The University of Minnesota is a public university that was founded in 1851. The University has five campuses – Crookston, Duluth, Morris, Rochester, and the Twin Cities – as well as extension offices and research and outreach centers throughout the state. The University provides short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) benefits to two primary groups:

Civil Service/Labor-Represented employees

Faculty and Professional and Administrative (P&A) employees

The current provider is Unum.

University policy requires all major contracts to be competitively reviewed on a regular basis. The current contract will conclude at the end of 2024, and this Request for Proposal (RFP) is being issued to provide a basis for contracting beginning January 1, 2025. The initial contract term is 2 years (2025 and 2026), with four subsequent optional extensions of one year each. Extensions will take place unless the TPA provides 12 months’ notice of termination or the University provides 6 months’ notice of termination before the end of the then effective contract term.

The University of Minnesota is soliciting responses for insurance contracts and administrative services for the Disability Programs to procure the best possible working relationship, given the fluid nature of this marketplace.

Respondents are prohibited from contacting University departments other than Purchasing Services while this RFP is in process (once the RFP has been issued and including the time after submission of proposals).

Before submitting clarification questions about the RFP via the Questions Tab in MBid, read and review the Supplier Process and Information Attachment and ALL Attributes in the Attributes Tab, especially Background and Project Summary/Scope of Work. These provide valuable information and address frequently asked questions.

Remember to submit your response, including attachments, early to allow time to correct errors. The submission deadline is a hard close. The MBid system will reject both late, and incomplete proposals, and by University policy we cannot accept proposals (including by email) if they are late . Proposals MUST be submitted using the MBid system.