Compensation Study RFP.pdf

City of Sandersville

Compensation Study

Request for Proposals

Proposals due no later than 2pm EST July 1, 2024

1.0 PURPOSE

The City of Sandersville is seeking sealed proposals from qualified firms to conduct a compensation study covering almost all non-represented employees for the City of

Sandersville, GA. The study is to include a review of current salary and fringe benefit levels, a review and, if necessary, an update of job descriptions, and an update to the existing salary schedule with an implementation plan that fits within the City’s fiscal environment.

This Request for Proposals will assist the City in determining which firm can offer the highest quality service at the most cost-effective means. This RFP is intended to provide open competition between vendors.

All communications regarding this Request for Proposals must be directed to City Manager, Sharon Eveland at seveland@sandersvillega.org

2.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The City of Sandersville (incorporated in 1812) has an estimated population of 5,800 and is located in a rural part of Georgia. It is an hour west of Augusta, an hour east of Macon, two hours south of Atlanta, and two hours north of Savannah. The City is a municipal corporation that operates under the Council-Manager form of government with a City

Manager that oversees nine departments. The City has 91 full-time employees in approximately 58 positions and 8 part-time employees in three positions.

The City has an established salary schedule that it has historically updated approximately every five years via a consultant. The City believes it has done well with providing appropriate cost of living adjustments to the salary schedule, including over the last two years with the significant inflation we have experienced but believes the periodic review should continue to ensure its salary schedule remains competitively appropriate.

3.0 SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

The contract awarded as a result of this Request for Proposals requires that the successful firm provide services which meet or exceed the following objectives:

1. Quantitatively evaluate the job content of each position using a methodology that will construct a relative ranking of positions.

2. Produce a new compensation classification and compensation plan, including pay, structure, and fringe benefit schedules. These schedules should be internally equitable and competitive in both public and private external markets and must utilize both public and private sector data.

3. Identify areas of internal compression and/or inequities.

4. Create a salary schedule with pay grades and propose inexpensive strategies for implementation.

5. Establish a 1 – 3-year phase-in plan as deemed necessary depending on total financial impact.

6. Review and recommend any changes to the fringe benefits, including structure of those benefits.

7. Review the current system and understand any problems with the current system and to present, in person or via video conference, progress reports and/or issues to the City

Manager and HR Director at critical points of the study.

8. Present proposed recommendations to the City Manager and HR Director for review prior to making any final classification determinations.

9. Produce an overall plan, forms, and procedures that are clear and understandable, in order to promote employee and public acceptance of the process and results.

10. To present, in person, the final results of the Classification and Compensation Plans to the City Council.

4.0 SELECTION PROCESS

Proposals will be evaluated and selection made by the City Manager and HR Director, with final approval by the City Council. The selection will be based on qualifications, experience, and fees. Cost is one of several evaluation criteria and the City may choose not to select the proposal with the lowest cost. The project is solely funded by the City of

Sandersville. No reimbursement will be made for costs incurred during the preparation/presentation of the proposals.

Proposals will be based on a 100-point scale per the Evaluation Criteria listed below. Once the proposals are evaluated and ranked, interviews may be conducted either on-site or via conference call to determine the firm to be recommended to the City Council to negotiate a final contract. If negotiations should fail, the City shall reserve the right to negotiate with the firm finishing second in the evaluations and so forth.

Please be as detailed as possible for each criterion. Since each category is being evaluated, please provide a separate section that summarizes how the firm meets each criterion. This will simplify the process for the evaluation committee and provide a more accurate assessment of the proposal.

Tentative Selection Schedule

• Due Date of Proposals – 2pm EST July 1, 2024

• Proposal Review– July 1–8, 2024

• Interviews (if necessary) – July 10-11, 2024

• Council Approval – July 15, 2024

• Award notice – July 16, 2024

Evaluation Criteria

• Firm’s history and resource capability to perform required services (20 points)

• Qualifications of staff and consultants (15 points) o List all professional information—years of experience, etc

• Statement of Methods and Procedures (10 points) o Scope of work and methods in all stages

• Structure and Contents of Final Product to be Presented (10 points) o Describe the final product to be presented

• Quality of References Submitted (10 points) o List all contact information and description of project for each.

• Overall Quality and Completeness of information submitted (10 points)

• Cost of services (25 points)

The City of Sandersville reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals that it deems to be in the best interests of the City.

5.0 REQUIRED CONTENT OF PROPOSAL

The proposing firm must be independent and unbiased. Proposals shall be valid through August

20, 2024. Failure to include all of the required information may be cause for the proposal to be rejected.

One copy of the complete proposal (no more than 12 pages in length exclusive of cost documentation) is required and shall include:

General Requirements

1. Name, address, and brief description of the business entity. This may include a brochure about the firm.

2. A one-page Executive Summary of the firm’s proposal.

Firm’s Qualifications

1. A list of at least four similar projects completed by the firm that demonstrators the firm’s capabilities working with other municipalities. The list should include the name, address, and telephone number for each client. The firm must have and demonstrate at least five years of experience providing similar services to municipalities.

2. Qualifications to undertake the City’s needs. If the firm intends to use other firms for specialized services associated with the list of services described in this RFP, the qualifications must include information on the other firms to be used.

3. Profiles of key personnel to be involved in the design of this project. Individuals identified in the response to this RFP may not be removed from the project team for the duration of the contract without the express written permission of the City of

Sandersville.

4. Provide any instances in which the firm has had to legally defend itself relative to services provided

Proposed Methodology and Related Information

1. Firm’s understanding of the services to be provided

2. Description of how the firm proposes to do the study, including descriptions and documentation of proposed methodology. Describe and outline the tasks that the firm believes are necessary to complete the study.

3. Estimated time the project will take from beginning to completion, including a proposed timeline, dates, and milestones.

4. Explanation of what work, if any, City staff will be required to perform.

5. Proposed employee communication plan for educating employees during the study and regarding the results and validity of the study at completion.

6. Statement of current workload and demonstration that the firm is capable of taking on additional work.

7. Proposal must include the following statement: (Name of firm) can begin the project no later than August 1, 2024 with project completion by (insert date) and final presentation to the City Council by (insert date, no more than two weeks after project completion date).

*The City strongly desires to have this project complete in time for changes to be incorporated into the 2025 budget but is open to a different timeline that ensures a quality process and end-product.

Proposed Cost of the Project

1. A detailed project budget no more than two (2) pages long. The associated costs must be identified for each phase, providing alternative costs, if available. For example, alternative costs could include reductions for certain study-related duties which could be performed by City staff.

2. Any incidental expenses such as copying, mailing, or travel type charges must be clearly stated in the proposal.

3. Costs quoted shall be firm and not subject to increases during the term of any contract that the consultant and City may enter into as a result of the proposal. The proposal must clearly specify the expiration date of the quoted cost but may be no earlier than

August 15, 2024.

6.0 Submittal Instructions

All proposals must be submitted in pdf format via email to seveland@sandersvillega.org with the email subject line “Compensation Study”. The proposal and cost page MUST be separate documents.

The City of Sandersville reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive any defects in the proposals received, and to select the firm considered the most advantageous to the City.

Proposals submitted after that time will be rejected.

All proposals, responses, inquiries, correspondence, or other documents relating to this RFP will become the property of the City when received. The City reserves the right to use any or all ideas presented in any proposal, whether amended or not. Selection or rejection of a proposal does not affect this right.

mailto:seveland@sandersvillega.org

7.0 AMENDMENTS, ADDENDA, OR QUESTIONS

The City of Sandersville reserves the right to modify or issue amendments to this RFP. If questions result in the modification of this RFP, the written modifications will be distributed to known proposers or anyone who has indicated an interest in writing a proposal.

All questions or requests for interpretations or corrections of this RFP must be received by June

24, 2024.

8.0 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The selected consultant will be required to sign a contract with the City, the form and substance of which must be acceptable to the City. If, for any reason, the firm selected fails to fulfill the obligations agreed to in a timely manner, the City reserves the right to terminate the contract by specifying the date of termination in a written notice to the firm at least seven (7) days prior to the termination date. In that event, the firm would be entitled to just and equitable compensation for the work satisfactorily completed.

1. The contract to be signed between the City and the contractor may include the following terms and conditions:

a. The firm selected must be independent.

b. All work products become the City’s property.

c. A timeline for performance objectives.

d. Provisions for termination in the event of non-performance, force majeure, or by either party upon ten (10) days written notice prior to cancellation.

e. Prohibition against assigning or transferring the awarded contract without prior written consent of the City.

f. Consultant will be required to carry, maintain, and furnish proof of insurance coverage, to include worker’s compensation coverage.

g. An indemnity provision by the firm to the City covering damages, losses, expenses, attorney’s fees, etc against the City for claims involving patent, copyright infringement or related claims, negligent performance, or any tortuous conduct by the firm, its employees, agents, representatives, or anyone else associated with the firm.

h. A statement that the City of Sandersville is exempt from payment of the

Georgia Sales Tax and Federal Excise Tax (taxpayer identification number provided upon execution of the contract).

i. Final work product will be due from the firm by the deadline established in the Request for Proposals.

j. All costs associated with the preparation, submittal, and presentation of proposals are the responsibility of the consultant.

k. This contract shall be in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia.

The parties stipulate that this contract was entered into in the County of

Washington, in the State of Georgia. The parties further stipulate that the county of Washington, GA is the only appropriate forum for any litigation resulting from a breach hereof or any questions risen here from.

l. If any provisions, or portions of any provision, of this contract are held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, they shall be severed from the contract and the remaining provisions shall be valid and enforceable.