RFP_26-500-01_CalHR_EAP.Final.pdf

welcome to brighter

MONDAY, JULY 14, 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

CALHR EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

RFP 26-500-01

CalHR Benefits Employee Assistance Program

The State of California, Department of Human Resources (CalHR) invites you to review and respond to this Request for Proposal (RFP), titled CalHR Employee Assistance Program (EAP) RFP 26-500-01. The anticipated term of this contract is three years, beginning July 1, 2026. In submitting your proposal, you must comply with these instructions.

Note that all contracts with CalHR, incorporate, by reference, the state’s General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025) and Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) that may be viewed and downloaded at the Department of General Services websites:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources

The CCC package contains clauses and conditions that may apply to your contract and to anyone doing business with CalHR. The certification will be kept on file in a central location and must be renewed every three years or updated as changes occur.

If your organization intends to bid on this RFP, submit your intent to bid no later than 4:00 p.m.

Pacific Standard Time (PST) on Friday July 18, 2025 with the subject line “CalHR EAP RFP 26-500-01 – <bidder name> Intent to Bid” with confirmation of your intent, and your organization’s name to: Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com.

In CalHR’s opinion, this RFP is complete and without need of explanation. However, if you have questions or need clarifying information, submit your question(s) no later than 4:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) on Friday July 18, 2025, in accordance with the RFP instructions to:

Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com, and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com mailto:Josephine.Tang@mercer.com mailto:Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com mailto:Josephine.Tang@mercer.com mailto:Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com

RFP #: 26-500-01

Proposal Timeline:

RFP available to prospective bidders on July 14, 2025

Intent to bid must be submitted to Mercer by

Note: It is required for bidders to state their intent to bid in order to be considered in the evaluation process

July 18, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Bidder questions must be submitted to Mercer by July 18, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Answers to bidder questions will be disseminated by July 25, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Proposals must be received to Mercer by August 4, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Anticipated date of interviews in Sacramento (optional at CalHR’s discretion)

Week of October 6-10, Anticipated intent to award notification November 4, 2025

Anticipated last day to protest the award November 12, 2025

Anticipated award of the contract November 13, 2025

Anticipated contract start date July 1, 2026

Completed proposals must be received by electronic submission no later than 4:00 p.m. PST on Monday, August 4, 2025.

Please send documents asked in the RFP to Mercer referenced below. Additionally, if you experience technical difficulties contact:

CalHR EAP RFP 26-500-01

Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com.

Note that no verbal information given is binding upon CalHR unless such information is issued in writing as an official RFP addendum.

mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Description Page

Letter of Authorization 4

Purpose and Description of Services 5

Bidder Minimum Qualifications 8

Proposal Narrative 10

Proposal Questionnaire, Requirements, and Information 16

Proposal Key Action Dates 18

Location Where Work Will Be Performed 19

Questions and Answers 19

Submission of Proposal 19

Evaluation and Selection Process 22

Tax Delinquent Status Verification 31

Notice of Intent to Award and Protest 31

Disposition of Proposals 33

Standard Conditions of Service 33

Payee Data Record 33

Darfur Contracting Act Certification 33

Economic Incentive Program 34

Small Business Preference Program 34

Non-Small Business Preference Request Form and Instructions 36

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Incentive 38

California Code of Regulations 1896.99.100 38

Proposal Checklist 41

Attachment I – Proposal/Proposing Firm Certification Sheet / Instructions 43

Attachment II – Proposing Firm References 45

Attachment III – Proposing Minimum/Desirable Qualifications Certification 46

Attachment IV – Technical Proposal Questionnaire 48

Attachment V – Darfur Contracting Act Certification 49

Attachment VI – California DVBE Program Incentive Instructions and Forms CalHR 661 and 662

Attachment VII – DVBE Declarations (STD 843) 60

Attachment VIII – Proposer Declaration (Form GSPD-05-105) 61

Sample Standard Contract (STD 213) 63

Exhibit A – Scope of Work 64

Exhibit B – Budget Detail and Payment Provisions 73

Exhibit C – General Terms and Conditions (GTC 610) 74

Exhibit D – Special Terms and Conditions 75

Exhibit E – Additional Provisions 80

Exhibit E, Attachment 1 – Protection of Confidential and Sensitive Information 85

Exhibit E, Attachment 2 – Non-Disclosure Certificate 88

Exhibit E, Attachment 3 – DVBE Activity Report Form (CalHR) 89

Exhibit E, Attachment 4 – Small Business/DVBE Subcontractor Payment Certification 91

Exhibit F – Technical and Procedural Directives 92

Exhibit G – Information Management Services Requirements 94

Acronym List 103

July 14, 2025

To Whom It May Concern, This letter authorizes Mercer, CA Insurance License # 0E75483 to act on behalf of the State of California, Department of Human Resources as its representative in conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Employee Assistance Program. This program is provided to active state employees, spouses/domestic partners and eligible dependents.

Please cooperate and provide Mercer with any and all information they may require to complete this RFP process. All questions or concerns related to this process should be directed to Mercer at Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com.

Sincerely, Nicole Griffith, Chief

Benefits Division mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com

1. PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

The State of California, Department of Human Resources (CalHR) is releasing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to obtain bids for a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (hereinafter referred to as “EAP”).

Bidders should understand that, due to collective bargaining, any modification to the current benefits structure must be approved by CalHR, and it is the intent that the current level of EAP coverage will not be reduced.

As an agent of the taxpayers of California, the state feels a strong responsibility for making prudent purchases of all services, including the benefits of employees of the state.

A. Background

CalHR serves as the central human resources authority for the state of California, overseeing policies and programs that impact an estimated 245,000 eligible employees in 148 departments, agencies and boards. Unlike a singular employer, the State operates as a group of diverse entities, each with unique missions and workforce needs.

CalHR’s role is to establish cohesive policies and provide strategic guidance that ensures consistency and equity across this landscape.

CalHR provides EAP services through a statewide agreement to state employees, spouses/domestic partners and eligible dependents. State departments that wish to contract for EAP services may obtain those services through a CalHR-sponsored statewide agreement. For departments participating in the statewide agreement there are two aspects of EAP services. The first covers basic EAP benefits provided to employees, spouse/domestic partners and their dependents. The second covers the Fee-for- Services portion for services that are not covered by the statewide agreement and are department specific such as critical incident stress debriefings, specialized orientations, training services, etc.

To effectively administer the EAP, the CalHR Benefits Division supports departmental EAP Coordinators. Those Coordinators, in turn, support employees in understanding and accessing the EAP. This means the selected bidder may interface with 148 EAP Coordinators who need support to serve their department's employees.

CalHR will award a three-year contract, with the option of two one-year extensions.

Since the program could potentially run for up to five years, the EAP website and mobile app content must be visually refreshed and updated, as determined jointly by CalHR and the contractor (e.g., new graphics, content and educational resources).

B. Scope of Services

The contractor will provide holistic EAP services that encompass the five elements of wellbeing: career, physical, social, financial, and community, as well as mental well-being. Examples include but are not limited to, digital emotional wellness tools, mindfulness and resiliency activities, stress management tools, legal services, financial wellbeing services, wellbeing coaching, appointment assistance, in-person and virtual counseling, work-life services (elder care, childcare, referral services), identity theft resolution, community resources, and discount centers.

The EAP will provide the EAP Coordinators resources, tools, and structure to support their departments, and deliver CalHR data and analytics to monitor program effectiveness.

The state employs approximately 245,000 employees, of which 57,000 are in First Responder roles. Because these employees and their families may have unique experiences and needs that differ from the general employee population, the ideal bidder has top-tier offerings for both the First Responder group and the general employee group. We understand that a specialized EAP vendor for First Responders may not excel in serving the general population. While the ideal bidder will provide best-in-class solutions for both groups, if such a vendor is not found, the state will consider two separate bidders. Therefore, the EAP technical questionnaire consists of one set of core EAP questions and another set of supplemental questions that focus on how your solution addresses the needs of the First Responder group.

The contractor should, among other things:

1) Provide access to licensed, master’s level mental health clinicians through a state-owned, toll-free number, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.

2) Provide holistic EAP services that encompass the five elements of wellbeing:

career, physical, social, financial, and community, as well as mental wellbeing.

Examples include but are not limited to, digital emotional wellness tools, mindfulness and resiliency activities, stress management tools, legal services, financial wellbeing services, wellbeing coaching, appointment assistance, in-person and virtual counseling, work-life services (elder care, childcare, referral services), identity theft resolution, community resources, and discount centers.

3) Provide short-term counseling services consisting of three levels:

• Level 1 employees: ~57,000 First Responders who meet the below criteria, who are eligible for up to twenty-eight (28) counseling sessions per member, per year with culturally competent counselors who specialize in supporting First Responders and their families. The EAP benefit extends to employees, spouses or domestic partners, and eligible dependents.

• Bargaining Units 5 and 7 employees and all exempt, managerial, supervisory, and confidential employees of the California Highway Patrol.

• Bargaining Unit 7 employees (R07), managers (M07), supervisors (S07), and confidential employees (C07) in any other department.

• Bargaining Unit 6 employees (R06), managers (M06), supervisors (S06), and confidential employees (C06).

• Bargaining Unit 8 employees (R08), managers (M08), supervisors (S08), and confidential employees (C08) including seasonal and intermittent firefighters.

• Level 2 employees: ~33,000 employees in support roles at CalFire, California Highway Patrol (CHP) and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), who are eligible for up to twelve (12) counseling sessions per member, per year. The EAP benefit extends to employees, employee's spouse or domestic partner, and eligible dependents.

• Level 3 employees: ~153,000 employees in other roles who are eligible for up to three (3) counseling sessions per member, per year. Benefit extends to employees, employee's spouse or domestic partner, and eligible dependents.

4) Assign an Account Executive based in California who is 100% dedicated to

CalHR and available to support all state departments. This individual will be readily available for in-person meetings, including an annual Stewardship meeting at CalHR, and will actively support health fairs and other outreach events as requested throughout the state of California.

5) Provide organizational support including but not limited to Supervisor/Manager Orientation and Training, Supervisor/Manager Consultation, Formal Referrals (referral by HR, but participation is voluntary), Employee Orientation and Training, Critical Incident Support and reporting.

6) Demonstrate expertise and experience in supporting First Responders and their families.

7) Provide and implement a marketing and implementation plan that is inclusive of all ability levels and is American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.

8) Assist CalHR to define elements and provide any data to determine effectiveness.

9) Develop and administer pre- and post-intervention surveys/clinical outcome measures.

10) Increase employee participation and program engagement.

11) Offer a diverse and experienced provider network that allows members to select from qualified, culturally competent EAP service providers based on various diversity factors, including gender, race, ethnicity, culture, LGBTQ+ status, job function competency, language, e.g., age, geographic location, in-person session availability, etc. This network should span all areas of California and nationwide, ensuring access to EAP assessment, short-term counseling, and referral services for clients in both major metropolitan and rural areas.

12) Offer an enhanced member experience by facilitating access to a robust member website and mobile app, digital assessments and guidance, self-help tools, coaching, group support, virtual and in-person counseling, navigation to the appropriate type of care, and the ability for members to schedule provider appointments online.

13) Provide training and resources, such as but not limited to, through Microsoft Teams or Zoom, webinars, or conference calls to department EAP coordinators and employees on how to utilize the online service.

NOTE: The sample Scope of Work is based on requirements outlined in the RFP for the contract award. The actual Scope of Work contained in the final contract between CalHR and the contractor may be amended to reflect any additions or modifications outlined in the RFP response from the selected contractor. If the final terms of the contract are not mutually agreed upon between CalHR and the selected contractor, CalHR retains the right to select the contractor with the next highest awarded points.

Performance guarantees (e.g., system availability, data accessibility or loss, transition services, other requirements pursuant to Exhibits A-G, reports, and timely administration of pre- and post-intervention surveys/clinical outcome measures) and its related fiscal penalties will be included in the final contract.

2. BIDDER MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

All bidders for this RFP must satisfy all the minimum qualifications. Failure to satisfy the minimum qualifications at the time of bid submission will result in the immediate rejection of the submission. Bidders must complete the Minimum Qualifications Certification (Attachment 111). The contractor must continue to satisfy the minimum qualifications throughout the term of the contract.

1) The contractor must possess a valid Knox-Keene license, ensuring compliance with California regulations governing health care service plans.

2) Must be registered with the Secretary of State to do business in the State of California.

3) Have a minimum of five (5) years’ experience delivering comprehensive employee assistance programs to major clients similar in size, complexity, and scope to the State of California.

4) The contractor must agree to allow for third-party clinical and operational audits, including the review of recorded calls, to ensure transparency and accountability in service delivery.

5) Provide access to licensed, master’s level mental health professionals via a state-owned toll-free number available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.

6) Provide access to a comprehensive EAP website and mobile app that do not require log-in.

7) Provide holistic EAP services that encompass the five elements of wellbeing: career, physical, social, financial, and community, as well as mental wellbeing. Examples include but are not limited to, digital emotional wellness tools, mindfulness and resiliency activities, stress management tools, legal services, financial wellbeing services, wellbeing coaching, appointment assistance, in-person and virtual counseling, work-life services (elder care, childcare, referral services), identity theft resolution, community resources, and discount centers.

8) Assign an Account Executive who is based in California and 100% dedicated to CalHR.

9) Attend an annual Stewardship Meeting at CalHR.

10) Provide three customer references who can be contacted to verify the responsiveness of quality, and efficiency of customer and employee service levels.

11) Provide access to an enhanced member experience that includes a robust member website and mobile app that can be accessed without login, digital assessments and guidance, self-help tools, coaching, group support, in-person and virtual counseling, navigation to the appropriate type of care, and the ability for members to schedule provider appointments online.

12) A diverse and experienced provider network that use evidence-based treatment and outcome measures.

13) Programs and services that are locally relevant and tailored to specific geographic areas, including remote locations and industry standards.

14) Participate in a number of meetings throughout the year, including stewardship meetings, mid-year review, reporting, check-ins, operations meetings, etc.

15) Have experience with branding and proactive promotion of the EAP.

16) Organization support including supervisor/manager consultations, formal referrals (referral by HR, but participation is voluntary), orientation, training, Critical Incident Response and willing to provide services that may fall outside of the standard offerings on a fee-for-service basis.

17) A reporting framework that encompasses a wide range of metrics related to all member services and organizational support that are available including departmental and compilation reporting and a reporting portal with dashboard.

18) A strong, proactive Account Executive and account management team will be established, providing both strategic and operational support on a regular basis. This team will ensure that all aspects of the program are managed effectively, with ongoing communication and collaboration with CalHR.

19) Dedicated, co-branded website and mobile app.

20) Demonstrate expertise and experience in supporting First Responders and their families.

21) Remediate all digital materials for accessibility compliance for those using assistive technology, using CommonLook®.

22) Agree to begin implementation and pre-work prior to a July 1, 2026 “Go Live” with a Letter of Intent pending execution of the contract.

23) Agree to begin invoicing fees after the program has gone live.

24) Agree to termination for convenience without penalty contract clause.

3. PROPOSAL NARRATIVE

This section is a request for confirmation that the bidder will meet specified standards and conditions in addition to those outlined in the Minimum Qualifications section. If the bidder is unable or unwilling to meet CalHR’s requirements as outlined below, it will impact the bidder’s overall score for this section.

If any information in your response is proprietary information, please include a separate sheet behind the cover letter that lists what items/pages are proprietary.

When providing narrative responses, make clear and concise statements. Tab or flag the following sections: Vendor Profile Experience, Customer Service, Approach, Program Quality, Technical Capability, Quality of Training, Data Quality and Program Evaluation, Optional, Permits and Contractor Responsibilities.

A. VENDOR PROFILE EXPERIENCE

1. Contractor must provide an organizational chart with resumes that identifies key state contacts, including the implementation team, IT/developer team, and account team. Contractor must provide full legal name of the company and parent company, if applicable.

2. Contractor must provide the state with a dedicated Account Executive based in California.

3. Contractor must disclose if using a subcontractor and the work to be performed.

4. Contractor must identify and provide details on any litigation, arbitration, disciplinary, or other official actions not in the ordinary course of business related to your company. Contractor must provide the company’s most recent financial statements.

B. CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. Contractor shall inform CalHR via email within 30 minutes of any material or technical issues or outages (e.g. website, phone, app, etc.) related to delivering services during the course of the contract, including concerns raised by employees.

2. The Contractor agrees that in the event of any outages affecting phone lines or the website, they will ensure that qualified staff are available to address and resolve the issues to minimize disruption and maintain operational continuity.

3. Contractor provides telephonic access for department EAP Coordinators and employees 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Contractor shall have the scalability to handle an increased number of employees during the course of the contract.

4. Contractor shall utilize licensed mental health professionals for short-term EAP counseling.

5. Contractor will provide a defined process for notifying CalHR and making changes to the EAP.

C. APPROACH

1. Contractor shall provide a communication and marketing plan, implementation plan with timelines, and examples of marketing materials from previous campaigns.

2. Contractor shall provide CalHR and the EAP Coordinators with marketing materials, including emails, flyers, posters, and digital board for CalHR general promotion and registration. Contractor shall use diverse and inclusive imagery.

3. Contractor shall remediate all digital materials for accessibility compliance for those using assistive technology, using CommonLook®.

4. Contractor shall assist CalHR in increasing employee participation and engagement.

D. PROGRAM QUALITY

1. Contractor shall deliver a sound, evidence-based approach to improving mental health that serves a large and diverse employee population.

2. Contractor shall record all calls to the 800# and have a written process for monitoring the quality of the interactions.

3. Contractor shall have a written process for monitoring the quality of the EAP provider network that includes use of evidence-based clinical outcomes tools (e.g. GAD-7, PHQ-9).

4. Contractor shall have a written process around complaint resolution.

5. Contractor shall facilitate and cooperate with a third-party audit at CalHR’s discretion.

E. TECHNICAL CAPACITY

1. Contractor shall host, manage, and secure all data.

2. Contractor shall provide an alternative process to using eligibility files, which may include use of state department email suffixes, and other options for employees without state-issued email addresses.

3. Contractor shall provide CalHR the ability to test run the program prior to going live, including ADA compliance testing. The EAP and all materials must comply with all HIPAA, EEOC (ADA and GINA) and other privacy statutes.

4. Program shall be responsive design for viewing on PC, MAC, phone, tablet, etc.

Program must contain a mobile application or responsive design. Program shall utilize CalHR logo or graphics.

5. Contractor shall transfer all data, including the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) from existing contractor to new contractor at CalHR’s direction.

6. Contractor shall ensure compatibility of program with the state supported web browser (i.e., Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge).

F. QUALITY OF TRAINING

1. Contractor shall deliver statewide training via Microsoft Teams or Zoom, webinars, and/or conference calls to department EAP Coordinators and their team on programming, registration, implementation, and data analysis, as needed.

2. Contractor will adjust or customize training (e.g., registration and platform capabilities) to meet the needs of the state and provide recorded online tutorials for employees.

G. DATA QUALITY AND PROGRAM EVALUATION

1. Contractor will assist in determining both data elements to be included in the reporting and provide metrics on program engagement and effectiveness.

2. Contractor shall collect, analyze, and provide an aggregated, comprehensive report to CalHR on a quarterly basis, provide each department with a utilization report for their employee base, or as determined and requested by CalHR’s contract manager(s). Contractor shall deliver in a format where reports can be exported to Excel.

3. Contractor shall assist in developing questions and administer pre- and post-intervention surveys/clinical outcomes measures.

4. Contractor shall store and maintain historical data records in electronic format, accessible to CalHR for a period of seven years beyond the Agreement termination or expiration of the Agreement.

H. OPTIONAL

Contractor shall provide any additional services pursuant to the contractor’s RFP submission that have no added costs. This includes the following:

1. Contractor shall make the EAP service available to all members, spouse/domestic partners and eligible dependents at no additional cost.

2. Contractor supports a wide variety of EAP resources that go beyond traditional telephonic outreach to arrange counseling. These resources include virtual, in-person and self-guided tools across a continuum of care.

3. Contractor will create a fully customized EAP that can be localized for different groups/regions and includes a tiered session model and pricing based on employee role or bargaining unit.

I. PERMITS

1. Any EAP advice provided via EAP providers, training, blogs, or other methods shall be provided by credentialed and/or certificated mental health professionals.

J. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITES

The contractor shall comply with the Scope of Work, including any additions or modifications provided in the RFP response from the selected contractor. Contractor shall comply with performance guarantees (e.g., system availability, data accessibility or loss, transition services, other requirements pursuant to Exhibits A-G, reports, and timely administration of pre- and post-intervention/clinical outcome surveys) and its related fiscal penalties. As noted in contractor’s response, the following will also be included:

1. Contractor compliance with ADA accessibility requirements includes ensuring color contrast throughout the EAP meet 508 compliance standards; providing test equivalents for non-text elements; adding alt text to images; providing text captions for video files; appropriately structured row and column headers; avoiding any content that causes flicker, and much more.

2. Contractor will provide administrators and EAP Coordinators with training on the member website, mobile app, and accessing the EAP via the 800#. This training is included at no fee.

3. Contractor support includes all the initial program and portal design planning, drafting the initial communications, helping set up competitions, preloading all the initial content, holding weekly calls to review program progress, assisting administrators with all technology or program management questions, interpreting reports, making recommendations and making new content available throughout the program year.

4. Contractor will allow CalHR to launch custom surveys and polls at any time. CalHR can identify specific content to assemble into a course which can be supported by online content.

5. Contractor will provide annual performance reports based on CalHR’s strategic program goals.

6. Contractor must provide an organizational chart with resumes that identifies key state contacts, including the implementation team, IT/developer team, and account team. Contractor must provide full legal name of company and parent company, if applicable.

7. Contractor shall utilize licensed health professionals with the appropriate education, credentials and certifications,

8. Contractor must disclose if using a subcontractor and the work to be performed.

9. Contractor must identify and provide details on any litigation, arbitration, disciplinary, or other official actions not in the ordinary course of business related to your company. Contractor must provide company’s most recent financial statements.

10. Contractor shall enter into a performance guarantee arrangement as set forth in below. Performance guarantees shall be measured from July 1 through June 31 annually.

11. Contractor shall agree that CalHR has the option to reinvest financial penalties from missed performance guarantees back into the program.

Name Area Target Performance Guarantee Description

Measurement % of Fees at

Risk

EAP Network Access

Network 95% of members with routine cases will have an option to see a provider available within

72 hours

The percentage of members who have the option to see a provider within 72 hours of initial request.

Contractor reporting

2%

EAP Network Turnover

Network National provider voluntary turnover will be ≥5%

The percentage of total providers who voluntarily leave the network

Contractor reporting

1%

Telephony Operations Zero Busy Signals, 100% of calls

The percentage of calls that receive a busy signal

Contractor reporting

1%

Telephony Operations Vendor will agree to offer an abandonment rate of less than or equal to 5% after 30 second threshold

The percentage of calls that are abandoned after the 30 second threshold

Contractor reporting

1%

Telephony Operations Vendor will agree that 90% phone calls on the

24/7 line will be answered in 30 seconds or less

The percentage of calls to the 24/7 line that are answered within 30 seconds

Contractor reporting

1%

Web/mobile app access

Operations Vendor will agree that member websites and mobile apps are available 99.8% of the time, as measured by total downtime, exclusive of scheduled downtime

The percentage of time member websites and mobile apps are available

Contractor reporting

1%

Client notification of technical issues/system outages

Account Executive

100% of technical issues/system outages that impact member services will be acknowledged and communicated to CalHR via email notification within 30 minutes of detection or notification.

The percentage of time that notification of such issues is made within

30 minutes

Contractor reporting and validated by

CalHR

5%

Utilization Operations Utilization will be ≥15%

The number of eligible members who engage in with the EAP divided by total employees

Contractor reporting

3%

Member Satisfaction

Operations 95% of members responding to member satisfaction survey will rate their experience as 4 or greater on 5-point scale.

The number of members who rate their experience as 4 or greater on a 5-point scale divided by the total number of members who completed assessments.

Member survey

2%

Reporting Account Management

EAP quarterly reporting will be delivered within 30 calendar days after the end of the quarter.

Annual business review report will be delivered within 45 days of end of contract year.

The end of the quarter + 30 days; the end of the year + 45 days

Contractor delivery

1%

Outcomes

Operations 60%+ of participants with a clinical condition and two (2) or more outcome assessments show significant (reliable) clinical improvement on PHQ9 or GAD7.

Assessment outcomes Member assessment

2%

Outcomes

Operations 60%+ of participants with two (2) or more outcome assessments with show significant improvement in job impairment/workplace productivity.

Assessment outcomes Member assessment

2%

ROI

Management

Vendor to propose a PG on ROI with information about how ROI will be measured

Vendor to propose Contractor

2%

Grievance Resolution

Management

All grievances will be resolved within 30 days of filing

Time between date of grievances filing and resolution

Contractor

1%

K. STATE RESPONSIBILITES

1. Any branding or logos required for the contractor and/or program.

2. Use CalHR website and encourage state departments to use their intranet sites to help promote the program.

3. Provide any required background materials.

4. Review and approve contractor marketing material

4. PROPOSAL QUESTIONNAIRE, REQUIREMENTS, AND INFORMATION

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

a) Technical Proposal Submission

1) For the Technical Proposal, the bidder must complete the Technical Proposal Questionnaire (Attachment IV). When completing the Technical Proposal Questionnaire, bidders must make clear, concise, and quantifiable replies to all questions. State your response (no smaller than 11-point font) with its response in the column directly to the right of the question. Some questions may provide pre-populated response options (e.g. multiple choice) in the yellow box. In these cases, select your response from the options listed.

2) The technical proposal should not include publications of the bidder such as published articles, directories, or client lists. Submit only information that is pertinent to the RFP.

3) Please title the Technical Proposal Questionnaire file with the following naming convention: Bidder Name_EAP Technical Proposal_26-500-01.xlsx.

4) Any additional documents being submitted with technical proposals shall be clearly identified as to the name of the Bidder and the RFP number. Any materials submitted with your RFP will become the property of the state.

b) Proposals should provide straightforward and concise descriptions of the bidder's ability to satisfy the RFP requirements. Proposals must be complete and accurate.

Omissions, inaccuracies, or misstatements will be sufficient cause for rejection of the proposal.

c) All proposals and attachments must be submitted electronically via email to Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com no later than 4:00 p.m. (PST) on Monday, August 4, 2025. Include in the title of the email: CalHR EAP

RFP 26-500-01.

d) If the proposal is made under a fictitious name or business title, the actual legal name of the bidder must be provided.

e) Proposals must be submitted for the scope of work requirements described herein.

Any deviation from the specifications will be grounds for rejection without consideration.

f) A proposal may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. CalHR may reject any or all mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com proposals and may waive any immaterial deviation in a proposal. CalHR's waiver of immaterial defect shall in no way modify the RFP document or excuse the bidder from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the agreement.

g) Cost for developing proposals and in anticipation of award of the agreement are entirely the responsibility of the bidder and shall not be charged to CalHR.

h) A bidder may modify a proposal after its submission by withdrawing the original proposal and resubmitting a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline.

Proposal modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

i) A bidder may withdraw its proposal by submitting a written withdrawal request to

Mercer, signed by the bidder or an authorized agent. A bidder may thereafter submit a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline. Proposals may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to proposal submission deadline.

j) If a bidder discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in this RFP, they shall immediately notify Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com of such error in writing upon discovery. All proposals are submitted at the bidder’s own risk.

k) CalHR may modify this RFP, the Time Schedule, or any of its attachments prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an addendum.

Addenda shall be numbered consecutively as a suffix to this RFP. The first number of an addendum shall be A1, if needed.

l) Interested parties or potentially interested parties are prohibited from initiating any communication with all CalHR staff and its consultants, concerning this RFP except as specified in the RFP. CalHR reserves the right to reject the proposal of any bidder violating this prohibition.

m) Bidders are cautioned not to rely on CalHR during the evaluation to discover and report to the bidder any defects or errors in the submitted documents. Bidders, before submitting their documents, should carefully review them for errors and adherence to the RFP requirements.

n) More than one proposal from an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, or association under the same or different names will not be considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that a bidder has submitted more than one proposal for the work contemplated herein will cause the rejection of all proposals submitted by that bidder. If there is reason to believe that collusion exists among the bidder(s), none of the participants in such collusion will be considered in this or future procurements.

5. PROPOSAL KEY ACTION DATES

mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com

All Bidders must adhere to the following time schedule:

RFP available to prospective bidders on July 14, 2025

Intent to bid must be submitted to Mercer by July 18, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Bidder questions must be submitted to Mercer by July 18, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Answers to bidder questions will be disseminated by July 25, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Proposals must be received to Mercer by August 4, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Anticipated date of interviews in Sacramento (optional at CalHR’s discretion)

Week of October 6-10, Anticipated intent to award notification November 4, 2025

Anticipated last day to protest the award November 12, 2025

Anticipated award of the contract November 13, 2025

Anticipated contract start date July 1, 2026

6. LOCATION WHERE WORK WILL BE PERFORMED:

Work can be performed offsite in a telework/hybrid work environment. The use of video telephony is required for meetings, with a camera on. In-person contractor meetings may be held in Sacramento, CA or held at:

Department of Human Resources 1810 16th Street Sacramento, CA 95811

7. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Bidder questions must be submitted in writing to Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com and received by Mercer on or before July 18, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST). Mercer will provide answers in writing to all potential bidders by July 25, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (PST).

8. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL

mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com

A. All bidders must express affirmative intent to bid via email to Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com, and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com by 4.00 p.m.

(PT) on July 18, 2025. Include in the title of the email: CalHR EAP RFP 26-500-01.

B. All proposals and attachments must be submitted electronically via email to Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com. Include in the title of the email: CalHR EAP RFP 26-500-01.

C. All proposals must be received at Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com by 4:00 p.m. (PT) on August 4, 2025. Proposals received after this date and time will not be accepted. Include in the title of the email:

CalHR EAP RFP 26-500-01.

D. Proposals should provide straightforward and concise descriptions of the bidder's ability to satisfy the RFP requirements. Proposals must be complete and accurate.

Omissions, inaccuracies, or misstatements will be sufficient cause for rejection of the proposal.

E. All proposals shall include the required documents identified in the Proposal Checklist. Proposals that don’t include the proper "required attachments" shall be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive proposal is one that does not meet the basic proposal requirements.

F. Proposals must be submitted for the strategy and scope of work requirements described herein. Any deviation from the specifications will be grounds for rejection without consideration.

G. A proposal may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. CalHR may reject any or all proposals and may waive any immaterial deviation in a proposal. CalHR's waiver of immaterial defect shall in no way modify the RFP document or excuse the bidder from full compliance with all requirements, if awarded the Agreement.

H. If a bidder discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in this RFP, they shall immediately notify Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com. Include in the title of the email: “CalHR EAP RFP 26-500-01”. All proposals are submitted at the bidder’s own risk.

I. Cost for developing proposals and in anticipation of award of the Agreement are entirely the responsibility of the bidder and shall not be charged to CalHR.

mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com mailto:Josephine.Tang@mercer.com mailto:Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com mailto:Josephine.Tang@mercer.com mailto:Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com mailto:Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com

J. A bidder may modify a proposal after its submission by withdrawing the original proposal and resubmitting a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline via email to Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com. Include in the title of the email: CalHR EAP RFP 26-500-01. Modifications initiated by the bidder in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered. Mercer, at its sole discretion, may request information from the bidder as part of the Administrative Review. Information obtained from the bidder that was requested during the Administrative Review may be accepted at Mercer’s sole discretion as a proper modification to the original proposal. Additionally, Mercer’s acceptance of any modifications to the original proposal that was initiated by Mercer during the Administrative Review. shall not be considered a deviation, material or otherwise, from the requirements of this RFP.

K. A bidder may withdraw its proposal by submitting a written withdrawal request to Mercer via email to Christine.Schulze@mercer.com, Anne.Somerset@mercer.com, Josephine.Tang@mercer.com and Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com. Include in the title of the email: CalHR EAP RFP 26-500-01. The withdrawal request must be signed by the bidder or an authorized agent. A bidder may thereafter submit a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline. Proposals may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to the proposal submission deadline.

L. CalHR may modify this RFP, the Time Schedule, or any of its attachments prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an addendum.

Addenda shall be numbered consecutively as a suffix to this RFP. The first number of an addendum shall be A1, if needed.

M. Interested parties or potentially interested parties are prohibited from initiating any communication with any and all CalHR/Benefits division staff, concerning this RFP except as specified in the RFP. CalHR reserves the right to reject the proposal of any bidder violating this prohibition.

N. Bidders are cautioned not to rely on CalHR during the evaluation to discover and report to the bidder any defects or errors in the submitted documents. Bidders, before submitting their documents, should carefully proof them for errors and adherence to the RFP requirements.

O. More than one (1) proposal from an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, or association under the same or different names will not be considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that a bidder has submitted more than one proposal for the work contemplated herein will cause the rejection of all proposals submitted by that bidder. If there is reason to believe that collusion exists among the bidders, none of the participants in such collusion will be considered in this or in future procurements.

P. All proposals are to be sent to Mercer within the timeframe indicated in the Proposal Key Action Dates. Proposals received after the due date and time will not be accepted.

mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com mailto:Josephine.Tang@mercer.com mailto:Madeline.Adamy@mercer.com mailto:Christine.Schulze@mercer.com mailto:Anne.Somerset@mercer.com

Q. Proposals must be submitted for the entire service described within the Scope of Work. Deviations from the specifications will not be considered and will be cause for rejection of the proposal.

R. CalHR does not accept alternate language from the bidder. A proposal with such language will be considered a counter proposal and will be rejected. The state’s General Terms and Conditions (GTC) are not negotiable.

S. A proposal may be rejected if conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. CalHR may waive any immaterial deviation in a proposal. CalHR's waiver of immaterial defect will in no way modify the RFP document or excuse the bidder from full compliance with the objectives if awarded the Contract.

T. Costs for developing proposals and preparation of award of the Contract are entirely the responsibility of the bidder and will not be chargeable to CalHR.

U. This RFP must be signed by an individual who is authorized to bind the bidder contractually. The signature must indicate the title or position that the individual holds. An unsigned proposal will be rejected.

V. A bidder may modify a proposal after its submission by withdrawal and resubmission before the proposal due date. Modification of a proposal offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

W. A bidder may withdraw their proposal by submitting a written request to Mercer for its withdrawal, signed by the bidder or an agent authorized in accordance with paragraphs “N and O” above. A bidder may thereafter submit a new proposal before the proposal submission deadline. Proposals may not be withdrawn after the proposal’s due date. Proposals received after the due date and time will be returned unopened to the prospective bidder.

X. CalHR may modify the RFP prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an Addendum to all parties who received a proposal package. This Addendum will also be posted on the state’s Cal eProcure website found at caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/Events-BS3/event-search.aspx

Y. If all proposals are too high, CalHR is not required to award a Contract.

Z. CalHR may reject all proposals if deemed necessary.

AA. The proposals submitted, including costs, will be considered public in accordance with the Public Records Act when CalHR has completed its evaluation and announces the responsible bidder who has been given the highest score.

BB. Bidders are cautioned not to rely upon CalHR during the evaluation to discover and report all defects and errors in the proposal documents. Bidders should carefully proofread documents for errors and adherence to the RFP requirements prior to proposal submittal.

https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/Events-BS3/event-search.aspx

CC. Where applicable, the bidder should carefully examine the worksite and specifications. The bidder will investigate the conditions, character, quality of surface, subsurface materials, or obstacles to be encountered. No additions to the Contract amount will be made because of failure to thoroughly examine the worksite and specifications.

9. EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

All proposals received by the stated deadline will be reviewed by the evaluation committee to determine those that meet the mandatory minimum qualifications. If the mandatory minimum qualifications are not met, the proposal will be considered “non-responsive” and disqualified. If the minimum qualifications are met, the technical proposal will be evaluated and scored. After the technical proposals that meet the minimum qualifications are evaluated and scored, the cost proposals will be opened.

The cost proposal with the lowest bid will receive the highest score, the next lowest will receive the next highest score and so on. Scores will be tallied for the technical and cost proposals (1,000 points possible). The bidders with the top three scores will move on to the Interview and Review (250 points possible). The RFP Committee may choose to conduct finalist interviews as part of their review. CalHR will award the contract to the bidder with the highest score (1,250 total points possible).

CalHR and the evaluation committee, at their own discretion, reserve the right to obtain additional information (but are not obligated to do so) orally or in writing, from the bidder or from any independent…