Plan Administration System and Related Services

The Arkansas Department of Transformation and Shared Services (TSS) Office of State Procurement is seeking a technology provider to implement and maintain a comprehensive Plan Administration System for the Employee Benefits Division (EBD). The solicitation, identified as S000000357, aims to replace the current system that serves approximately 184,000 covered participants and dependents. The selected contractor will be responsible for developing a robust system with features including pharmacy review, accounting management, financial management, customer care screens, member portal, and reporting capabilities. Proposals are due on December 9, 2024, at 10:00 am Central Time through the ARBuy eProcurement system, with an anticipated contract start date in January 2025. The evaluation will be based on a 1,000-point scale, with 700 points allocated to technical criteria (experience at 20%, solution at 30%, risk at 20%, and interview performance at 30%) and 300 points for cost. The contract will have an initial three-year term with options to renew for up to four additional one-year terms, maxing out at seven years total.

The procurement does not specify explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The contractor must maintain CMMI Level 3 Development/Services certification or equivalent (ISO 9001 or SOC 2 Type II) and demonstrate experience with AWS GovCloud, preferably as an AWS Advanced Public Sector Partner. The system will be hosted on the State's Amazon Web Services account, and the successful vendor must be prepared to integrate with existing retiree systems including APERS, ATRS, and ADOT through CSV file transfers. While specific budget ranges are not disclosed, the Official Price Sheet provides a seven-year cost breakdown template for implementation, licensing, hosting, training, maintenance, support, and general programming services. The state will require the contractor to comply with various state regulations, including non-discrimination policies, and will expect comprehensive data management capabilities with strict adherence to HIPAA and HITECH Act requirements. The RFP suggests the potential for substantial investment in modernizing the state's benefits administration technology infrastructure.