Compensation Study Services

The vendor is required to provide compensation study for administrative employees.
- The study must incorporate best practices in compensation design and be tailored to the unique needs of a public-sector transit organization.
•    A proven record of success conducting employee classification and compensation studies, particularly within the transportation industry and public sector. 
•    A project approach and methodology that is clearly applicable to the organizational structure and strategic goals of authority. 
•    The ability to deliver a total rewards solution, covering all components of compensation, including salary structures, pay bands, merit and promotion structures, pay equity, and a strategic compensation plan. 
•    A methodology that ensures data quality and transparency, including details on how and where market compensation and peer data were sourced. 
•    A clear and actionable comparative analysis with user-friendly benchmarking tools that help metro easily identify gaps or issues in the current pay structure. 
•    A timeline for proposed project completion, with clear milestones and deliverables. 
•    The qualifications of the proposed project manager and staff assigned to the engagement.
- Required
1. Project initiation
•    Initial meeting with the chief human resources officer and senior benefits and compensation manager
•    Review project goals and expectations
•    Establish project timeline and milestones
•    Discuss process and administrative details
2. Current policy and plan review
•    Review existing compensation policy and plan (last updated in 2020), including:
•    Current job grades and classifications and position placements within the plan
•    Evaluation of operations and maintenance exemption policy
o    Eligibility assessment for current recipients
o    Recommendations for consistency and alignment with roles
•    Review and define parameters for salary increases (merit vs. promotion)
•    Analyze and recommend updates to proration rules for merit increases
3. External market survey
•    Conduct a comprehensive compensation and classification analysis, including:
•    Collection and analysis of compensation data from comparable public-sector and transit agencies
•    Evaluation of total compensation (base pay, incentives, and benefits)
•    Identification of positions misaligned with industry benchmarks
•    Transparency in how benchmark and peer data are sourced and validated
•    Delivery of clear benchmarking visuals and comparative summaries for easy interpretation
4. Compensation system design
•    Develop a proposed compensation philosophy, aligned with:
•    Authority strategic plan
•    Internal and external competitiveness
•    Attraction and retention of talent
•    Recommend a total rewards framework, including:
•    Salary ranges and pay bands
•    Merit and promotional pay structures
•    Pay equity strategy and tools for evaluation
•    Adjustments for internal equity, market gaps, and pay compression
•    Review accuracy of FLSA exemption status for all administrative roles
•    Conduct a pay equity analysis by gender and race
•    Propose policy guidance for promotion blackout periods aligned with operational needs
5. Implementation and communication
•    Present proposed plan to:
•    HR leadership
•    Executive staff
•    Additional stakeholders as needed
•    Deliver a written final report with charts, tables, and rationale for all recommendations
•    Provide a detailed implementation plan, including:
•    Budgetary impact
•    Process for transition
•    Training and guidance materials
•    Develop and present an employee communication plan to support rollout
•    Support HR leadership in the execution and maintenance of new systems and policies.

- Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory) Date: October 22, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: October 29, 2025