Dental Benefits Program

The State of Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration is requesting proposals for self-insured dental benefits program administration serving approximately 39,500 state employees and dependents under RFP AABA 2027-0021, with proposals due September 10, 2026, and a virtual pre-proposal meeting estimated for the week of November 9, 2026. Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses are encouraged to submit proposals with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs certification.

Vendors must meet mandatory minimum qualifications: not be a broker or agency, have provided services to at least one public sector employer and two larger employer groups with 20,000+ members, and possess at least ten years of group dental insurance and claims administration experience. The scope covers two plan types—Basic Dental PPO Insurance and Basic Plus Dental PPO Insurance—with claims adjudication, customer service, underwriting, consulting, regulatory compliance, data integration with the State's benefits administration system (Businessolver), claims reporting portals, and network access across all geographic areas including rural regions. Vendors must comply with Colorado accessibility requirements and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level AA standards. The contract commences April 1, 2027, with active coverage beginning July 1, 2027, initially running through June 30, 2029, with a total anticipated duration not exceeding five years including optional renewal periods.

Pricing is structured as separate monthly administrative services fees per plan type on a per-subscriber-per-month basis for 37,134 active participants and COBRA enrollees, with vendors required to confirm a five-year rate guarantee and re-priced claims demonstrating discounts on in-network and out-of-network services. Historical claims data show total paid claims of approximately $28.8 million across both plans from May 2025 through June 2026. Vendors must provide four current employer client references and three terminated client references of similar size, preferably from school districts, states, or municipalities. Evaluation criteria include general professional services, technical component, cost component, management capability, and customer service. Vendor inquiries are due August 24, 2026; letters of intent to bid are due August 31, 2026. The Notice of Intent to Award is estimated for the week of November 16, 2026, with contract execution anticipated in March 2027. Offerors must be registered to conduct business in Colorado and obtain a Certificate of Good Standing prior to contract execution within ten business days of receiving the Intent to Award.