New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 2 - PUBLIC FINANCE
Chapter 20 - ACCOUNTING BY GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES
Part 4 - GOVERNING THE AWARD OF PAYROLL DEDUCTION CODES AND DESIGNATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PROGRAMS
Section 2.20.4.10 - IMPLEMENTATION OF A QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PROGRAM

A. Upon certification of a qualified employee benefit program, risk management shall implement the program in the following manner. Risk management shall draw up specifications for the qualified employee benefit program and publish notice of request for proposals through regular state bidding procedures. Upon receipt of proposals with application fees, risk management shall review each proposal, confirm that it meets the criteria and specifications for the qualified employee benefit program and that the vendor is a qualified vendor (except for the minimum enrollment qualification). Risk management shall then select one or more qualified vendors. Risk management may either appoint the single vendor offering the program at the lowest price to be the exclusive vendor of that program under contract for up to three years, or may authorize several vendors offering the best versions of the program to solicit business from state employees during the open and switch enrollment period. If several vendors are authorized, risk management may require each vendor to cooperate in preparation of a comparison of benefits offered by the several vendors of the program.

B. If risk management contracts with an exclusive vendor, the contract shall be rebid by risk management at the end of the term. Risk management shall require as a condition of all bids that any new vendor agree to take over automatically all state employees then enrolled in the program.

C. If risk management authorizes several vendors, those who enroll 100 or more state employees during open or switch enrollment periods shall receive a payroll deduction code. Employees who have enrolled in the program with a vendor who does not meet this minimum enrollment requirement so as to qualify for a payroll deduction code, shall have an immediate opportunity following the open and switch enrollment period which results in elimination of that vendor to switch enrollment to a qualified vendor.

D. Each year thereafter, before the annual open and switch enrollment period, risk management shall review the programs offered by all previously authorized qualified vendors to ensure that their programs continue to meet the criteria set forth in Section 5 (D) [now Subsection D of Section 2.20.4.9 NMAC] above, except the minimum employee enrollment requirement. Any additional vendor may submit a proposal with application fee to risk management at any time before the annual open and switch enrollment period for each program. Risk management shall determine whether the vendor is qualified and whether the proposal meets the standards for the qualified employee benefit program in question; risk management may authorize new qualified vendors to participate in the succeeding enrollment period. At the end of the open and switch enrollment period, any vendor which does not have the minimum enrollment requirement shall lose its payroll deduction code.