The Vendor is required to provide compensation consulting firms to conduct a comprehensive compensation study, internal compression analysis, creation of district compensation guidelines, and provide ongoing ad hoc market data analysis as needed.
- Projects is to assess district current pay structure to ensure that it supports internal equity, external competitiveness, and alignment with industry best-practices.
- Objectives
• Assess the competitiveness of current salary structure relative to comparable public and private sector organizations.
• Benchmark all district jobs to comparable public and/or private sector organizations. Collect market data and analyze to identify competitive position.
• Evaluate internal pay compression across jobs, grades, departments, and levels to ensure fair and consistent compensation practices.
• Identify positions impacted by pay compression, market misalignment, and inconsistencies in salary progression and recommend corrective measures.
• Provide data-supported recommendations for slotting jobs into grades, updated salary ranges and overall pay structure improvements to ensure competitiveness of pay compared to market.
• Develop and present budget impact analyses and phased implementation strategies for recommended changes.
• Ensure alignment of compensation practices with district organizational goals and compensation best practices.
• Identify district compensation practices and create guidelines to document such practices.
• Year two of engagement – conduct a comprehensive review of district pay, benefits, paid time off, and all other forms of remunerations to ensure market competitiveness, internal equity, and alignment with organizational goals for attracting, retaining, and effective communication of value of employees’ total compensation package.
- Salary Structure Evaluation
• Evaluate the current salary structure and recommend adjustments based on internal equity analysis and external market data.
• Review compensation policies and practices and recommend alignment to best practice where necessary.
• Develop a consistent compensation framework that supports a competitive market position.
- Job Matching and Market Benchmarking
• Identify appropriate comparator public and private organizations and conduct market analysis using reliable and current compensation data sources. Benchmark sources should include district member cities and similar water districts or water, wastewater and solid waste industry organizations, as applicable
• Prepare a job matching matrix for district approval that outlines benchmark positions and data sources to ensure accurate job alignment prior to data collection.
• Benchmark salaries for a minimum of 75% of district positions.
• Conduct benchmarking analysis of district jobs against regional and national market data.
• Identify positions that are above, below, or aligned with market rates.
• Validate preliminary results by conducting individual departmental review meetings with department leadership and HR manager.
- Communication
• Develop a communication and change management strategy and that ensures transparency and understanding of the compensation study process and outcomes.
• Prepare briefing materials, presentations, and facilitates project meetings with district stakeholders, and executive leadership.
• Present final results to HR leadership, senior management and to the Board of Directors, if requested.
- Communication and Implementation Support
• Facilitate review meetings with the Compensation Team, HR leadership, executive leadership, and key managers
• Present final recommendations to the Executive Leadership Team and, if requested, the Board of Directors.
• Recommend communication and training strategies for HR and management to ensure consistent understanding and application of the philosophy and guidelines.
- Contract Period/Term: 3 years
- Pre-Proposal Meeting Date: January 9, 2026
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: January 13, 2026
