Dental Benefits Program

The Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration is requesting proposals for self-insured dental benefits administrative services under RFP AABA 2027-0021, with proposals due September 11, 2026. The State seeks a single vendor to administer two dental plan options—Basic Dental PPO and Basic Plus Dental PPO—for approximately 39,500 benefit-eligible employees and dependents. The contract commences July 1, 2027, with an initial two-year term through June 30, 2029, followed by up to four one-year renewal options for a potential five-year total through June 30, 2032.

Mandatory services include claims adjudication, claims payment, customer service, underwriting, consulting, and reporting on a self-funded basis. Offerors must meet mandatory minimum qualifications including compliance with Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-85-101 et seq. accessibility standards and demonstrated experience administering large government self-funded dental plans. Vendors must provide pricing that includes claims repricing for in-network services, five-year rate guarantees for both plans, and confirmation of product designs and performance guarantees. The Basic Plan offers 70% basic restorative and 50% major restorative coverage; Basic Plus offers 80% and 50% respectively, both with $1,500 to $3,000 annual maximums and orthodontia benefits.

Compensation is structured as separate monthly administrative services fees per subscriber per month for each plan, with the State reserving the right to add an internal administrative fee. Historical paid claims totaled $28.8 million over twelve months (May 2025–June 2026) across both plans. Delta Dental has administered the program for over ten years; current network distribution shows 57% paid to Delta PPO providers, 39% to Delta Premier providers, and 4% out-of-network.

Evaluation criteria include Accessibility Requirements, General Professional Services, Technical Component, Cost Component, Management Capability, and Customer Service, with no specific weighting disclosed. Vendors must complete an Offeror Questionnaire and Cost Exhibit workbook; detailed historical claims data, census files, utilization reports, and network savings information are available upon Non-Disclosure Agreement execution by contacting phil.rollins@state.co.us.