Intent to Award.pdf

This is an Intent to Award document issued by the State of Nebraska Department of Administrative Services for Solicitation Number 122436 O5, regarding Administrative Support Services for the State of Nebraska Employee Health Care Prescription Drug Benefit Plans. The state sought a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) to provide comprehensive administrative support services for approximately 13,600 enrolled members, including active employees, pre-65 retirees, COBRA participants, and their dependents. Required services encompass claims adjudication, member enrollment, formulary management, clinical management, pharmacy network management, and member services. The solicitation was released on June 9, 2025, with proposal responses due by July 18, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. The state issued this Notice of Intent to Award on October 10, 2025, naming Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, Inc. as the selected vendor. The initial contract term will run through June 30, 2029, with options to renew for two additional one-year periods, with the benefit plan year commencing on July 1, 2026.

The selected vendor must have at least five years of self-funded group experience, be licensed in all 50 states, and currently serve a public sector group health plan with a minimum of 15,000 lives. Evaluation criteria included a comprehensive scoring system with 25 points for Corporate Overview, 55 points for Technical Response, and 20 points for Cost, with potential additional points for vendor demonstrations. The cost structure includes per member per month (PMPM) administrative fees with guaranteed pricing for pharmacy network services across retail, mail, and specialty medication channels. The estimated enrollment is consistently around 28,386 members throughout the contract period. Performance guarantees include potential financial penalties ranging from $2,000 to $50,000 per occurrence, with performance metrics covering implementation, claims processing, member services, system performance, and administrative responsiveness. The solicitation does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises.