S000000519 Dental and Vision Insurance IFB~1.pdf

Rev 09/2025

STATE OF ARKANSAS

DEPARTMENT OF SHARED ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT

501 Woodlane St., Ste. 220

Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1023

INVITATION FOR BID

SOLICITATION DOCUMENT

SOLICITATION INFORMATION

Solicitation Number: S000000519 Solicitation Issued: July 9, 2026

Description: Dental and Vision Administration

Department: Arkansas State Police (ASP)

BID DUE DATE AND DELIVERY OF BIDS

Bid Response Due Date: August 6, 2026 Time: 10:00 a.m., Central Time

Bid responses for this Invitation for Bid must be submitted through ARBuy, the State’s eProcurement system, by the Bid Response Due Date and Time. Bids received after the Bid Response Due Date and Time will be rejected as untimely. ARBuy can be accessed at arbuy.arkansas.gov.

LIVE BID OPENING INFORMATION

Teams Meeting Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/288641158084063?p=UreDvCr7EzrIi6nZir

Meeting ID: 288 641 158 084 063

Passcode: Lq9kD9ha

Call in (audio only): 501.244.3310 or find a local number

Phone conference ID: 839 303 411#

SAS OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

SAS OSP Procurement Specialist:

Kimberly D. Simmons Procurement Specialist’s Direct Phone Number:

501-371-6079

Email Address: Kimberly.Simmons@arkansas.gov SAS OSP’s Main Number: 501-324-9316

SAS OSP Website: sas.arkansas.gov/procurement/ file://///tss-file-p1/INDOSPADMIN$/%23_GENERAL_%20PROCUREMENT_%20TEAM_%23/BUYERS/Brandi%20Schroeder/Bid%20Folder%20Documents/%23New%20Drafts/IFB/1%20OSP%20Use/arbuy.arkansas.gov/ https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/288641158084063?p=UreDvCr7EzrIi6nZir https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/6b6513dc-a034-48d2-8d06-7e711c4ecc0b?id=719036839

SECTION 1 – INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This Invitation for Bid (IFB) is issued by the SAS Office of State Procurement (SAS OSP) for the Arkansas State Police (“ASP” or “Department”) to obtain pricing and a contract to provide third party administrative services for their self-funded Dental and Vision Plan (Plan).

Direct all correspondence regarding this Solicitation to SAS OSP and not to the Arkansas State Police.

1.2 TYPE OF CONTRACT

A. As a result of this IFB, SAS OSP intends to award a contract to a single Contractor (see Contractor

Selection).

B. The anticipated starting date for any resulting contract is September 01, 2026, except that the actual contract start date may be adjusted unilaterally by the State for up to three (3) calendar months. By submitting a signed bid in response to the IFB, the Prospective Contractor represents and warrants that it will honor its bid as being held open as irrevocable for this period.

C. The initial term of a resulting contract will be for one (1) year. Upon mutual agreement by the Contractor and Department, the contract may be renewed by SAS OSP for up to six (6) additional one-year terms or portions thereof, not to exceed a total aggregate contract term of seven (7) consecutive years.

1.3 DEFINITION OF TERMS

A. Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms defined in Arkansas Procurement Law have the same meaning herein.

B. “EOB” means “Explanation of Benefits.”

C. The terms “Invitation for Bid,” “IFB,” and “Solicitation” are used synonymously in this document.

D. “Prospective Contractor” means a responsive and responsible bidder who submits a bid that meets the Requirements and criteria set forth in this Solicitation.

E. “Requirement” means a term, condition, provision, deliverable, Specification, or a combination thereof, that is obligated under the Solicitation, resulting contract, or both.

F. “Shall” and “must” mean the imperative and are used to identify Requirements and Specifications.

G. “Specification” means any technical or purchase description or other description of the physical or functional characteristics, or of the nature, of a commodity or service. “Specification” may include a description of any Requirement for inspecting, testing, or preparing a commodity or service for delivery.

H. “State” means the State of Arkansas. When the term “State” is used herein to reference any obligation of the State under a contract that results from this Solicitation, that obligation is limited to the Department using such a contract.

1.4 CONTRACTOR SELECTION

A. Award is expected to be made to the responsive and responsible Prospective Contractor determined to have submitted the lowest bid that meets the Requirements and criteria set forth in the IFB, based on the Total Annual Cost submitted by the Prospective Contractor.

B. If the State so chooses, negotiations may be conducted with the lowest-bidding, responsive and responsible Prospective Contractor if:

1. All bids received from responsive and responsible bidders exceed available funding; or

2. It appears that additional savings to the state may result from negotiation.

C. If negotiations fail to result in a contract, the State may negotiate with the next lowest-bidding, responsive and responsible Prospective Contractor.

D. The negotiation process may be repeated until an acceptable lower bid price is negotiated, or until such time the State determines negotiations are no longer in the best interest of the state.

E. Negotiations are conducted at the sole discretion of the State.

F. Once the anticipated awardee has been determined, the anticipated award will be posted to ARBuy, generally for a period of fourteen (14) days prior to the issuance of a contract. The postings are anticipated awards only, subject to protest.

1. A contract is not effective prior to final award being made by the State; some contracts may be subject to Legislative review prior to final award.

1.5 CLARIFICATION OF SOLICITATION

A. Submit questions regarding this Solicitation via the Solicitation posting in ARBuy by midnight, Central

Time on or before July 16, 2026.

1. For each question submitted, Prospective Contractor should reference the specific Solicitation item number to which the question refers, as applicable.

2. Prospective Contractors’ written questions will be consolidated and answered by the State as deemed appropriate. The State’s consolidated written response is anticipated to be posted to the Solicitation posting in ARBuy by the close of business on July 22st, 2026. If Prospective Contractor questions are unclear or non-substantive in nature, the State may request clarification of a question(s) or decline to answer.

B. The Prospective Contractor should notify the SAS OSP Procurement Specialist of any term, condition, etc., that precludes the Prospective Contractor from submitting a Responsive Bid.

C. Prospective Contractors should note that it is the responsibility of the Prospective Contractor to seek resolution of all such issues, including those relating to the terms and conditions of the contract, prior to the submission of a bid.

D. Prospective Contractors may contact the SAS OSP Procurement Specialist with non-substantive questions at any time prior to the bid opening.

E. An oral statement by SAS OSP will not be part of any contract resulting from this Solicitation and may not reasonably be relied on by any Prospective Contractor as an aid to interpretation unless it is reduced to writing and expressly adopted by SAS OSP.

1.6 RESPONSE DOCUMENTS

A. All bids must be submitted through ARBuy, the State’s eProcurement system. The system can be accessed at arbuy.arkansas.gov.

1. Prospective Contractors must be registered in ARBuy to submit bids.

B. Bid Response Packet

1. Prospective Contractors shall utilize the Bid Response Packet attached to the Solicitation in ARBuy to submit their bids.

2. The following are bid submission Requirements and must be submitted as part of a Prospective Contractor’s bid.

a. Signed Bid Signature Page; signature may be ink or digital.

b. Completed Bid Response Packet, which must be in English.

c. Completed Official Bid Price Sheet attached to Solicitation posting.

i. Pricing must be proposed in U.S. dollars and cents.

ii. Quantities stated are estimates only and are not guaranteed. Prospective Contractor must bid unit price on the estimated quantity and unit of measure specified.

• The State may order more or less than the estimated quantity on term contracts, and the Contractor shall sell to the Department quantities ordered at no more than the bid price.

https://arbuy.arkansas.gov/

iii. If pricing documents do not allow for accurate pricing, Prospective Contractor should notify the SAS OSP Procurement Specialist during the Clarification of Solicitation period (see IFB Section 1.7).

iv. Prices must be firm offers and adjustments may be negotiated at the time of contract renewal.

• Include this bullet if price increase is an option: A request for a price increase must include supporting documentation demonstrating that the increase in contract price is based on an increased cost to the Contractor and that the proposed pricing is still competitive in the marketplace. The State has the right to approve or deny any request for a price adjustment.

v. Discount from list bids pricing is not acceptable unless requested elsewhere in the Solicitation.

vi. State and local sales taxes should not be included in the bid price. Trade discounts should be deducted from the unit price and the net price should be shown in the bid.

d. Copy of Prospective Contractor’s Equal Opportunity Policy

i. Pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-60-104, OSP requires a Prospective Contractor bidding on a state contract to submit a copy of the Prospective Contractor’s Equal Opportunity (EO) Policy. Prospective Contractors not required by law to have an EO Policy must submit a written statement to that effect.

e. Proposed Subcontractors Form (see SRV-1,section 14)

3. The following items, which must be submitted prior to a contract award to the Prospective Contractor, may also be included with the Prospective Contractor’s bid response:

a. EO 98-04 Contract & Grant Disclosure Form (see SRV-1, section 11)

b. Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), if applicable

4. Prospective Contractors should not include any other documents or ancillary information, such as a cover letter or promotional marketing information.

a. Prospective Contractors should not alter any language in Solicitation document(s) or Official Bid Price Sheet provided by the State.

b. Prospective Contractors’ bids cannot be altered or amended after the bid opening except as permitted by law or rule.

c. As requested, Prospective Contractors shall provide clarification regarding Prospective Contractor’s bid response.

5. Prospective Contractors may submit multiple bids.

https://sas.arkansas.gov/procurement/forms-and-reporting/#:~:text=Services%20Contract%20(SRV%2D1)%20Fillable%20Form https://sas.arkansas.gov/procurement/forms-and-reporting/#:~:text=Services%20Contract%20(SRV%2D1)%20Fillable%20Form https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/

SECTION 2 – SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

2.1 BACKGROUND AND CURRENT ENVIRONMENT

A. For illustrative purposes only. Coverage levels per option do not necessarily reflect anticipated enrollment or actual participation. Currently, ASP has the following:

1. Employee Only – 305 lives

2. Employee + Spouse – 259 lives

3. Employee + Child(ren) – 82 lives

4. Employee + Family – 329 lives

2.2 OBJECTIVES AND GOALS

The Department seeks to engage with a Contractor to administer and manage Third-Party Administrative Services for their self-funded Dental and Vision Plan (Plan) which includes the network of participating providers and facilities. The covered population will consist of approximately 1200 clients including active, COBRA, and retired State Police uniformed employees, their spouses, and qualified dependents.

2.3 PROSPECTIVE CONTRACTOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A. The Prospective Contractor shall be a plan Provider that is currently administering for dental and vision benefits.

B. The Prospective Contractor shall have at least five (5) years’ experience in group dental and vision insurance plans, working with state governments in the development and implementation of a comprehensive statewide network, claims payments, and customer service.

C. The Prospective Contractor shall be licensed and legally authorized to conduct business in the State of Arkansas under the authority of, and in good standing with, the Arkansas Department of Insurance, prior to award.

2.4 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall utilize a secure messaging and task service as defined by ASP for member specific and/or protected information shared with ASP.

B. The Contractor shall utilize a secure file transfer protocol as defined by ASP.

C. The Contractor shall provide a copy of emergency operations, disaster recovery, and business continuity plans, electronically to within 30 days of contract award.

D. The Contractor shall provide credentialed participating providers in Arkansas, pursuant to the Contractor’s standard credentialing policy.

E. The Contractor shall accept that the Arkansas State Police Commission and ASP’s coverage policy decisions are final.

F. The Contractor shall allow audits to be conducted by ASP or their designated auditor and/or State Legislative Audit and shall abide by the audit timeline specified by ASP.

G. The Contractor shall execute the Business Associate Agreement, prior to award. See Attachment A:

Business Associate Agreement.

2.5 OVERALL DENTAL AND VISION POLICY REQUIREMENTS

A. A guarantee of approval of coverage must be issued to each member receiving dental insurance and vision insurance during annual open enrollment in the month of November.

B. The Contractor shall provide a network of providers throughout the state of Arkansas. Dental network must consist of at least 1,100 providers and vision network must consist of at least 750 providers.

Failure to maintain a broad network, as determined by ASP, will require aggressive network expansion on behalf of the Contractor.

C. The Contractor shall ensure its participating providers do not collect from any plan participant the difference between the dental provider’s submitted fee and the Contractor’s maximum plan allowance

(MPA).

D. Dental and vision benefits must be packaged together. Rates must be provided as a flat rate per tier of coverage for both dental and vision. Rating tiers must be structured as listed below:

1. Employee Only

2. Employee + Spouse

3. Employee + Child(ren)

4. Employee + Family

E. Policy must cover dependent children through the end of child’s 26th birth month.

2.6 SPECIFIC DENTAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

A. The dental policy must provide preventative and diagnostic care at no charge to the member when provided by in-network contractors, including but not limited to:

1. Routine cleanings every six (6) months

2. X-rays once per year

3. Exams

B. Basic dental coverage must be paid at 70%, not subject to a deductible.

C. Major dental coverage must be paid at 70%, not subject to a deductible.

D. Major coverage must include preventative care, diagnostic care and restorative care and not be limited to:

1. Exams

2. Root canals

3. Fillings

E. Orthodontia coverage must be paid at 70%, not subject to a deductible, up to annual maximum.

Members pay 30%.

F. Orthodontia coverage must include and not be limited to:

1. Braces

2. Retainers

G. Policy must offer Basic, Major, and Orthodontia dental services not subject to waiting periods or benefits exclusions.

H. Calendar year maximum benefit must be at least $1,000 per member or $2,000 per family. This benefit must be applicable to all in-network and out-of-network paid claims.

2.7 SPECIFIC VISION POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Vision Coverage: In-Network and Out-of-Network Services

BENEFIT FREQUENCY

Eye Exam Every 12 months Frames Every 12 months

Standard Plastic Lenses and Standard Progressive Lenses

Every 12 months Contact Lenses Every 12 months

INSURANCE BENEFITS

IN NETWORK BENEFIT OUT OF NETWORK

REIMBURSEMENT

Eye Exam

Covered in full after $10 co-pay $30

Standard Plastic Lenses

Single Vision Covered in full after $10 co-pay $25

Bifocal Covered in full after $10 co-pay $40

Trifocal Covered in full after $10 co-pay $55

Progressive Lenses

Standard $10 co-pay plus $65 Progressive upgrade

$40

Premium See “Progressive Lens Price List” $40

Lens Options

Standard plastic scratch coating $15 out of pocket maximum $0

Standard polycarbonate - kids under age 19

$40 out of pocket maximum $0

Standard polycarbonate - adults $40 out of pocket maximum $0

UV Treatment $15 out of pocket maximum $0

Tint (solid, gradient, & blue light) $15 out of pocket maximum $0

Standard anti-reflective coating $45 out of pocket maximum $0

Premium anti-reflective coating See “Anti-Reflective Coating Price List”

$0

Photochromatic / Transitions Plastic

$75 out of pocket maximum $0

Other add-ons and' services 20% off retail price $0

Frames $150 retail allowance 20% off balance over retail allowance

$75

Contact Lenses

Conventional $150 retail allowance $120

Disposable $150 retail allowance $120

Medically Necessary Covered in full $210

Progressive Lens Price List

Standard Progressives Covered in full after $75 co-pay $40

Premium·Progressives1

Tier 1 Covered in full after $95 co-pay $40

Tier 2 Covered in full after $105 co-pay $40

Tier 3 Covered in full after $120 co-pay $40

Tier 4 $75 co-pay+ 20% off retail, minus $120 allowance

$40

Anti-Reflective Coating Price List

Standard Anti-Reflective Coating $45 out of pocket maximum $0

Premium Anti-Reflective Coating1

Tier 1 $57 out of pocket maximum $0

Tier 2 $68 out of pocket maximum $0

Tier 3 20% off retail price $0

Additional Benefits

Retinal Imaging $39 out of pocket maximum $0

LASIK or PRK from US Laser Network

15% off retail price or 5% off promotional price

$0

Additional Discounts

Additional pair of prescription eyeglasses

40% off retail price $0

Non-prescription sunglasses 20% off retail price $0

Remaining balance beyond plan coverage

20% off retail price $0

2.8 LIMITATIONS

A. Fees charged by a Provider for services other than a vision examination or covered vision materials must be paid in full by the Covered Employee/Family member to the Provider. Such fees or materials are not covered under this policy.

2.9 EXCLUSIONS

A. Unless specific coverage is elected by the member and paid for by the member, this policy must not pay benefits for:

1. Benefits or services for injuries or conditions covered under:

a. Worker’s Compensation

b. Employer’s Liability laws

B. Benefits or services available from any:

1. Federal or state government agency

2. Municipality

3. County

4. Other political subdivision

5. Community agency

6. From any foundation or similar entity

7. Charges for services other than by a Provider.

8. Charges by a Provider for the completion of forms and/or submission of supportive documentation required for benefit determination.

9. Fees charged by a Provider for services other than covered in Summary of Vision Benefits herein.

10. Benefits for services or materials started prior to the date the patient became eligible under this plan.

11. Orthoptic or vision training, subnormal vision aids, and any associated supplemental testing;

Aniseikonic lenses.

12. Medical and/or surgical treatment of the eye, eyes, or supporting structures.

13. Any vision examination or any corrective or safety eyewear required by an Employer as a condition of employment, unless specifically covered under the Policy.

14. Plano (non-prescription) lenses.

15. Non-prescription sunglasses.

16. Two pair of glasses in lieu of bifocals.

17. Lost or broken lenses, frames, glasses, or contact lenses will not be replaced except in the next benefit period when Vision materials would next be available.

18. Charges for services when a claim is received for payment more than twelve (12) months after services are rendered.

19. Specialized techniques that entail procedure and process over and above which is normally adequate.

20. All other benefits and services not specifically covered in the Schedule of Benefits.

2.10 LIABILITIES

A. The Contractor shall maintain $1,000,000 professional liability and comprehensive general liability insurance at its sole cost and expense. The Contractor shall make these policies available to ASP for review, within three (3) business days of request. ASP does not need to be named in the coverage for general liability coverage.

2.11 MEMBER ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT

A. The Contractor shall accept the membership eligibility structure as defined by ASP on designation of covered groups and any applicable coding used for member eligibility and enrollment. Among others, eligibility must include but is not limited to:

1. Retired members and their spouse and dependents who elect to continue coverage.

2. Coverage for all eligible members, spouses, and their dependents in the ASP Plan without waiting periods, limitations, or pre-existing exclusions.

3. Cobra

B. The Contractor shall abide by the ASP-defined eligibility periods for plan participants.

C. The Contractor shall allow ASP to submit and maintain enrollment data by utilizing a web-based file exchange method or other ASP-designated method for:

1. New hires

2. Reinstatements

3. Terminations

4. Leave of absences

5. COBRA

D. The Contractor shall provide an eligibility reconciliation file to the ASP Benefits Manager, that provides basic demographic and plan selection information on a schedule determined by, and using a file layout provided by, ASP.

E. Part-time employees are not eligible to participate in the Plan.

F. Plan participants must not be considered a “closed” group. Retirees shall continue to be added if the retiree chooses.

G. The Plan must have the same classes of employees as referenced in 2.5 D.

H. New hires must be eligible to be enrolled as of their date of hire.

2.12 CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION

A. The Contractor shall allow that ASP, as the plan administrator, maintains discretionary authority for the Plan and has the right to make the final determination on payment of claims.

B. The Contractor shall convert all paper claims received to an electronic record that must be transmitted in the same HIPAA-compliant electronic format as electronic claims. Paper claim images must be provided to ASP as requested.

C. The Contractor shall aggressively pursue the collection of overpayments to members and providers.

The Contractor shall actively pursue the overpaid amounts in writing from the member and provider and shall continue collection efforts on behalf of ASP until collected, unenforceable, or instructed by ASP to discontinue collection efforts.

D. The Contractor shall process and adjudicate all predeterminations and claims received within fifteen

(15) calendar days of the predetermination or claim.

E. The Contractor shall determine whether claims received qualify for reimbursement in accordance with the terms of the ASP Plan and the appropriate charge for each service provided and shall return unacceptable claims to the submitting party via U.S. Mail.

F. The Contractor shall conduct any investigations necessary for the proper determination and qualification of claims expense under the ASP Plan.

G. The Contractor shall provide Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for all Dental and Vision claims to members. All EOB’s must contain all information required under Federal Regulations in the required timeframes and formats.

H. The Contractor shall make appropriate benefit payments to Plan participants when using non-participating providers for charges deemed eligible for reimbursement by the Contractor in accordance with the ASP Plan.

I. The Contractor shall offer coordination of benefits when any covered person, or their spouse or dependents, has dental or vision coverage under more than the one plan. The Contractor shall allow that ASP retains the authority to determine the order of benefit determination rules.

J. The Contractor shall handle all written and oral communications directly with the Plan participant concerning benefits, claims, and claims administration.

K. The Contractor shall accept liability for any costs incurred due to the Contractor’s inaccurate or erroneous claims processing. ASP and/or Plan members must not be held responsible by the Contractor and must not be exposed to billing from the provider.

2.13 SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall provide a team with sufficient technical, organizational, and communication skills to fully and completely discuss the Plan options with applicable eligible employees during the annual troop meetings. ASP anticipates a minimum of twelve (12) troop meetings, to be held in various locations throughout the State during the months of September and October, and annually thereafter. The Contractor shall abide by any changes to the meeting schedule made by ASP.

B. The Contractor shall issue Plan and policy documents to ASP and shall issue any initial identification (ID) cards to covered members in accordance with ASP policy and applicable State law. The Contractor shall allow online access for ASP to re-print ID cards, upon request from the member.

C. The Contractor shall respond to all member customer service calls related to the new policy and shall resolve any follow-up items within two (2) business days.

D. The Contractor shall maintain a toll-free customer service number, dedicated to members of this Plan, throughout the duration of the contract. A trained customer service staff, fluent in English, shall be available for member inquiries between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Central time, Monday through Friday.

E. The Contractor shall be the custodian of claims records and shall acknowledge that ASP will retain all member eligibility data and files within the Administrative Services Division.

F. The Contractor shall establish and maintain a recordkeeping system pertaining to the services provided for the ASP Plan and all related claims. All such records must be made available for inspection by ASP or the ASP State Police Commission at any time during normal business hours, upon reasonable notice. Records must be retained for a period of seven (7) years by scanning or otherwise.

G. The Contractor shall maintain all provider records, contracts, terms and conditions, and make such documents and information available to ASP or their representative auditors upon request.

H. The Contractor shall provide actuarial services, including cost and trend projections, to ASP on a basis to be mutually agreed upon by ASP and the Contractor.

2.14 BILLING REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall schedule and coordinate with ASP on billing in accordance with guidelines set by the Administrative Services Division and Fiscal Section of ASP.

B. The Contractor shall provide weekly claims reports for reimbursement of claims payments and shall invoice ASP on a monthly basis for payment of administrative and preferred provider organization (PPO) fees.

C. All premiums will be the responsibility of the employee and ASP shall deduct from payroll after taxes for 26 deductions per calendar year.

2.15 REPORTING

A. The Contractor shall provide a weekly claims activity report to ASP in a format and time determined by EBD. The report must, at minimum, include the following.

1. Total number of claims for the week being reported.

2. Submitted claims total dollar amount for the week being reported.

3. Amount paid by the plan for the week being reported.

4. Amount due by each member for the week being reported.

B. The Contractor shall provide a monthly report to ASP no later than the second Monday of each month in a format determined by ASP. This report must include, but is not limited to the total number of covered lives by coverage tier:

1. Employee

2. Employee + spouse

3. Employee + child(ren)

4. Employee + family

C. The Contractor shall report the total amount paid in claims separately for Dental claims and Vision claims.

D. The Contractor shall report to ASP by the last calendar day of the following month following the end of each quarter for:

1. Performance-related details regarding timeliness of claims processing for each month of the quarter.

2. Customer service phone call response time, both for the speed of the time in answering the call and the amount of time that it took to resolve the issue being called about, must be noted for each month of the quarter.

3. Other measurable administrative elements to be determined by ASP.

E. The Contractor shall provide a year-end report on plan utilization to ASP at the end of each calendar year.

F. The Contractor shall provide custom ad hoc reports within seven (7) business days of a written request by ASP to include, but not be limited to:

1. Annual Dependent Age Census Report

2. Semi-Annual Member Audit Report

G. All reports provided by the Contractor to ASP must be in a HIPAA-defined format as determined by

ASP.

2.16 STAFFING REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall travel to ASP headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas to discuss and update ASP on Plan performance every six (6) months throughout term of contract. The Contractor shall be responsible for all expenses incurred as a result of travel to ASP headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas.

B. The Contractor shall provide a dedicated Account Manager solely to ASP for all issues that arise with regards to the Plan. The dedicated Account Manager shall have the authority to escalate issues for immediate resolution, and those instructions given to the Contractor staff from the dedicated Account Manager shall be taken as if directly given from ASP management.

C. The Contractor shall provide staff with sufficient technical expertise and experience and in sufficient quantities to fulfil the scope of work outlined in the IFB.

D. In the event of the vacancy of the Account Manager or another key person, the Contractor shall provide replacement candidates to the Agency for review within fifteen (15) calendar days of the Contractor learning of the vacancy. The Agency will have the right to approve or reject proposed replacements if they do not meet the minimum requirements set forth in the IFB.

E. The Contractor shall replace key personnel upon request by the Agency for justified reasons including, but not limited to, performance, behavior, and security.

F. The Agency shall have the right to approve or reject proposed staff members prior to the finalization of the plan after Contract Award.

G. The Contractor shall notify ASP immediately if a new Account Manager is assigned.

H. At commencement of any resulting contract and prior to the hiring of staff, the Contractor shall provide proof of the background checks for all personnel involved in any aspect of the process described in this RFP at the Contractor’s expense as a requirement of any resulting contract.

I. ASP will have the right to refuse personnel based on results of the criminal background checks.

2.17 WEBSITE AND HOSTING REQUIREMENTS

A. All servers and data associated with the Arkansas instance of the Contractor Hosted Solution must reside in the continental United States.

B. The Contractor shall perform all work on the system from within the continental United States of America. The system must not be accessed from outside of the U.S

C. The Contractor shall comply with HIPAA and other federal and/or State mandates to include privacy, security, HITECH, and electronic data transfer requirements as defined by ASP.

D. The Contractor shall maintain a secure website that meets the State laws of accessibility, See Attachment B: Act 308. The website must provide members with the capability to view personal data, as well as provide a network provider listing.

1. The Contractor shall provide two (2) levels of security:

2. 2. ASP as administrator

3. Members for individual personal health information

E. The Contractor’s secure website must provide ASP access to:

1. Key enrollments, changes, terminations, etc.

2. View member eligibility data by location or class (active, COBRA, retiree)

3. Contractor directory

4. Enrollment and change forms for processing

5. Claims data

F. The Contractor shall take responsibility for converting any data (for example: address formatting) to meet ASP’s system requirements with one hundred percent (100%) accuracy.

G. Issues caused by this conversion must be reported to ASP within three (3) business days of the occurrence to be exempt from damages at ASP’s discretion.

2.18 IMPLEMENTATION AND TRANSITION

A. The Contractor shall provide all appropriate Plan documents for review by ASP within sixty (60) days of contract award. Implementation should not exceed sixty (60) days.

B. During implementation, the Contractor shall address any ASP clarifications and questions to the satisfaction of the Agency Director, Administrative Services Division Commander, and/or the Arkansas State Police Commission.

C. The Contractor shall allow ASP to test the secure website structure and pages during the implementation period and throughout the contract period, and to review content for usability as determined by ASP. Usability concerns must be resolved within two (2) business days of notification of an issue by ASP.

D. The Contractor shall conduct training on entering and reviewing claims via web-based benefit system for approximately six (6) people working within the Administrative Services Division of ASP. The training must be scheduled in advance with, and approved by, the Administrative Services Division Commander, and must be completed no later than thirty (30) days prior to the “go live” date of (September 1, 2026). The Administrative Services Division Commander will determine when training is satisfactorily completed.

E. Training must be conducted on-site at ASP Headquarters located at: #1 State Police Plaza, Little Rock, Arkansas. The Contractor shall be responsible for all travel and related costs incurred for this training.

F. The Contractor shall agree to work with ASP’s incumbent dental and vision insurance Provider to ensure accurate and timely transfer of member data.

G. In the event of an award to a new Contractor in the future, the Contractor shall provide a census and annual claims report within forty-five (45) days of being requested by ASP.

H. In the event ASP asks the Contractor to upload data from the incumbent contractor regarding a covered persons’ annual maximum data or other benefit accumulators, ASP acknowledges that the Contractor will have no obligation to verify the accuracy of such data.

I. The Contractor shall make technical updates and changes necessary for full implementation in a timely manner as required to ensure a go live date of (September 1, 2026). Damages for failure to meet “go live” date are listed in the Performance Standards.

J. The one-time Implementation fee will be paid only after the Implementation is completed and approved by the ASP Administrative Services Division Commander.

K. All costs for implementation shall be borne by the Contractor, except as specifically indicated on the Official Bid Price Sheet. Any implementation cost will be a one-time fee.

2.13 DATA OWNERSHIP AND END OF CONTRACT TRANSITION

A. The State shall retain sole ownership, right, title, and interest to all data collected and stored by the

Contractor under any resulting contract, excluding intellectual property and exclusions governed by applicable State and Federal laws.

B. Data use by the Contractor shall be limited to its sole use in the provision of the services anticipated by this RFP. Any other use of State data collected by the Contractor shall require the express written approval of AGENCY.

C. At the end of any resulting contract and after confirmed transfer of 100% of the State-owned data, deliverables, and products the Contractor has created, developed, produced, and managed while performing the services outlined in this RFP back to the State or their designee, the Contractor shall destroy all copies of the State-owned data the Contractor possesses.

D. The Contractor shall ensure all data received as part of any resulting contract is used solely for the purpose of any resulting contract and not shared, reused, or disseminated to any other party or entity without the express written consent of the DFA designated representative or as otherwise required under applicable State and Federal laws.

E. Upon termination or expiration, should any subsequent contract for this or similar services be awarded to a provider other than the Contractor, the Contractor shall, to the greatest extent possible and reasonable, cooperate with the AGENCY in initiating a smooth and orderly transition to the next Contractor.

2.19 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

A. State law requires that contracts for services include Performance Standards for measuring the overall quality of services that a Contractor shall provide.

B. The State may be open to negotiations of Performance Standards prior to contract award, prior to the commencement of services, or at times throughout the contract duration. Table A: Performance Standards identifies expected deliverables, performance measures, or outcomes; and defines the acceptable standards.

C. Performance Standards shall not be amended unless they are agreed to in writing and signed by the parties.

D. Failure to meet the minimum Performance Standards as specified will result in the assessment of damages.

E. In the event a Performance Standard is not met, the Contractor will have the opportunity to defend or respond to the insufficiency. The State has the right to waive damages if it determines there were extenuating factors beyond the control of the Contractor that hindered the performance of services. In these instances, the State has final determination of the performance acceptability.

F. Should any compensation be owed to the Department due to the assessment of damages, the Contractor shall follow the direction of the Department regarding the required compensation process.

TABLE A: PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Criteria Standard Damages

Service Level Agreement

Ninety percent (90%) of all in-bound calls must be answered in less than thirty (30) seconds and must provide an option for the member to select to speak to a customer service specialist.

Training Requirements

The Contractor shall conduct training on web-based benefit system for approximately six (6) people working within the Administrative Services Division of ASP. The training must be scheduled in advance with, and approved by, the Administrative Services Division Commander, and must be completed no later than thirty (30) days prior to the “go live” date of (September 1, 2026). The Administrative Services Division Commander will determine when training is satisfactorily completed.

SECTION 3 – SOLICITATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS

3.1 ACCEPTANCE OF REQUIREMENTS

A. A Prospective Contractor’s past performance with the State may be used to determine if the Prospective Contractor is responsible (19-CAR § 1-401).

1. Bids submitted by Prospective Contractors determined to be non-responsible will be rejected.

B. A single Prospective Contractor must be identified as the prime contractor.

1. The prime Contractor shall be responsible for the resulting contract and jointly and severally liable with any of its subcontractors, affiliates, or agents to the State for the performance thereof.

C. By submitting a bid, the Prospective Contractor represents and warrants:

1. That the prices in the bid have been arrived at independently, without any collusion with another competing Prospective Contractor.

c. Collusion violates Arkansas Procurement Law and can lead to suspension, debarment, and can be referred to the Attorney General’s officer for investigation and appropriate legal action (Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-61-403 and 19-61-702).

2. That the Prospective Contractor has not retained a person to solicit or secure the resulting contract upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the Prospective Contractor for the purpose of securing business.

3. Qualifications, services, and commodities must meet or exceed the required Specifications as set forth in the Solicitation.

3.2 GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. The Contractor must be registered as a vendor to receive payment and may register online by visiting ark.org/vendor/index and clicking the Start Here button.

B. All payments to the Contractor under a resulting contract shall be made exclusively through ACH (Automated Clearing House) direct deposit.

1. The Contractor shall provide the necessary banking information, including account number, routing number, and any other details required to facilitate ACH direct deposits.

2. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that the provided banking information is accurate and up to date. Any delays or errors in payment caused by incorrect or outdated information provided by the Contractor shall not be the responsibility of the Department.

3. The Department will process payments according to the agreed payment schedule, and all payments made via ACH direct deposit shall be considered as duly received upon successful transmission to the Contractor’s designated bank account.

C. Pursuant to Arkansas State Procurement Law, the Contractor shall certify that, unless they offer to provide the goods or services for at least twenty percent (20%) less than the lowest certifying Prospective Contractor:

1. They are not engaged in and shall not, during the aggregate term of the resulting contract, engage in a boycott of Israel (Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-1-503),

2. They are not engaged in and shall not, during the aggregate term of the resulting contract, engage in a boycott of an Energy, Fossil Fuel, Firearms, or Ammunition Industry (Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-1-1102).

D. Pursuant to Arkansas Procurement Law, the Contractor shall certify that the Contractor does not knowingly employ or contract with illegal immigrants and that the Contractor shall not knowingly employ or contract with illegal immigrants during the aggregate term of any contract with the State or any of its departments, institutions, or political subdivisions (Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-60-105).

https://www.ark.org/vendor/index.html?_ga=2.231672543.1782009942.1693919943-292160598.1646079585

E. The Prospective Contractor shall certify that they are not a company owned in whole or with a majority ownership by the government of the People's Republic of China (a “Scrutinized Company”) and that they do not and shall not during the aggregate term of the resulting contract employ a Scrutinized Company as a contractor (Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-1-1203).

F. The Contractor shall invoice the State as required by the Department and should not invoice the State in advance of delivery and acceptance of any commodities or services (Arkansas Code Annotated § 19-4-1206).

1. The Contractor should invoice the agency by an itemized list of charges. The Department’s purchase order number and/or the contract number should be referenced on each invoice.

2. Payment will be made in accordance with applicable State of Arkansas accounting procedures upon acceptance of commodities and services by the Department.

3. Payment will be made only after the Contractor has successfully satisfied the Department as to the reliability and effectiveness of the commodities or services purchased as a whole.

G. The Contractor should be able to accept the State’s authorized VISA Procurement Card (p-card) as a method of payment. Price changes or additional fee(s) must not be levied against the State when accepting the p-card as a form of payment.

H. This IFB incorporates all terms of the Standard Commodities Contract Template (found here).

1. The contract template is attached to the Solicitation in ARBuy as a sample for your information only.

I. A Prospective Contractor’s bid may be rejected if a Prospective Contractor takes exception to any terms, conditions, or Requirements in this IFB.

J. The Prospective Contractor agrees and shall adhere to all terms, conditions, and Requirements if selected as the Contractor.

1. Items may only be modified if the legal requirement is satisfied and approved by the State during negotiations.

K. Pursuant to Arkansas State Procurement Law, the Contractor shall in all other respects comply with the laws, rules, and executive orders of the state that apply to the Contractor’s performance under a resulting contract.

3.1 PAYMENT AND INVOICE PROVISIONS

A. Forward invoices to:

Arkansas State Police Administrative Services 1 State Police Plaza Drive Little Rock, AR 72209

B. Payment will be made in accordance with applicable State of Arkansas accounting procedures upon acceptance of goods and services by the agency.

C. Do not invoice the State in advance of delivery and acceptance of any goods or services.

D. Payment will be made only after the Contractor has successfully satisfied the agency as to the reliability and effectiveness of the goods or services purchased as a whole.

E. The Contractor should invoice the agency by an itemized list of charges. The agency’s Purchase Order Number and/or the Contract Number should be referenced on each invoice.

F. Other sections of this Bid Solicitation may contain additional Requirements for invoicing.

G. Selected Contractor must be registered to receive payment and future Bid Solicitation notifications.

Contractors may register on-line at https://www.ark.org/contractor/index.html.

https://sas.arkansas.gov/procurement/forms-and-reporting/#:~:text=Standard%20Commodities%20Contract%20Template https://www.ark.org/vendor/index.html

3.3 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

A. The release of public records is governed by the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (Arkansas

Code Annotated § 25-19-101 et. seq.).

B. Submission documents pertaining to the Solicitation become the property of the State and may be subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

C. In accordance with FOIA, and to promote maximum competition in the State competitive sealed bidding, the State may maintain the confidentiality of certain types of information described in FOIA.

Such information may include trade secrets and other information exempted from public disclosure pursuant to FOIA.

D. Under no circumstances will pricing information submitted in response to an invitation for sealed bids be designated as confidential after the sealed bids have been opened.

E. Consistent with and to the extent permitted under FOIA, any Prospective Contractor may designate appropriate portions of a bid as confidential by submitting a redacted copy of the bid. By so redacting any information contained in the bid, the Prospective Contractor warrants that, after having received such necessary or proper review by counsel or other knowledgeable advisors, it has formed a good faith opinion that the portions redacted are not considered public records under FOIA.

F. If a Prospective Contractor deems part of the information contained in a response not to be a public record, the Prospective Contractor should submit one (1) complete copy of the submission documents from which any proprietary or confidential information has been redacted in their bid response. Except for the redacted information, the redacted copy must be identical to the original copy, reflecting the same pagination as the original and showing the space from which information was redacted.

G. The Prospective Contractor is responsible for identifying all proprietary information and for ensuring the electronic copy is protected against restoration of redacted data.

H. The redacted copy will be open to public inspection under the FOIA without further notice to the Prospective Contractor. If the State deems redacted information to be subject to a public record request under FOIA, the State will endeavor to notify the Prospective Contractor prior to release of the redacted record.

I. The State has no liability to a Prospective Contractor with respect to the disclosure of Prospective Contractor’s confidential or proprietary information ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to FOIA or other applicable law.