Wisconsin Library Compensation Survey and Analysis - Request for Proposals.pdf

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Request for Proposals

For

Wisconsin Library Compensation Survey and Analysis

Date Issued: September 22, 2022

I. Instructions for Submission of Proposals

A. All proposals must be submitted no later than October 14, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at the following address: director@mcfls.org.

B. Include a title page with the RFP project, name of your firm and contact person, contact information and the date. Section IV of our RFP spells out specifically those items requested of the proposer.

C. The selection of the Compensation Study Consultant will be based upon the responses received to Section IV, Information Requested from Proposer, within this proposal.

D. The proposals will be evaluated as defined in Section VI, Evaluation of Proposals.

E. The following is the timeline for the proposal process.

a. RFP opens on September 22, 2022

b. Questions regarding the RFP are due from interested consultants by

September 30, 2022 at 3:00. All questions should be sent via email to:

Steve Heser, SRLAAW Compensation Study Workgroup Chair, at director@mcfls.org.

c. Responses to all RFP questions will be posted to https://srlaaw.org/compensation-study by October 4, 2022.

d. Proposals are due by October 14, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

e. Proposal selection decisions will be shared with those that have submitted a proposal by no later than November 11, 2022.

II. Purpose of Request

The System and Resource Library Administrators' Association of Wisconsin (SRLAAW) is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to conduct a comprehensive compensation survey and analysis for library staff employed at public libraries throughout the state of Wisconsin. The survey will be funded through a Library Services and Technology (LSTA) grant for which the Southwest Wisconsin Library System (SWLS) will act as contractor and fiscal agent.

A similar survey and analysis of library staff was last performed in 2005 through the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA). In recent years, Wisconsin public libraries have identified a significant need for a comprehensive process to maintain data on library staff salaries and position classifications. This information would be used to aid library boards in determining appropriate standards and compensation to attract and retain the best possible employees for these positions.

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The state of Wisconsin is served by 382 public libraries, each provided with oversight by independent and autonomous library boards and directors as determined by Wisconsin law (Chapter 43, Wisconsin Statutes). In 2021, roughly $175 million dollars was expended for staff salaries and benefits within Wisconsin public libraries, accounting for 3065 total FTE library staff.

III. Scope of Services

The consultant shall perform or provide the following:

A. Develop and administer a staff compensation survey to all Wisconsin public libraries.

This includes:

a. Create a standardized list of public library staff job titles and position descriptions that reflect library staff positions commonly and currently found in public libraries of all sizes across the state. Position descriptions should include all necessary qualifications, including educational requirements and physical demands for the position. Section V contains examples of resource data and information that the SRLAAW subcommittee can provide to the selected consultant to assist with this work.

b. Establish appropriate benchmarking standards for a compensation survey encompassing all public libraries in the state of Wisconsin. The survey, at a minimum, should collect the following data points:

i. Hourly rate

ii. FTE status

iii. Benefits eligibility

iv. Paid leave benefits

c. Establish data points that will be collected to provide library demographic identifier information to be used for trend and comparison analysis. Section V contains examples of resource data and information that the SRLAAW subcommittee can provide to assist with this work. The survey, at a minimum, should collect the following data points.

i. Geographic region - (for example: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) MSA data, county, etc)

ii. Rural/Urban - Locale

iii. Population served/size of library

B. Create and deliver a final data analysis report. Minimally, the report should include the following:

a. An executive summary.

b. An analysis of the collected data to provide high-level trend and comparison findings.

c. Provide methodologies and resources to normalize salary levels according to

BLS data to allow users of the data to do comparisons that, for example, equalize the wage of the same job title/position held in an urban location such

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d. Recommendations of methodologies for ongoing maintenance of position descriptions and compensation survey data.

e. A presentation of the report findings to the full SRLAAW group.

C. Deliver raw survey data, data products from analysis, and associated metadata. These deliverables must be provided in common format(s) that can be accessed through third party resources such as Tableau.

D. Regular project check-in meetings with the SRLAAW Compensation Study Workgroup, including an initial project kick off and coordination meeting.

IV. Information Requested from Proposer

A. Proposer Profile

Responses to this proposal should include a summary of the firm’s history and experience in conducting similar compensation surveys and analysis. Provide a list of three similar projects with entities that your firm has performed services for within the past 10 years including names, addresses, and phone numbers of the clients that will be used as a reference.

Provide a description of the firm’s organization and the qualifications of staff members, specifically detailing the qualifications of the individuals who will perform the work. Include experience in similar work, and relevant college, graduate or professional courses. Identify the extent and nature of any anticipated outside support and/or subcontractors that will be assigned to work on this project.

All consultants must be capable of performing the services specified in the RFP.

Before the award of this contract, the consultant may be required to show that they have the necessary experience and familiarity with public libraries, non-profit, or public sector organizations.

B. Project plan

Please include the following information:

a. Submit an overview of any methodologies used or approaches taken to compensation surveys and analyses.

b. Provide a detailed project plan to complete all scope of service deliverables within a feasible timeline to complete a quality process by no later than June 30, 2023.

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C. Compensation

a. Provide the firm’s all-inclusive maximum fee for which the requested work in the Scope of Services Section will be done.

b. Provide as much detail as you can about the costs to perform the work as requested, including estimated staff time and other cost factors to complete each of the project deliverables as listed in the scope of services.

This request for information does not, under any circumstances, commit SRLAAW or SWLS to pay any costs incurred by any proposer in the submission of qualifications.

The proposer is responsible for all costs associated with the response to this request.

V. Other Relevant Data

The SRLAAW Compensation Study Workgroup will provide the following data and information to the selected consultant as resource documentation.

○ Email lists for survey distribution and Public Library System assistance promoting the completion of the survey by their member public libraries.

○ 2005 WLA salary study

○ State data for library identifier information

○ Geographic area and locale information

○ Examples of job titles and position descriptions from WI libraries

○ Field literature and information on job titles position descriptions for public libraries

VI. Evaluation of Proposals

A. Proposals will be evaluated by the SRLAAW Compensation Study Workgroup tasked with selection of a consultant. The award will be made to the firm, which in the opinion of the workgroup, is best qualified. Evaluation considerations will include the following:

a. Proposer Profile - 20 points

i. The firm’s understanding of and familiarity with this type of project, including a comprehensive understanding of how compensation works with respect to public libraries in the State of Wisconsin.

ii. Recent experience and demonstrated ability with this type of project.

The experience of your firm in performing compensation studies of the type requested will be of importance.

iii. Relevant skills and professional abilities of the assigned staff members for the project.

iv. Quality of work based upon a review of a minimum of three references (and written examples provided, if appropriate).

b. Project Plan - 20 points

i. Clarity and quality of information provided regarding any methodologies used or approaches taken to compensation surveys and analyses.

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ii. The level of detail provided in the project plan and timeline with a focus on the feasibility of the timeline provided to complete a quality process by no later than June 30, 2023.

c. Compensation - 10 points

i. The level of detail provided about the costs to perform the work as requested, including estimated staff time and other cost factors to complete each of the project deliverables as listed in the scope of services.

ii. Although it is significant, overall cost may not be the dominant factor.

B. After the proposals have been received, the workgroup will review the proposals. The workgroup may request the top two proposals to make short presentations to the workgroup. Upon selection of a consultant by the SRLAAW committee and approval of the contract by SWLS, work shall commence on the project. The proposed schedule for considering the proposals is as follows:

Proposal Due October 14, 2022

Review of Qualifications October 21, 2022

Recommendation of Firm November 1, 2022

Selection of firm and contract approval November 11, 2022

C. The LSTA grant period runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. All grant activities and expenditures must be completed by June 30, 2023.

D. SRLAAW reserves the right to reject any and or all proposals submitted and/or to request additional information from all proposers.

VII. Standard Terms and Conditions

1. Specifications: The specifications in this request are the minimum acceptable

2. Acceptance-Rejection: SRLAAW reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, to waive any technicality in any proposal submitted, to negotiate with any submitter, and to accept any part of a proposal as deemed to be in the best interests of SRLAAW.

3. Taxes: As fiscal agent, the Southwest Library System is exempt from payment of all federal tax and Wisconsin state and local taxes.

4. Entire Agreement: These Standard Terms and Conditions shall apply to any contract or order awarded as a result of this request except where special requirements are stated elsewhere in the request; in such cases, the special requirements shall apply.

Further, the written contract shall constitute the entire agreement and no other terms

6 | Page or conditions in any document, acceptance, or acknowledgment shall be effective or binding unless expressly agreed to in writing by the contracting authority.

5. Applicable Law: The consultant shall at all times comply with and observe all federal and state laws, local laws, ordinances, and regulations which are in effect during the period of this contract and which in any manner affect the work or its conduct. This contract shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin.

6. Assignment: No right or duty in whole or in part of the consultant under this contract may be assigned or delegated without the prior written consent of SRLAAW and SWLS.

7. Subcontractors: If subcontractors are planned to be used, this should be clearly explained in the proposal. SRLAAW reserves the right to reject any subcontractor.

The consultant will be responsible for contract performance whether or not subcontractors are used.

8. Nondiscrimination: In connection with the performance of work under this contract, the consultant agrees not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, religion, color, handicap, sex, physical condition, developmental disability as defined in s. 51.01(5), Wis. Stats., sexual orientation or national origin. This provision shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer; recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship.

8.1 Failure to comply with the conditions of this clause may result in the consultant being declared "ineligible,” termination of the contract, or withholding of payment.

9. Hold Harmless: Consultant agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend

SRLAAW and SWLS, its officers, agents and employees from any and all liability including claims, demands, losses, costs, expenses and damages of every kind arising out of or in connection with services provided pursuant to this contract where such liability is founded upon or grows out of acts or omissions of any agents or employees of the consultant.

10. Cancellation: SRLAAW and SWLS reserves the right to cancel any contract in whole or in part without penalty due to non-appropriation of funds.

11. Independent Contractor Status: None of the officers, employees, or agents of the consultant are employees of SRLAAW or SWLS for any purpose, including but not limited to compensation, fringe benefits, or insurance coverage.

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12. Public Records Access: It is the intention of the SRLAAW and SWLS to maintain an open and public process in the solicitation, submission, review, and approval of procurement activities.

12.1 Bid/proposal openings are public unless otherwise specified. Records may not be available for public inspection prior to issuance of the notice of intent to award or the award of the contract.

13. Proprietary Information: Any restrictions on the use of data contained within a request, must be clearly stated in the proposal itself. Proprietary information submitted in response to a request will be handled in accordance with applicable Wisconsin public records law. Proprietary restrictions normally are not accepted.

However, when accepted, it is the consultant’s responsibility to defend the determination in the event of an appeal or litigation.

13.1 Data contained in a proposal, all documentation provided therein, and innovations developed as a result of the contracted commodities or services cannot be copyrighted or patented. The consultant will not hold ownership of any data, documentation, and innovations created through this project.

13.2 Any material submitted by the proposer in response to this request that the proposer considers confidential and proprietary information and which qualifies as a trade secret, as provided in s. 19.36(5), Wis. Stats., or material which can be kept confidential under the Wisconsin public records law, must be identified. Proposal prices cannot be held confidential.

14. Termination For Convenience: SRLAAW or SWLS reserves the right to terminate this contract for convenience upon 60 days’ notice.

15. Termination For Default: SRLAAW or SWLS reserves the right to terminate the contract for default if, after twenty days written notice to cure default, consultant fails to satisfactorily cure the default

VIII. Cost Proposal/Signature Page - Submit Separately from Technical Proposal

The submission of a proposal shall be considered as a representation that the proposer has carefully investigated all conditions, has full knowledge of the scope, nature and quality of work required, and is familiar with all applicable Federal, State and Local regulations that affect, or may at some future date affect the performance of the contract.

The proper submission of this form by the proposer will be considered as the proposer’s offer to enter into a contract in accordance with the provisions herein set forth. Submission of this form acknowledges that the proposer is independent of SRLAAW and SWLS as defined by generally accepted auditing standards.

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If your proposal is accepted and a contract issued, this Request for Proposal and all documents attached hereto including any amendments, the consultant’s price proposals and any other written offers/clarifications made by the consultant and accepted by SRLAAW and SWLS, will be incorporated into the entire contract between SWLS and the consultant, and shall contain all terms and conditions agreed on by the parties hereto, and no other agreement regarding the subject matter of this proposal shall be deemed to exist or bind any of the parties hereto.

Acceptance will take place only upon award by SRLAAW and delivery of the fully-executed contract to the successful proposer. The Contract may only be amended by written agreement by the consultant and SWLS.

ATTACH YOUR PROPOSAL TO THIS FORM AND RETURN THE ORIGINAL IN

ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS AS NOTED IN THE REQUEST FOR

PROPOSAL.

CONSULTANT (To be signed by the person authorized to legally bind your firm to this contract)

All proposal conditions and prices shall remain firm for at least 90 calendar days following opening.

Consultant’s Firm_______________________________________

Telephone _____________________________________________

Fax___________________________________________________

Mailing Address_________________________________________

City, State, Zip__________________________________________

Email Address___________________________________________

Consultant’s Web Site Address _____________________________

Consultant’s FEIN________________________________________

BY:______________________________ Name:___________________________ (Manual Signature Required) (Print or Typed)

TITLE:______________________________________ Date:__________________