Pet_Insurance_(No-Cost_to_Agency).pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

2025-PURB RFP-0066

PET INSURANCE (NO-COST TO AGENCY)

County of Sacramento

9660 Ecology Lane

Sacramento, CA 95827

RELEASE DATE: September 5, 2025

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: September 15, 2025

RESPONSE DEADLINE: October 2, 2025, 2:00 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/saccounty https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/%7bproject.government.code%7d

County of Sacramento

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Pet Insurance (No-Cost to Agency)

1. Introduction

2. General Rules

3. Scope of Work

4. Proposal Format and Content

5. Pricing Proposal

6. Vendor Submissions

Attachments:

A - RFP ATT Sample County Agreement

B - RFP ATT Proprietary Agreement

Request for Proposal #2025-PURB RFP-0066 Title: Pet Insurance (No-Cost to Agency)

1. Introduction

1.1. Summary

The County of Sacramento ("County") is soliciting proposals for No-Cost to Agency Pet Insurance

1.2. Contact Information

Any inquiries or requests regarding this solicitation must be submitted via OpenGov. Contact with unauthorized County personnel during the selection process may result in disqualification.

Project Contact:

Jason Smith

Assistant Director

Email: smithja@saccounty.gov

Phone: (916) 584-5441

Procurement Contact:

Jesse Sanchez

Sr. Contract Services Officer

Email: sanchezj@saccounty.gov

Phone: (916) 876-6378

Department:

Animal Care Services

Department Head:

Annette Bedsworth

Director

1.3. Timeline

Release Project Date September 5, 2025

Question Submission Deadline September 15, 2025, 2:00pm

Question Response Deadline September 22, 2025, 2:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline October 2, 2025, 2:00pm mailto:smithja@saccounty.gov tel:(916)584-5441 mailto:sanchezj@saccounty.gov tel:(916)876-6378

2. General Rules

2.1. Important Instructions for Electronic Submittal

The County is accepting electronic proposal submissions. Proposers shall create a FREE account with

OpenGov Procurement by signing up at Sign Up (opengov.com). Once you have completed account registration, browse back to this page, click on "Draft Response", and follow the instructions to submit your electronic proposal.

2.2. General Rules

2.2.1 Overview

This Request for Proposals ("RFP") is an invitation for proposers to submit a proposal to the County. This

RFP does not commit the County to award a contract to any proposer. Submission of a proposal shall neither obligate nor entitle a proposer to enter into a contract with the County.

2.2.2 Proposal format and content

When submitting a proposal, proposers must follow the format and contents detailed in section 5.

Failure to do so will likely prolong the evaluation process and could result in a proposal not being considered.

2.2.3 Proposal submission

Proposals must be received BEFORE 2:00 pm on Thursday, October 2, 2025 electronically via OpenGov.

Failure to submit a proposal on time may be grounds for rejection of the proposal; however, the County reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to accept proposals after the proposal due date.

2.2.4 Questions and communication

Questions concerning this RFP must be submitted in the project Q&A section in OpenGov Procurement by 2:00 pmon Monday, September 15, 2025.

Questions received via phone or e-mail to direct points of contact for this RFP will not be considered nor responded to. The County shall respond to questions properly submitted as described above via addenda.

2.2.5 Addenda

The County reserves the right to modify this RFP at any time prior to the proposal due date. The County will modify the RFP only by written addenda. Proposal should be based on this RFP document and any formal written addenda. Proposers should not rely on oral statements. Addenda will be posted in

OpenGov Procurement. It is the responsibility of each prospective proposer to assure receipt of all addenda.

2.2.6 County's right to withdraw, cancel, suspend and/or modify RFP

The County reserves the right to withdraw, cancel, suspend, and/or modify this RFP for any reason and at any time with no liability to any prospective proposer for any costs or expenses incurred in connection with the RFP or otherwise.

2.2.7 Proposer's right to edit or cancel proposal

https://procurement.opengov.com/signup

Proposers may edit or cancel their proposal in OpenGov Procurement prior to the due date.

2.2.8 Proposals will not be returned

Upon submission, proposals will not be returned.

2.2.9 Public disclosure of proposal documents

The County will treat all information submitted in a proposal as available for public inspection once negotiations with the selected party have been completed. If copies of proposals are included with

Board materials, the County will make proposals available for public inspection once staff has made a recommendation for award.

If a proposer believes protected data is included in its proposal, the proposer shall clearly identify the data and provide the legal basis in support of the asserted classification. Proposer must present such information separately as part of its proposal OR type in bold red letters the term "CONFIDENTIAL" on that specific part or page of the proposal which proposer believes to be confidential. Classification of data as trade secret data will be determined pursuant to applicable law, and, accordingly, merely labeling data as "trade secret" does not necessarily make the data protected under any applicable law.

In order for the County to assert the confidentiality of any such information in the event a California

Public Record Act request is received, the proposer must request, execute and submit a County-prepared written agreement to defend and indemnify the County for liability, costs and expenses incurred in asserting such confidentiality as part of the proposal. A draft sample of that agreement is attached as Attachment A.

The final determination of whether the County will assert a proposer's claim of confidentiality shall be at the sole discretion of the County. Any information determined to be non-confidential shall be considered public record. If the County determines that your information does not meet the criteria for confidentiality, you will be notified of the County's intent to release the public record pursuant to any

California Public Records Act request.

The proposer agrees, as a condition of submitting its proposal, that the County will not, as between the parties, be liable or accountable for any loss or damage, which may result from a breach of confidentiality related to the proposal. The proposer agrees to indemnity and hold the County, its officials, agents, and employees harmless from all claims arising out of, resulting from, or in any manner attributable to any violation of any provision of the California Public Records Act, including legal fees and disbursements paid or incurred to enforce this provision.

2.2.10 Proposer's costs

The County shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by proposer in connection with this RFP.

Proposer shall bear all costs associated with proposal preparation, submission, and attendance at interviews, or any other activity associated with this RFP or otherwise.

2.2.11 Proposer's ideas

To the extent permitted by law, the County reserves the right to use any or all ideas, concepts, or other information provided in any proposals. Selection or rejection of the proposal does not affect this right.

2.2.12 Collusion

If the County determines that collusion has occurred among proposers, none of the proposals of the participants involved in the collusion shall be considered. The County's determination shall be final.

2.2.13 Conflict of interest

The proposer affirms that to the best of its knowledge the submission of its proposal, or any resulting contract, does not present an actual or perceived conflict of interest. The proposer agrees that should any actual or perceived conflict of interest become known, it will immediately notify the County and will advise whether it will or will not avoid, mitigate, or neutralize the conflict of interest.

The County may make reasonable efforts to avoid, mitigate, or neutralize a conflict of interest by a proposer. To avoid a conflict of interest by a proposer, the County may utilize methods including disqualifying a proposer from eligibility for a contract award or cancelling the contract if the conflict is discovered after a contract has been issued. The County may, at its sole and absolute discretion, waive any conflict of interest.

3. Scope of Work

The pet insurance plan must meet the following minimum standards:

• No-Cost to Agency

The insurance plan must be provided at zero cost to Sacramento County. No reimbursement models will be accepted.

• Illness and Accident Coverage

Provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of common and serious illnesses, injuries resulting from accidents, emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, and prescription medications.

Sacramento County highly prefers that the pet insurance plan meet the following additional standards:

• Wellness and Preventive Care

Include a wellness package that covers:

o Annual exams o Vaccinations o Flea/tick and heartworm prevention o Routine bloodwork o Dental cleanings (if applicable)

Enrollment Process

• The proposer shall implement a seamless and automated enrollment process for adopters at the point of adoption.

• Pet adopters must receive clear and accessible documentation about their coverage.

• Enrollment should require minimal or no input from County staff.

Plan Duration and Options (preferred)

• Provide a base coverage term (e.g., 30 to 90 days) at no cost with optional continued coverage available for adopters at their expense after the initial period.

• The County will not be responsible for renewals or ongoing premiums.

Customer Support

• Offer dedicated customer support for pet adopters to assist with claims, coverage questions, and enrollment issues.

• Provide adopter education materials (digital and/or print) explaining the benefits and terms of the insurance.

Marketing and Communications

• Proposer must provide marketing collateral and educational resources to be distributed by

County staff or displayed on-site.

• Materials must be approved by the County and meet accessibility and language standards.

Revenue Sharing Model (Optional)

• Proposer may provide a revenue sharing module that takes a percentage of the yearly rate and is paid back to the County of Sacramento

• Proposer will list a percentage (Example 1-10%) in the second pricing proposal

4. Proposal Format and Content

Proposals shall not exceed 5 pages and must adhere to the following format:

5.1 Cover letter

Proposers must submit a cover letter that includes the following:

a. A statement that the proposal is effective for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days or the date the contract takes effect, whichever is later;

b. A statement confirming that the proposer has reviewed and agrees to be bound by County of

Sacramento Terms and Conditions (Attachment A) including insurance provisions; or, alternatively, a statement confirming that the proposer has reviewed and agrees to be bound by County of Sacramento

Terms and Conditions (Attachment A), excluding only those provisions that have been redlined for negotiation purposes and are included in their Proposal;

c. A statement that the proposer does not have an actual or perceived conflict of interest regarding this

RFP or in submission of their proposal; or alternatively, a statement explaining any conflict of interest and how to avoid, mitigate or neutralize the conflict;

d. A statement that the proposer’s proposal/solution meets all of the pass/fail requirements

5.2 Proposal

Proposals must contain the following information (and in the same order):

a. A brief profile of the proposer, including the size, organizational structure and history.

b. A plan for delivering services consistent with the scope of work in section 3, including but not limited to the following:

• description of the proposed services

• procedures for carrying out services

• testing and acceptance standards for the services

• description of prior experience performing such services

• capacity to perform the services, including availability of staff and resources

c. Name of project or account manager to be assigned to the County.

d. A narrative of the experience of the proposer in implementing similar services for other clients, including governmental clients similar in size to Sacramento County, if available.

e. Pricing/costs submitted using Price list in OpenGov

5. Pricing Proposal

PET INSURANCE

Line Item Description Quantity Unit of

Measure Unit Cost Total

01 Dog Insurance (Small - All Breeds

Approximate 1000 ea.) Illness and

Accident Coverage Wellness and

Preventive Care * Annual Exams *

Vaccinations * Flea/Tick and

Heartworm prevention * Routine bloodwork * Dental cleanings (if applicable)

1 EA

02 Dog Insurance (Medium - All Breeds

Approximate 1000 ea.) Illness and

Accident Coverage Wellness and

Preventive Care * Annual Exams *

Vaccinations * Flea/Tick and

Heartworm prevention * Routine bloodwork * Dental cleanings (if applicable)

1 EA

03 Dog Insurance (Large - All Breeds

Approximate 1000 ea.) Illness and

Accident Coverage Wellness and

Preventive Care * Annual Exams *

Vaccinations * Flea/Tick and

Heartworm prevention * Routine bloodwork * Dental cleanings (if applicable)

1 EA

04 Cat Insurance ( All Breeds -

Approximate 3500 ea.) Illness and

Accident Coverage Wellness and

Preventive Care * Annual Exams *

Vaccinations * Flea/Tick and

Heartworm prevention * Routine bloodwork * Dental cleanings (if applicable)

1 EA

TOTAL

REVENUE SHARING MODEL (OPTIONAL)

Percentage paid back to the County

Line Item Description U/M Percentage % Custom

05 Please list a percentage of yearly insurance policy cost (Example 5%) If your company is not participating in this Optional section then add a 0

"Zero" in the percentage column and

"N/A" in the Custom Column

EA

6. Vendor Submissions

6.1. Certification of Independent Contractor Status*

"I hereby certify that the Contractor/Consultant firm employs five or more full-time employees. “Full-time”, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service, means persons employed for 20 or more hours per week, and excludes temporary employees whose term of employment will be less than one (1) month.

This certification satisfies the Internal Revenue Service criteria for treatment of the above-named consultant as an independent contractor, not an employee for tax withholding purposes."

☐ Yes, I certify that the firm has five (5) or more full-time employees.

☐ No, I certify that the firm does not have five (5) or more full-time employees, and the firm provides services to the general public. (The County will conduct a tax determination review if this option is selected.)

*Response required

6.2. Contractor Certification of Compliance, part 1*

WHEREAS it is in the best interest of Sacramento County that those entities with whom the County does business demonstrate financial responsibility, integrity and lawfulness, it is inequitable for those entities with whom the County does business to receive County funds while failing to pay court-ordered child, family and spousal support which shifts the support of their dependents onto the public treasury.

Therefore, in order to assist the Sacramento County Department of Child Support Services in its efforts to collect unpaid court-ordered child, family and spousal support orders, the following certification must be provided by all entities with whom the County does business:

Contractor/Consultant hereby certifies that either:

☐ the Contractor/Consultant is a government or non-profit entity (exempt), or

☐ the Contractor/Consultant has no Principals Owners (25% or more) (exempt), or

☐ each Principal Owner (25% or more) does not have any existing child support orders, or

☐ Contractor/Consultants Principal Owners are currently in substantial compliance with any court-ordered child, family and spousal support order, including orders to provide current residence address, employment information, and whether dependent health insurance coverage is available. If not in compliance, Principal Owner has become current or has arranged a payment schedule with the

Department of Child Support Services or the court.

*Response required

6.3. Contractor Certification of Compliance, part 2*

New Contract/Consultant shall certify that each of the following statements is true:

a. Contractor/Consultant has fully complied with all applicable state and federal reporting requirements relating to employment reporting for its employees; and

b. Contractor/Consultant has fully complied with all lawfully served wage and earnings assignment orders and notices of assignment and will continue to maintain compliance.

NOTE: Failure to comply with state and federal reporting requirements regarding a Contractor's employees or failure to implement lawfully served wage and earnings assignment orders or notices of assignment constitutes a default under the contract; and failure to cure the default within 90 days of notice by the County shall be grounds for termination of the contract. Principal Owners can contact the

Sacramento Department of Child Support Services at 1-866-901-3212, by writing to P.O. Box 269112, Sacramento, 95826-9112, or via the Customer Connect website at www.childsup.ca.gov .

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

6.4. Proposal (without cost proposal)*

Upload your complete Proposal here. Do not include your cost proposal in this section.

*Response required

6.5. Confidential sections of proposal (if applicable)

The County will treat all information submitted in a proposal as available for public inspection once the

County has awarded a contract. If you believe that you have a legally justifiable basis under the

California Public Records Act (Government Code section 6250 et. seq.) for protecting the confidentiality of any information contained within your proposal, you must identify any such information, together with the legal basis of your claim in your proposal, and present such information in this section as part of your proposal response package. The final determination of whether the County will assert a proposer's claim of confidentiality shall be at the sole discretion of the County. Click "file upload" below to upload any proposal documents you consider to be confidential documents.

http://www.childsup.ca.gov/