Dental PPO Plan (ASO-PPO) for Plan Year 2027?(RFPQHSS2025.B2)

Location:	California
Posted:	Dec 9, 2025
Due:	Feb 20, 2026
Agency:	San Francisco Health Service System
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	J - Maintenance, Repair, and Rebuilding of Equipment Q - Medical Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

Active Dental PPO Plan (ASO-PPO) for Plan Year 2027 (RFPQHSS2025.B2)

SFHSS has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a self-funded Active Dental PPO plan (ASO-PPO) with benefits beginning January 1, 2027.

Key Dates:

RFP Issued: December 9, 2025
Phase 1 - Quantitative (Financial) Evaluation (Eligibility and Data Phase): December 2025 - January 2026
- Deadline for Financial Questions: December 19, 2025 at 11:00AM (PT)
- Deadline for Financial Proposals: January 9, 2026 at 11:00PM (PT)
- Notification of Respondents Eligible for Phase 2: January 26 to 28, 2026
Phase 2 - Qualitative (Non-Financial) Evaluation and Oral Interviews: February 2026 - April 2026
- Deadline for Non-Financial Questions: February 1, 2026 at 11:00AM (PT)
- Deadline for Non-Financial Proposals: February 20, 2026 at 11:00AM (PT)
- Requests for Clarifications: February 23 to March 6, 2026
- Oral Interviews: April 6 to 17, 2026
Recommendation and Results Presented to Health Service Board: May 2026

Please see these webpages for more information:

SFHSS Dental RFP Announcement, November 13, 2025 Regular Meeting of the Health Service Board, https://sfhss.org/board-meeting/2025-11-13t210000
Director's Report, September 11, 2025 Regular Meeting of the Health Service Board, https://sfhss.org/board-meeting/2025-09-11t200000
SFHSS Annual Benefit Contract Assessment, August 14, 2025 Regular Meeting of the Health Service Board, https://sfhss.org/board-meeting/2025-08-14t200000

Attachment Preview

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR

Active Self-Funded Dental PPO Plan for Plan Year 2027

(RFPQHSS2025.B2)

CONTACT: william.kudenov@sfgov.org, patrick.chang@sfgov.org, and

mike.clarke@aon.com

Purpose of this RFP: The San Francisco Health Service System (SFHSS) is issuing this

Request for Proposal (RFP) to enter into an agreement with a qualified carrier to provide

a comprehensive nationwide Dental PPO plan (ASO-PPO).

Active Dental PPO Enrollment Summary (as of December 9, 2025):

• Total Enrolled Active Dental PPO Population = 70,956 (Employees and

Dependents)

• Total Eligible Active Population = 78,386 (Employees and Dependents)

Detailed census and experience data will be provided to qualified prospective RFP

respondents following execution of a Mutual Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure

Agreement (Section 3.1 and available at https://sfhss.org/RFPs).

Announcement, Implementation, Open Enrollment, and Coverage Start Dates: The

selected carrier will be announced following the Health Service Board (HSB) Meeting on

May 14th, 2026. The selected carrier will provide a detailed implementation plan as part

of this RFP based on the announcement date. SFHSS Open Enrollment occurs in

October 2026, with coverage beginning January 1, 2027.

Anticipated Term of Agreement: Plan effective January 1, 20271 – December 31, 2027,

with options to extend the agreement up to a maximum term of ten (10) years through

1 On-site work be required for October 2026 (PY2027) Open Enrollment by the Selected Respondent, which may require

an written agreement be in place, if the contract is not fully executed. Additionally, Selected Respondent will initiate and

support implementation, in accordance with the schedule issued within this RFP, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by

SFHSS.

RFP for Active Self-Funded Dental PPO Request for Proposal for Plan Year 2027 (RFPQHSS2025.B2)

1 of 33

the SFHSS annual renewal process (see Annual Rates and Benefits Cycle, available at

https://sfhss.org/board-annual-rates-and-benefits-cycle).

Implementation / Transition Period (est.): May 2026 – December 2026

RFP Questions and Communications: To ensure fair and equal access to RFP

information, all communications must be communicated to SFHSS via email to

william.kudenov@sfgov.org, patrick.chang@sfgov.org, and mike.clarke@aon.com.

Unauthorized communications may result in disqualification and rejection of Proposal.

Questions must be emailed by the Deadline for RFP Questions (Sec.5.3). No questions

will be accepted after the Deadline for RFP Questions, with the exception of questions

regarding Approved City Supplier status.

Requirement to be an Approved Supplier: All Respondents to this RFP must certify to

become an Approved Supplier by July 1, 2026 or within ten (10) days of award or

selection by SFHSS, whichever is later. This includes completing an Equal Benefits

Declaration.2

Respondents to this RFP should review the Approved Supplier and Equal Benefits

Program prior to bidding as this process may take several weeks:

https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/pages/index.aspx.

Schedule – Key Dates and Deadlines

▪ RFP Background and Instructions Issued

▪ Completion of Mutual Confidentiality and

Nondisclosure Agreement (MCA)

▪ Notice of Intent to Bid

▪ Phase 1: Quantitative (Financial) Evaluation

(Eligibility and Data)

o Deadline for Financial Questions

o Deadline for Financial Proposals

o Notification of Respondents Eligible for

Phase 2

12/09/2025

12/09/2025 – 12/19/2025

1/09/2025

December 2025 – January 2026

12/19/2026 (11:00 AM, PT)

1/09/2026 (11:00 AM, PT)

January 26 – 28, 2026

2 More information on the City’s Equal Benefits Program is available at https://www.sf.gov/equal-benefits-program.

RFP for Active Self-Funded Dental PPO Request for Proposal for Plan Year 2027 (RFPQHSS2025.B2)

2 of 33

▪ Phase 2: Qualitative (Non-Financial)

Evaluation and Oral Interviews

o Deadline for Non-Financial Questions

o Deadline for Non-Financial Proposals

o Requests for Clarifications

o Notification of Oral Interviews

o Oral Interviews (Sec. 6.3)

▪ Presentation of the Results of the RFP to the

Health Service Board

▪ Implementation Period Start Date

▪ Open Enrollment

▪ Coverage Begins

February 2026 – April 2026

2/01/2026 (11:00 AM, PT)

2/20/2026 (11:00 AM, PT)

2/23/2026 – 3/06/2026

3/16/2026 – 3/20/2026

4/06/2026 – 4/17/2026

May 2026

June 2026

October 2026

January 1, 2027

The remainder of this page intentionally left blank.

RFP for Active Self-Funded Dental PPO Request for Proposal for Plan Year 2027 (RFPQHSS2025.B2)

3 of 33

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview.

The San Francisco Health Service System (SFHSS) seeks proposals from qualified and

approved insurance carriers for a Dental PPO (ASO-PPO) plan for eligible active employees

and their dependents, with services beginning January 1, 2027. The vendor should have

significant experience working with large and/or public sector employers and diverse

employee populations.

1.2 The San Francisco Health Service System (SFHSS).

1.2.1 The San Francisco Health Service System.

SFHSS executes all process phases related to benefit operations and administration of

non-pension benefits (including health, dental and vision) for over 139,000 individuals

pursuant to the City and County of San Francisco Charter sections 12.200-12.203 and

A8.420-A8.432, and San Francisco Administrative Code sections 16.700-16.703. These

individuals include both active and retired employees from the City’s four (4) employer

groups and their eligible dependents (collectively, “Members”).

SFHSS is dedicated to providing outstanding high-quality and sustainable employee

benefits to preserve and enhance the well-being of City employees, while adhering to the

highest standards of service and support for our Members. For additional information,

please reference the SFHSS Strategic Plan for 2023-2025 at

https://sfhss.org/resource/sfhss-strategic-plan-2023-2025.

1.2.2 SFHSS Health Service Board.

The Health Service Board (HSB) is the governing and policy-making body of the San

Francisco Health Service System (SFHSS). The HSB supports SFHSS's mission to preserve

and improve sustainable, quality health benefits and to enhance the well-being of

members and their families. HSB duties and responsibilities are detailed on the SFHSS

website at https://sfhss.org/health-service-board.

Throughout the year, SFHSS reports to the HSB on the status of benefit contracts under

SFHSS jurisdiction. At the Regular Meeting of the HSB on November 13, 2025, SFHSS

presented for discussion its intent to issue a competitive bid for dental coverage. The

agenda, presentation materials, transcript and video recording of this meeting are

available at https://sfhss.org/board-meeting/2025-11-13t210000.

RFP for Active Self-Funded Dental PPO Request for Proposal for Plan Year 2027 (RFPQHSS2025.B2)

4 of 33

1.2.3 City And County of San Francisco.

SFHSS is one of approximately 130 entities, including departments, commissions and

other miscellaneous agencies within the City. The City is organized as a mayor-council

system with an executive mayor, elected by the voting public, and a separately elected

legislative city council, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (BoS). Certain department

heads are elected by the voters, e.g., City Attorney, and Treasurer/Tax Collector; others are

appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors, e.g., Controller; while

others, including the Executive Director of the San Francisco Health Service System, are

appointed by the commission assigned with the authority and oversight of that department

and its functions.

1.2.4 SFHSS Annual Renewal Process.

Each year, SFHSS conducts an annual renewal process for all benefits. This process

allows SFHSS to create consistency in how we communicate and validate our

expectations for the upcoming plan year (beginning January 1st) and the Open Enrollment

period (a fixed annual enrollment period held in October of the prior year). The annual

renewal process also allows SFHSS to adjust benefits in response to new regulatory

requirements, prior year(s) plan experience, City policies, benefit design strategies

developed by SFHSS and our industry partners, Health Service Board policies, and

legislative changes.

The Selected Respondent, as a result of this RFP, agrees to be an active participant in the

SFHSS annual renewal process each year, including timely delivery of renewal responses,

materials and follow-ups to requests, and well-prepared meetings and materials for

SFHSS, the Health Service Board, the SFHSS actuary and consultants, and City/employee

stakeholders (https://sfhss.org/board-annual-rates-and-benefits-cycle).

1.2.5 Health Service System Trust Fund (“Trust”).

The Trust operates as a pay-as-you-go system meaning that payments for current Member

benefits come from current payments into the Trust. Outside the reserves already

discussed, the Trust does not maintain funds for future benefits or asset building.

A stabilization reserve has been established to manage volatility. The stabilization reserve

distributes Member claims experience gains or losses into the following year’s premium

calculation in a balanced manner to reduce year-to-year premium changes. The Health

Service Board’s Rate Stabilization Policy requires an annual determination of the financial

gain or loss over a calendar year for each self-funded SFHSS plan. The difference between

the expected and actual plan costs for the just-completed plan year is added to the

existing stabilization reserve balance and, under the policy, is amortized over a three-year

rating period. The Health Service Board’s Self-Funded Plans’ Stabilization Policy is also

known as the Funding Policy. The Trust is audited annually by an independent auditor for

RFP for Active Self-Funded Dental PPO Request for Proposal for Plan Year 2027 (RFPQHSS2025.B2)

5 of 33

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Daily notification on new contract opportunities

With GovernmentContracts, you can:

Find more opportunities and win more business
Receive daily alerts for all new bid opportunities
Get contract opportunities matched to your business

ONE WEEK FREE TRIAL

Dental PPO Plan (ASO-PPO) for Plan Year 2027?(RFPQHSS2025.B2)

Attachment Preview

See also