Solicitation notice for life insurance coverage for U.S. Embassy Belgrade local staff

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides answers to vendor questions regarding Solicitation 19RB1026R0001 for Life Insurance coverage for U.S. Embassy Belgrade local staff.

• Exhibit A, Table 2 Salary Amounts: The salary amounts listed by gender represent annual gross salaries expressed in EUR (Euros).
• Disability and Death Claims: Death and disability benefits are mutually exclusive. An employee declared disabled may claim disability payments only after retiring for disability reasons. Death benefits can only be claimed by surviving eligible family members in the event of an employee's death while in service.
• Claims Statistics: The document provides a table with claims statistics for the previous three years of coverage:
  • 2022: Policy No 1533563, 1 disability, Paid amount in RSD 6,153,500.34
  • 2023: Policy No 1536181, 2-death due to illness and total permanent disability, Paid amount in RSD 10,972,965.07
  • 2024: Policy No 1539714, 2- total permanent disability, Paid amount in RSD 9,337,526.81
  • 2025: Policy No 1545402, So far no reported claims, Paid amount in RSD 0.00

This document clarifies specific details related to employee statistics and claims procedures, which may influence how bidders structure their proposals and understand the risk associated with the life insurance coverage.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for group life insurance coverage for locally employed staff at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia. The U.S. Government intends to award a contract to the responsible company submitting an acceptable quotation at the lowest price. Initial quotations will be the basis for award, though discussions may be held if necessary.

• Submission of a proposal for group life insurance.

• Completion and submission of specific forms and sections as outlined in the solicitation.

• Not explicitly stated, but implied to be a contract for insurance services.

• Proposals must be submitted via email to BLG-Procurement@state.gov in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

• Quotes must be compiled as a single document, numbered sequentially. If over 2MB, break into multiple smaller documents.

• Proposals are due by 17:00 local time on March 10, 2026.

• All responsible sources may submit a response.

• Evaluation will be based on acceptable quotation at the lowest price.

• Not specified.

• Bidders must complete SF-33 Blocks 15-18 and 14 (if applicable), Section B.6 (Prices), Section B.7.2 (Retention Amounts), Section K (Representations and Certifications), and any other required information in Section L.

• A Unique Entity ID number is required.

• Questions regarding the solicitation must be emailed to Sonja Vukojevic at BLG-Procurement@state.gov no later than close of business on February 27, 2026.

• Answers to questions will be posted on the SAM.gov web page.

• Bidders are responsible for monitoring the SAM.gov web page for updates.

• Instructions for obtaining a Unique Entity ID and registering in SAM are provided via web links.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for Group Life Insurance Services for employees of the U.S. Government in the Republic of Serbia. The government aims to provide insurance coverage consistent with local compensation practices, with the government paying 100% of the premium.

• Provision of Group Life Insurance services, including Death Coverage and Total Disability Coverage.

• Coverage amounts are based on the employee's basic monthly salary (18 times the monthly basic rate).

• Partial disability coverage is not included.

• The contractor must provide a brochure detailing benefits in English and Serbian within 14 days of award.

• The contractor must maintain satisfactory standards of employee competency, conduct, and integrity.

• The contractor is responsible for all planning, estimating, programming, project management, scheduling, dispatching, supervision, and inspection of work.

• Contract Type: Fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment-requirements.

• Period of Performance: One year from award, with one one-year option to renew.

• Estimated Value: Not explicitly stated, but pricing is detailed for Base Year and First Option Year.

• Payment: Made in local currency (RSD).

• Proposals must be submitted in three volumes: Executed SF 33 and Section K, Price Proposal (Section B), and Technical Proposal (Section C, Parts I & II, Section J).

• Offerors must demonstrate knowledge of life insurance for employee groups, a management approach, provide a resume for the key contact, describe their insurance pool, provide financial performance results, a quality assurance plan, and details on claims handling and reserve levels.

• Award will be made to the lowest priced, technically acceptable, responsible offeror who is licensed/certified/accredited.

• A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for February 25, 2026.

• Proposal Submission Deadline: March 10, 2026, by 17:00 local time.

• Eligible employees are Locally Employed (LE) Staff working full-time or part-time under direct-hire appointments or personal services agreements/contracts not limited to less than one year, paid under the Local Compensation Plan, and employed within Serbia by specific government departments (State Department, Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Department of Justice, Department of Defense).

• Official Residence Expense (ORE) Staff and American Embassy Employee Recreation Association (AEERA) employees may be covered under separate riders, with the employer responsible for premium costs.

• Specific exclusions apply to temporary appointments, intermittent work schedules, non-personal services contract personnel, USAID institutional contractors, and Peace Corps personal services contractors.

• The solicitation incorporates numerous FAR and DOSAR clauses by reference.

• Exhibits A, B, and C provide employee statistics by age and salary range, and details for ORE and AEERA employees.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a registration form for a site visit and pre-proposal conference related to Solicitation Number 19RB1026R0001, titled "Life insurance coverage for U.S. Embassy Belgrade local staff." Vendors interested in attending must complete and submit this form via email.

• Solicitation Number: 19RB1026R0001
• Solicitation Title: Life insurance coverage for U.S. Embassy Belgrade local staff
• Submission Email: BLG-Procurement@state.gov
• Company Information: Company Name, Company Street Address, City
• Attendee Information: Name and title of person(s) attending, Telephone/Cell phone, Fax, E-mail, Passport number, Date of Birth
• Site Visit Details: Time & Date (February 25, 2026, 14:00), Site Visit Location (ARC-American Resource Center, Ulica Ideja 2, Belgrade, Serbia)

This form is critical for any bidder intending to participate in the site visit or pre-proposal conference. It outlines the necessary information required for registration and provides the submission deadline and contact details.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a "Question Submission Form" for Solicitation 19RB1026R0001, which pertains to "Life insurance coverage for U.S. Embassy Belgrade local staff". It provides a structured format for potential bidders to submit questions regarding the solicitation.

• Company Name: Field to enter the name of the bidding company.
• Refers to Solicitation Section & Paragraph Number: Field to specify which part of the solicitation the question relates to.
• Subject: Field for a brief subject line of the question.
• Question: A large text area for the detailed question.

Questions must be submitted via email to BLG-Procurement@state.gov no later than the close of business on February 27, 2026.

This form is essential for bidders who have questions about the solicitation requirements, scope, or any other aspect of the opportunity. It outlines the required information and the deadline for submitting inquiries to ensure all potential bidders have the necessary clarifications before the proposal due date.

Form / Attachment

This document is an "Experience and Past Performance" form intended for offerors to provide details of their relevant past contracts. It is specifically referenced for solicitation 19RB1026R0001, under Section L, L.4.3.2.1, which outlines the required contents of proposals.

Bidders are required to complete a table for each relevant past performance entry, including:

• Customer's name and address.
• Telephone numbers for the customer's lead contract and technical personnel.
• The contract number.
• A brief description of the work performed, including responsibilities.
• Disclosure of any litigation currently in process or occurring within the last 5 years related to the work.

This form is a mandatory component for bidders to demonstrate their qualifications and experience for solicitation 19RB1026R0001. Proper completion of this form is crucial for proposal submission and will likely be a key factor in the evaluation process.