Intent to Award.pdf

This is a Notice of Intent to Award issued by the State of Nebraska Department of Administrative Services for administrative support services related to the state's Employee Health Care Medical Benefit Plans under Solicitation Number 122435 O5. The state sought a third-party administrator to provide comprehensive administrative support for its self-insured medical benefit plans serving approximately 17,500 employees and 13,600 enrolled members, including active employees, pre-65 retirees, and COBRA participants. Services encompassed member services, claims processing, network management, medical management, wellness programs, and reporting across three health plan options: Regular Plan, Consumer Focused Health Plan with Health Savings Account, and WellNebraska. The RFP was released on June 9, 2025, with proposals due July 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. The contract was intended to commence July 1, 2026, and run through June 30, 2029, with options for two additional one-year renewal periods. The state issued the Intent to Award on October 10, 2025, designating Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, Inc., as the selected vendor.

Vendor qualification requirements included a minimum of five years of self-funded medical administration experience, current service to public sector groups with at least 15,000 covered lives, and licensure to operate in all 50 states and U.S. territories. The evaluation methodology awarded up to 100 points across Corporate Overview (25 points), Technical Response (55 points), and Cost (20 points), with potential for an additional 20 points for vendor demonstrations. Administrative fees were to begin July 1, 2026, structured as per-employee-per-month charges with pass-through costs and Health Savings Account service fees. Performance guarantees included financial penalties ranging from 0.50% to 1.50% of annual fees for non-compliance across various service categories. The notice does not specify the incumbent vendor, explicit budget amounts, or set-aside provisions for disadvantaged enterprises. Run-out claims administration was required for 12 months following contract termination.