the vendor.

19. Please share any current challenges you would like to resolve.

Response: We do not have any challenges with our current vendor that we are looking to eliminate.

The plan is required to be bid every 6 years by state legislation.

20. Can a unique identifier such as employee ID be provided for each employee on the census? Can work state be provided for each employee on the census?

Response: The information we can provide is included in the demographic file.

21. There are 477 lives on the Basic Life census and 314 lives on the OAD&D census with both Active and Retiree indicators. Only 11 of these employees do not have salary data. Is there a way to provide a clearly defined version of active vs. retiree exposure.

Response: The employees with both active and retiree status are working retirees. These working retirees are covered under the retiree basic life, optional life, and AD&D policies. They are not covered under an employee policy.

22. The experience provided shows an average lives count of 34,312 for the plan year ending in 8/31/25 but the census shows 40,802 Basic Life/ADD insureds with an additional 1,483 in the Alternate Basic Life/ADD plan. Are both categories of Basic Life insureds represented in the Basic Life experience and can you confirm the large increase in covered lives.

Response: The census file is accurate for enrolled lives as of March 2026. Unfortunately, A posting issue in The Hartford’s billing system was discovered which led to inaccurate life counts and allocation of premium across lines of coverage. Total premium across the account is accurate. Updated experience reports for FY2025 and FY2024 will be posted on the ESBD site Monday, April 27, 2026.

https://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd/RFP-01-SBA-26-280

23. In a similar vein, there are 18,329 Actives and Retirees with OAD&D coverage on the census but the 2024 plan year shows a total of 14,820. Is it possible that the experience provided is for Active lives only?

Response: The census file is accurate for enrolled lives as of March 2026. Unfortunately, A posting issue in The Hartford’s billing system was discovered which led to inaccurate life counts and allocation of premium across lines of coverage. Total premium across the account is accurate. Updated experience reports for FY2025 and FY2024 will be posted on the ESBD site Monday, April 27, 2026.

https://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd/RFP-01-SBA-26-280

24. The census shows Child Option A benefits up to $100,000 but the plan document provides a benefit maximum of $10,000. Please clarify.

Response: Child Option A is up to $10,000 unless grandfathered at 1 x employee salary.

25. Similarly, the census shows Spouse Option A benefits of up to $500,000 but the plan document provides a benefit maximum of $200,000. Please clarify.

Response: Spouse Option A is up to $200,000 unless grandfathered at 1 x employee salary.

26. The census does not provide location. Please provide location data (preferably resident state/zip) for all covered lives including for those expatriates and foreign nationals who are not currently residing in the US.

Response: The information we can provide is included in the demographic file.

27. Please provide active and retiree experience (premium and claims) separately for Basic, Supplemental and Spouse coverages.

https://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd/RFP-01-SBA-26-280 https://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd/RFP-01-SBA-26-280

Response: The experience reports are generated by the current vendor. We have provided what we receive annually.

28. Please separate Supp Dep experience (premium and claims) between Spouse and Child Actives and Spouse and Child Retirees.

Response: The experience reports are generated by the current vendor. We have provided what we receive annually.

29. Please provide an individual claims listing for Actives and Retirees with date of death for the period from 9/1/2020 to 8/31/2025.

Response: The experience reports are generated by the current vendor. We have provided what we receive annually.

30. Please provide the separate rate basis for Basic Life, Dep, and AD&D coverages which total the $4.70 per unit rate for the $7,500 benefit and the $0.626/1000 rate for insureds with “certified other health coverage”.

Response: We do not separate these rates.

31. Please provide a copy of a recent monthly billing statement/premium remittance statement to compare census volumes to reported volumes.

Response: See response to question #4.

32. While the plan documents indicate that coverage can be continued after active employment with payment of premium, please provide clarification around the criterial used to determine the “Waiver of Premium” benefit which if offered and paid for annually by the client.

Response: Waiver of Premium is explained in Section 3.9 on page 17 of the RFP.

33. Since the life insurance plan does not include an insured Waiver of Premium benefit, please identify on the census the disabled insureds who will transfer to the new carrier.

Response: Waiver of Premium is explained in Section 3.9 on page 17 of the RFP. We will not disclose those covered on the demographic file.

34. Please confirm that the self-insured WOP provision applies to Basic Life coverage only.

Response: Waiver of Premium is explained in Section 3.9 on page 17 of the RFP. It includes all coverages that were in place when the employee became disabled.

35. Have there been any significant plan design changes in the last several years (i.e. change in benefit schedules, acquisitions, mergers)?

Response: The last benefit change was on September 1, 2009, as stated in the RFP. The rates have not changed since the current vendor was implemented on September 1, 2020.

36. Have there been any open or special enrollments during, or just prior to, the experience period? If so, please provide details.

Response: No. The next open enrollment period is July 10-31 for the plan year beginning September 1, 2026.

37. Please confirm that mid-year salary decreases do not diminish the benefit amount for a claim incurred within that plan year.

Response: They do not.

38. Do you conduct death matches to facilitate the filing of life insurance claims? If so, what is the frequency and process to determine if there is a death and facilitate the claim filing?

Response: No.

39. Please describe your current EOI process (paper, batch, SSO).

Response: Our current process is SSO through Workday integration.

40. Please confirm who sends out port/convert notices.

Response: The A&M System sends a notification through the Workday system.

41. Evaluation Criteria Balance - Could you clarify the primary decision drivers for this RFP? For instance, how will TAMUS balance premium cost versus service quality and plan stability when evaluating proposals?

Response: Section 2.6 on page 10 – 11 of the RFP discusses the selection process used by the A&M System. The final weighting of the criteria is decided by the RFP committee.

42. Key Differentiators - Beyond meeting all baseline RFP requirements, what proposal elements or capabilities would TAMUS consider true differentiators among carriers?

Response: Section 2.6 on page 10 – 11 of the RFP discusses the selection process used by the A&M System. The final weighting of the criteria is decided by the RFP committee.

43. Current Program Improvements - Are there specific aspects of the current life/AD&D program or incumbent service that TAMUS is looking to improve or change with a new vendor?

Response: We do not have any issues with our current vendor. The plan is required to be bid every 6 years by state legislation.

44. Retiree & Special Needs Support - Given TAMUS’s large retiree population and Waiver-of-Premium cases, are there particular service challenges or needs for these groups that you want a new carrier to better address?

Response: There are currently no needs or challenges to be addressed. However, the A&M System is open to improvements to the process as proposed by a vendor.

45. Billing & Administration Process - TAMUS uses a 45-day premium remittance lag and self-billing process. Have there been any challenges with the current billing/reconciliation workflow that you’d like to see improved by the new carrier?

Response: No.

46. Innovative Funding Options - Is TAMUS open to optional proposals for innovative cost management (for example, establishing a retiree life reserve or other balance-sheet-friendly arrangement within a fully insured plan), or would you prefer vendors stick strictly to the standard fully insured premium approach?

Response: The A&M System is not currently looking to make changes to the funding options.

However, suggestions can be included in the supplemental information section of the RFP.

47. Data Integration & Reporting - What are TAMUS’s expectations regarding technology integration and reporting with the new carrier? For instance, is seamless Workday eligibility feed integration, real-time evidence-of-insurability processing, or enhanced data reporting capabilities (for the System Benefits Administration’s use) a significant focus?

Response: Workday capabilities are considered favorably. However, it is not a necessity.

48. HUB/VetHUB Participation: Regarding the required HUB/Veteran-Owned subcontracting plan, are there particular types of services or partnership approaches that TAMUS has found effective for life insurance vendors in meeting the 2% VetHUB goal?

Response: No, we do not have any specific types of known services for VetHUB participation. If you need additional guidance, you may reach out to the HUB Program office at so-hubprogram@tamus.edu.

49. Was there an open enrollment or a "free one up" or any other underwriting liberalization in the last 5 years? If so, specify the date and conditions.

Response: For FY2023 (beginning 9/1/202), The Hartford allowed a one-time opportunity for employees to increase their life insurance up one times their salary. They also allowed all employees that were below 3 times salary to increase to three times without evidence of insurability.

50. What are the actual administrative practices around GI, EOI, and annual enrollments? Do these practices differ in any way from what is outlined in the provided plan documents? Are late entrants treated differently from new hires?

Response: No diversions. Late entrants are not permitted unless an employer error was made during the hiring process.

51. If portability provision is part of the current plan design, are ports in the experience? Will they remain with the incumbent carrier?

Response: Ports will remain with the incumbent carrier. Ports are not included in the claims experience.

52. If ports are included in the experience, do provided premium figures include premium from ports?

What are the current port rates and conditions required to elect portability? Any historical changes to these?

Response: Port premiums are not included. You can find information about portability in the Life Insurance booklet https://assets.system.tamus.edu/files/benefits/website/SPDs/SPDLife.pdf, and the policy booklets that were downloaded with the RFP.

53. At the time of the last carrier change, who took on the liability for employees not Actively at Work?

Is MetLife being asked to cover employees not Actively at Work? If so, please provide a list (name, date of birth, gender, date last worked, amount of insurance by coverage, reason for not being actively at work) of those employees not Actively at Work that MetLife is being asked to cover.

Response: If an employee is in a benefits eligible position, all benefit coverages are permitted to continue while in a leave status. The A&M System collects all premiums for employees, including those on leave. We will not provide any personally identifiable information.

54. It appears the provided claims experience is on an incurred basis. Please provide the experience on paid basis.

Response: The experience reports provided are what is available.

55. Is experience separated by actives and retirees for each coverage available?

Response: No. The experience reports provided are for the overall plan.

56. Is five years of volume corresponding to the claim periods separated by line of coverage (and by population, if applicable) available?

Response: The experience reports provided are what is available.

57. Is a detailed claim listing available by coverage, including date paid, date incurred, coverage amount, and population identifier (actives/retirees) if multiple plans involved?

Response: The experience reports provided are what is available.

58. Based on the certificates, expatriates and third-country nationals are covered. Please provide additional following information on the census:

mailto:so-hubprogram@tamus.edu mailto:so-hubprogram@tamus.edu https://assets.system.tamus.edu/files/benefits/website/SPDs/SPDLife.pdf

• foreign national category - expatriate, local national, or third country national

• country of assignment

• length of assignment

• payroll type - US or locally based

Response: The payroll for all employees is US based. The census information provided is what is available for the RFP. We do have employees/retirees in the following countries India, Ghana, Mexico, Bangladesh, Barbados, Switzerland, China, Nepal, Canada, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Australia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Greece, Poland, Nigeria, Costa Rica, Sweden, Kuwait, United Kingdom, Turkey, Indonesia, France, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and a campus Qatar. The A&M System will be closing the Qatar campus in 2028.

59. Are OPTL and DEPL rates the same for actives and retirees?

Response: Yes. The rates are based on age, not employment status.

60. Is a recent billing invoice available including the lives and volume by age bracket?

Response: See answer to Question #4

61. What is the tobacco criteria, including length of time using tobacco and type of tobacco?

Response: The criteria for tobacco use is on page 9 of the Life Insurance Booklet -https://assets.system.tamus.edu/files/benefits/website/SPDs/SPDLife.pdf

62. There are large disconnects between the covered lives and premium in the experience data and the covered lives and premium that would be indicated by the provided census file. For example, the most recent 12 months of Basic Life results show an average enrollment of 34,312 lives. The provided census file shows over 42,000 enrolled lives on the coverage. There are large discrepancies like this across most coverages. Can you clarify the reason for the discrepancies and provide an updated census file that more closely aligns with the group’s experience results?

Response: The census file is accurate for enrolled lives as of March 2026. Unfortunately, A posting issue in The Hartford’s billing system was discovered which led to inaccurate life counts and allocation of premium across lines of coverage. Total premium across the account is accurate.

63. Are the current approved Disability Extension and Disabled Employees prior to September 1, 2020 included on the census file?

Response: Yes.

64. Can the Plan A, Plan B and Plan C designations be added to the Spouse elections similar to what is currently shown in the census for the Child Life?

Response: The information we can provide is included in the demographic file.

65. Can a unique identifier such as employee ID be added to each of the coverage tabs so that we can tie an individual’s total coverage together across the various coverages?

Response: The information we can provide is included in the demographic file.

66. Please outline insured employees working outside of the United States on an assignment of more than 3 years. For each of these employees please identify their Citizenship and Work Location.

Response: See answer to Question #58.

67. Eligibility in the certificate states that Employees may excluded from eligibility by Hartford if they are “not meeting our underwriting criteria as determined by Us (Hartford) and accessible to Your Employer on Our ‘EmployerView’”. Can this underwriting criteria referenced in the eligibility rules be provided?

https://assets.system.tamus.edu/files/benefits/website/SPDs/SPDLife.pdf

Response: We have attached the enrollment rules in the Administrative Overview from The Hartford’s employer website.

68. Please confirm that Retirees enrolled in Alternate Basic Life are reduced to $30,000 at age 80. This language is stated in the group’s Summary Plan Description but it is not present in Hartford’s certificates.

Response: This is correct.

69. For Retirees who have elected Plan C for their Spouse can you confirm that the intent is that their coverage reduces to $15,000 at age 80? Hartford’s certificate does state that the amount reduces to 50% or $15,000 of the Employee’s Alternate Basic Life benefit but does not state the age at which the reduction occurs.

Response: It corresponds with the retiree’s age.

70. Does Hartford currently manage Portability and Conversion notifications to insureds?

Response: The A&M System sends a notification through the Workday system.

71. Can Hartford provide updated reporting covering the most recent 5 years that splits the Active and Retiree results out separately by coverage?

Response: The experience reports provided are what is available.

72. Can a detailed individual claim listing be provided covering the most recent 5 years for all coverages?

Response: The experience reports provided are what is available.

73. The Basic Dependent Life benefit is $5,000 per eligible child. In the most recent 2 experience periods (9/1/2023 to 8/31/2025) for this coverage the experience shows payments of $172,529 on 17 death claims which would be an average payment of over $10,000 per claim. This is double the amount of the schedule for Basic Dependent Life which is Flat $5,000 per eligible child. Can Hartford check to see if there are Supplemental Dependent Life claims that have been accidently associated with this coverage?

Response: During the Hartford review, it was discovered that five claimants were mistakenly coded under basic dependent coverage when they should have been coded under supplemental dependent coverage. This resulted in $112,500.00 in claims being attributed to the basic dependent coverage for the 2024 and 2025 experience periods, which explains the higher average claim payments. Prior experience periods did reflect the correct amount of $5,000 per claim.

74. Please provide a copy of the most recent summary participation report provided to Hartford that they used to allocate the self-bill premium?

Response: See answer to Question #4.

END OF ADDENDUM NO. 1