Attachment to: Benefits Administration Letter 12-402 – 2012 Federal Benefits Open Season Rider 

Information 

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is offering printed copies of the following publications through 

the rider system. OPM does not stock supplies of any of the publications. If you have any questions about 

this rider, please call (202) 606-0623. 

The cutoff date for ordering items from this rider is September 18, 2012. In order to provide products to our 

customers on a timely basis, we will not extend this date. We expect to begin shipping to agency distribution 

points on or before October 24, 2012. 

The PDF version of these publications will be available on our website at 

www.opm.gov/insure/health/planinfo/guides/index.asp. Since the PDF version can be printed as needed, this may 

be a better alternative for items you need in smaller quantities. 

The actual cost of items will vary, depending upon the various specifications and quantity. The estimated costs

below are based upon the actual costs for last year. Generally, the more copies ordered decreases the unit 

cost and fewer copies ordered increases the unit cost. However, the most economical way of obtaining bulk 

quantities is to ride the OPM printing requisition(s). 

When ordering the Guide to Federal Benefits please consider this as a useful resource for new employees. The 

Guide includes important information about an employee’s overall benefit package. Therefore, order an amount 

sufficient for your new employees, benefit fairs, and ongoing employee needs. 

This is the November 2012 edition of the Guide to Federal Benefits. The Guide provides summary information on 

the programs that participate in the Open Season: the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS), 

the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), the Federal Employees Health Benefits 

Program (FEHB). Information on program features, enrollment instructions, and participating plans and rates is 

included. Guides also provide information about the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI) 

and the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP); however, these two programs do not participate 

in the Federal Benefits Open Season.

RI 70-1,

Guide to Federal Benefits: 

For Federal Civilian 

Employees

The estimated page count is 100. This self-covered publication is 216 x 280 mm 

(8 1/2" x 11") and is printed in black ink on white sub. 50 offset book stock. Folio 

1 print in black and blue ink (PMS 287). The estimated printing cost is $.49 per 

copy. 

RI 70-5,

Guide to Federal Benefits:

For Temporary Continuation 

of Coverage (TCC) and 

Former Spouse Enrollees –

Individuals Eligible To Enroll 

For: TCC or Coverage under the 

spouse equity law or similar 

statutes providing coverage to 

former spouses

The estimated page count is 92. This self-covered publication is 216 x 280 mm (8 

1/2" x 11") and is printed in black ink on white sub. 50 offset book stock. Folio 1

print in black and green ink (PMS 340). The estimated printing cost is $.46 per 

copy.

 RI 70-6,

Guide to Federal Benefits: 

For Individuals Receiving 

Compensation from the Office 

of Workers’ Compensation 

Programs (OWCP)

The estimated page count is 96. This publication has a separate wrap-around 

cover, is 216 x 280 mm (8 1/2" x 11"), and is printed in black ink. Cover 1 print in 

black and red ink (PMS 200) The text is printed on a white sub. 50 offset book 

stock while the separate wrap-around cover is printed on a White Vellum Finish 

Cover. The estimated printing cost is $1.14 per copy.
-2-

RI 70-8,

Guide to Federal Benefits: For 

Certain Temporary 

Employees – Those eligible to 

enroll in the FEHB Program 

under 5 U.S.C. 8906a

The estimated page count is 80. This self-covered publication is 216 x 280 mm (8 

1/2" x 11") and is printed in black ink, on white sub. 50 offset book stock. Folio 1 

print in black and buff ink (PMS 1205) border around them. The estimated 

printing cost is $1.00 per copy.

RI 70-9,

Guide to Federal Benefits:

For Federal Retirees and 

Their Survivors

The estimated page count is 92. This self-covered publication is 216 x 280 mm (8 

1/2" x 11") and is printed in black ink, on white sub. 50 offset book stock. Folio 1 

print in black and Tan ink (PMS 472). The estimated printing cost is $.88 per 

copy.

RI 70-10,

Guide to Federal Benefits:

For Federal Civilian 

Employees – Large Print Only

The estimated page count is 100. This self-covered publication is 280 x 432 mm 

(11" x 17") and is printed in black ink, on white sub. 50 offset book stock. Folio 1 

print in black and blue ink (PMS 287). The estimated printing cost is $2.85 per 

copy.
-3-

Ordering, Cost Estimate and Distribution 

Information 

Departments and agencies may order the publications listed 

in this issue by riding the OPM printing items indicated below. 

Field and regional offices should submit their requirements to 

their department or agency Washington, DC area 

headquarters printing officer before the cutoff date shown. 

Agencies may estimate costs by using the current GPO price 

list of printing services and the information given in the 

description of each publication. PLEASE NOTE: The U.S. 

Office of Personnel Management cannot provide agencies 

with the exact cost of the individual publications listed in this 

flyer. The cost agencies will pay is an actual production cost 

which varies greatly, depending upon the various 

specifications of the publication, especially the quantity. 

Individual unit cost can vary significantly, usually decreasing 

as the total quantity printed increases. Since we are unable 

to estimate the total quantity that agencies will order, 

accurate estimates are nearly impossible to gauge. 

OPM regrets this inconvenience; however, your 

agency headquarters printing officer may be able to 

assist you. 

Agencies may order a bulk supply from GPO and 

make their own distribution to component offices or 

have GPO make the distribution (distribution list 

should be attached to the Standard Form 1 

showing the number of copies to be sent to each 

address). The Unit of Issue is 5 per package, 

thus the smallest amount of an item that can be 

ordered is 5. The total quantity of your order for 

each item must be divisible by 5.

NOTE: Field or regional activities should 

coordinate their requirements with their 

Washington, DC area headquarters 

printing officer before submitting any 

paperwork. GPO will return all requisitions 

sent directly from field or regional offices. 
-4-

Item No.

FY 2012

Publication Title ID 

Number

Refer to 

Edition

Cutoff Date 

to GPO

(SF 1) 

PLEASE NOTE: OPM has discontinued listing requisition numbers; instead, we are asking you to refer to the 

item number and title when ordering these publications. Please substitute the item number in the requisition 

number space on the SF-1. Thank you for your observance of this important change. 

1615. Guide to Federal Benefits: For Federal Civilian Employees ....................... RI 70-1 11/12 9/18/12

1616. Guide to Federal Benefits: For TCC & Former Spouse Enrollees ................ RI 70-5 11/12 9/18/12

1617. Guide to Federal Benefits: For Individuals Receiving 

Compensation from OWCP ........................................................................ RI 70-6 11/12 9/18/12 

1618. Guide to Federal Benefits: For Certain Temporary Employees ................... RI 70-8 11/12 9/18/12

1619. Guide to Federal Benefits: For Federal Retirees and Their Survivors ......... RI 70-9 11/12 9/18/12

1620. Guide to Federal Benefits: For Federal Civilian Employees 

 (LARGE Print) ........................................................................................ RI 70-10 11/12 9/18/12

Additional information on the publications listed in this issue, questions or suggestions regarding this RS Rider, may be 

obtained from the Retirement Services Publications Team by calling (202) 606-0623.