25-47-HR Compensation Study

The City of Salem, Massachusetts has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP No. 25-47-HR) for a comprehensive compensation study targeting the AFSCME Local 1818 bargaining unit, which encompasses approximately 64 positions across 20 job grades. The primary objective is to establish a competitive compensation structure through a detailed review of existing job descriptions and a comprehensive salary survey of comparable Massachusetts municipalities including Andover, Beverly, Brockton, Brookline, Chelsea, Danvers, Everett, Lynn, Melrose, and Peabody. The selected consultant will be required to develop recommendations for a new classification system and compensation plan, with specific deliverables including an electronic report covering an introduction, methodology, survey results, and a final recommended compensation schedule. Key project requirements include analyzing internal equity and external competitiveness, with a focus on addressing recruitment and retention challenges. Proposals are due on April 15, 2025, at 11:00 am, with the entire project mandated for completion by June 2, 2025. The study must ensure compliance with federal and state laws, including the Massachusetts Pay Equity Act (MEPA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The RFP does not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations. A joint market study committee will be formed, with the City and Union each allowed to assign up to four members to collaborate with the selected vendor. While specific budget details are not provided in the documentation, the comprehensive nature of the compensation study suggests a significant scope of work involving detailed market research, job classification analysis, and development of a new compensation framework. The consultant will need to demonstrate expertise in municipal compensation strategies, comprehensive understanding of public sector labor market dynamics, and ability to provide actionable recommendations that balance organizational budget constraints with competitive employee compensation. Potential respondents should be prepared to provide detailed methodological approaches, demonstrate previous experience with similar municipal compensation studies, and showcase capabilities in data analysis, market research, and compensation planning.