7-20260727160530 Jackson

The City of Jackson, Mississippi is soliciting proposals for Third Party Administration (TPA) and Administrative Services Only (ASO) for self-funded major medical and prescription drug plans, fully insured dental coverage, and fully insured vision coverage for municipal employees, with proposals due September 1, 2026 and a mandatory pre-bid conference on August 17, 2026.

Proposers must demonstrate a minimum of five years of public-sector experience administering employee benefit plans for governmental or municipal entities and maintain current Mississippi Department of Insurance licensure and authorization. Proposers may bid on any single line or combination of coverages. For self-funded medical proposals, pricing must be submitted separately from fully insured dental and vision premiums, with all administrative fees, stop-loss premiums, and claims projections clearly itemized and guaranteed for the initial contract term. Proposers must place a minimum of 15 percent of total annual administrative fees at risk through performance guarantees tied to claims accuracy, processing speed, call center responsiveness, and implementation timeliness.

The anticipated coverage effective date is January 1, 2027 for a one-year initial term with potential renewal options for up to four additional one-year periods. The City will not accept automatic annual increases or inflation escalators; any post-contract rate adjustment requests require written justification and formal City governing authority approval submitted 60 days prior to renewal. The City provides no direct financial contribution toward voluntary employee-paid dental and vision premiums and assumes no liability for benefit costs or claims; the City's role is limited to plan sponsorship and payroll processing.

Evaluation will weight pricing at 45 percent for medical proposals and 40 percent for dental and vision proposals, with detailed financial analysis of all commissions, rebates, subcontractor fees, and pass-through costs. Written questions are due August 14, 2026 at noon to Toya Martin, Director of Human Resources, at tmartin@jacksonms.gov. Electronic submission is required through www.jacksonmsbids.com. All proposals must remain firm and binding for a minimum of 120 days following the submission deadline.