Contract for Dental Insurance

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a comprehensive Dental Contract, seeking proposals for dental plan benefits with an effective date of January 1, 2023. This solicitation aims to secure an "equal to or better than" dental benefits plan, replacing or enhancing current arrangements with Delta Dental and Liberty Dental. The core scope of work for prospective vendors includes providing a detailed provider disruption analysis, submitting a fully-insured financial proposal accompanied by a completed Dental Rate Workbook and Procedure Code Workbook, and adhering to a specified commission structure of 10% on the initial $5,000 of premium, 4% on the subsequent $95,000, and 3% thereafter. The awarded contractor will be responsible for the administration of comprehensive dental benefits for City employees. The City retains the right to offer incumbents a "final look" and negotiate with any proposer. Prospective contractors must satisfy stringent qualification requirements to be considered. Vendors are mandated to comply with N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27-1 et seq. pertaining to Affirmative Action Against Discrimination. A list of all stockholders owning 10% or more of the business entity’s stock is required, as per Chapter 33, Laws of 1977, unless the entity is publicly traded or a not-for-profit. Submission of a current New Jersey Business Registration Certificate is mandatory. Additionally, vendors are asked to provide information on up to three completed projects of a similar nature for public agencies in New Jersey within the past five years to demonstrate relevant experience. A critical requirement is adherence to strict confidentiality terms regarding the City’s proprietary and HIPAA-protected personnel information provided for proposal evaluation, with non-compliance potentially leading to significant penalties and disqualification. Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope to the Office of the Manager of the City of East Orange, and simultaneously via email to the designated broker, no later than August 16, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. The RFP was released to vendors on July 19, 2022, with a deadline for questions set for July 26, 2022, and addenda issuance planned for July 29, 2022. Required submission documents include, but are not limited to, the RFP Proposal Form, Acknowledgement of Addenda, Political Contributions Disclosure Form, Disclosure of Investment in Iran Form, Non-Collusion Affidavit, Stockholder/Partnership Disclosure and Statement of Ownership Form, Appendix A (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990), Affirmative Action Compliance Notice Form, New Jersey Business Registration Certificate, and Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion. General questions about the RFP process or legal submissions should be directed to Solomon Steplight, City Administrator, via email at Solomon.steplight@eastorange-nj.gov. UNLOCK Technical inquiries regarding dental services, claims, or coverages should be sent to the broker, Conner Strong & Buckelew, at publicentityRFPsJL@connerstrong.com. UNLOCK