HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 09e - Total Compensation Study
STAFF REPORT
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
DATE: October 6, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Sairy Stepanian, Acting Human Resources Director
SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BAKER TILLY FOR A TOTAL
COMPENSATION STUDY IN THE AMOUNT OF $54,400, WITH AN
ADDITIONAL $15,600 FOR CONTINGENCY WORK ARISING OUT OF THE
SURVEY PROCESS
CEQA: Not a Project
Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
The Human Resources Department issued a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) to conduct
a Total Compensation Study, which will be used to evaluate the City’s compensation
structure and assess how it compares with the regional market for similar public
sector positions. A Total Compensation Study evaluates base salary, specialty pay,
and benefits to provide a comprehensive assessment of the City’s overall
compensation package.
The City received seven (7) proposals and interviewed the top three (3) consulting
firms, all of whom were deemed qualified to complete the study; however, the
proposed cost, experience, and methodical approach proposed by Baker Tilly would
best fit the City’s needs at this time.
It is recommended that the City Council approve, authorize, and direct the City
Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Baker Tilly for a Total
Compensation Study in the amount of $54,400, and to authorize an additional
$15,600 for contingencies.
Professional Services Agreements for Total Compensation Study
October 6, 2026
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BACKGROUND
A Total Compensation Study is typically conducted to gather market information and
assess an organization’s competitive position relative to other employers. This study
provides valuable data to assist the City in evaluating its compensation practices and
making informed decisions regarding employee recruitment and retention.
Additionally, an objective, data-driven overview of the labor-market is important to
have before making compensation decisions in relation to bargaining proposals.
The City completed its most recent Total Compensation Study in 2024. Since then,
the employment market has continued to evolve, including changes in salaries,
benefits, and competition for qualified candidates. Periodic review of compensation
data allows the City to assess its market position and determine whether existing
compensation practices remain competitive and appropriately aligned with the City’s
organizational needs.
Obtaining current market data through this study will provide an important resource
for evaluating employee compensation and informing future decisions. Accordingly,
the City seeks to engage a qualified consultant to conduct an updated Total
Compensation Study.
DISCUSSION
In preparation for upcoming labor negotiations, a comprehensive compensation
study is being proposed to provide the City with current data regarding its overall
compensation position relative to comparable public agencies. The Study will
evaluate base salaries, benefits, and other forms of compensation, thereby providing
a more complete view of the City’s competitive position within the applicable labor
market.
The results of the study will serve as an important tool in preparing for the collective
bargaining process by establishing a data-driven framework for compensation
proposals, identifying potential recruitment and retention needs, and assessing
areas in which the City’s compensation practices may be above, below, or consistent
with the market. With this information, the City can develop informed bargaining
strategies and evaluate compensation adjustments in consideration of both market
competitiveness and long-term fiscal sustainability.
Professional Services Agreements for Total Compensation Study
October 6, 2026
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The RFP sought proposals from qualified consultants who will assist the City in
reviewing existing job descriptions and compensation systems, analyzing job duties,
identifying market pay for select positions, identifying the market value of an
employee benefits package, and providing a market analysis of the total
compensation, including salary and benefits.
A total of seven (7) qualified proposals were received, with the complete list of
proposers shown below:
Consulting Firm Total Project Cost
Muchmore Than Consulting $349,050
Gallagher & Co. $145,200
MGT Solutions $133,200
Uncomplicate HR $82,750
Public Sector Personnel Consultants $55,000
Baker Tilly $54,400
Evergreen Solutions $42,500
All proposals were evaluated based on the criteria established in the RFP. Following
a comprehensive review process, three (3) proposals were selected to move forward
to the interview process: Public Sector Personnel Consultants, Baker Tilly, and
Evergreen Solutions. The rates shown in the table above are based on the total
estimated project cost.
Following interviews with the three firms, Baker Tilly was identified as the most
qualified firm to perform the study. Baker Tilly was selected based on the strength
and completeness of their proposal, breadth of experience, demonstrated public
sector experience, approach, and overall pricing structure.
Baker Tilly has been in operation for over 90 years with a team of 350 professionals,
the firm provides services to more than 4,200 state and local government entities
across the country. The firm’s services include human resources and management
consulting, including compensation plan implementation, employee opinion surveys,
employee pay equity testing, Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) review, job
architecture/career ladder development, job description development, job
evaluation and analysis, pay and benefits market studies, pay equity compliance, pay
policy and practices, pay structure design, and performance management.
Professional Services Agreements for Total Compensation Study
October 6, 2026
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The proposed cost from Baker Tilly includes project initiation and stakeholder
meeting; total compensation market study across comparable agencies;
compression analysis, cost modeling, and administration; and project completion
and presentation. While the total project cost is $54,400, it is recommended that
contingency funding be authorized to allow for additional work that may result from
the study. The contingency work may include additional peer agencies or
benchmarks, more pay structures or implementation scenarios, and/or additional
reports or meetings beyond what is estimated for project completion. The requested
$15,600 contingency is available within the Human Resources Department budget
and will only be used if the City authorizes additional work beyond the scope of the
proposed agreement.
The compensation study will consist of four (4) phases:
• Project Initiation:
o Project planning, data collection, review of current state,
communication meetings, and job evaluation.
• Total Compensation Market Study:
o Benchmark position identification, public peer organization
identification, quality control, data adjustments, market reports, benefit
comparison, pay strategy and design, and grade assignments.
• Compression Analysis, Cost Modeling, and Administration:
o Pay compression and compaction analysis, employee allocation and
cost modeling, administration guidelines, and communication plan.
• Project Completion:
o Final documentation and key findings, final communication and
presentation.
The approach Baker Tilly uses to conduct a Total Compensation Study is customized
to the specific needs and objectives of their clients. Baker Tilly’s overall cost proposal
is in the lower range and provides the best overall value to the City based on the
firm’s qualifications, relevant public-sector experience—including experience with
public agencies contracted with California Public Employees’ Retirement System
(“CalPERS”)—proposed methodology, and demonstrated understanding of the City’s
objectives. Furthermore, Baker Tilly’s approach is collaborative, flexible, and
customizable to their client’s needs. Additionally, Baker Tilly implements quality
assurance protocols, including the use of Certified Compensation Professionals and
Professional Services Agreements for Total Compensation Study
October 6, 2026
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Analysts, to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the produced data and analysis. With
their extensive experience with public agencies and the overall quality of their
proposal, it is recommended that Baker Tilly be awarded the Professional Services
Agreement.
Utilizing an independent consultant to conduct the study will provide an objective
and consistent methodology for evaluating compensation data. The resulting
analysis will support informed decision-making and provide a defensible, objective
foundation for evaluating compensation matters during the upcoming labor
negotiations.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California
Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), based on Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA
Guidelines, as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the
environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost to conduct the Total Compensation Study is $54,400. An additional $15,600
is requested as contingency funding for additional work that may arise from the
study, as referenced above. Sufficient funds have been budgeted in the Human
Resources Department’s Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operating Budget to cover the total
authorized amount of $70,000.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that these actions do not
constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and
approve, authorize, and direct the City Manager to execute a Professional Services
Agreement with Baker Tilly for a Total Compensation Study in the amount of $54,400,
and authorize an additional $15,600 for contingency work that may arise during the
survey process and study.
Professional Services Agreements for Total Compensation Study
October 6, 2026
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Attachment: Proposed Professional Services Agreement with Baker Tilly
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CITY OF ARCADIA
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT REGARDING
TOTAL COMPENSATION STUDY
This Agreement is made and entered into as of October 7, 2026 by and between the
City of Arcadia, a municipal corporation organized and operating under the laws of the State
of California with its principal place of business at 240 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia,
California 91066 (“City”), and Baker Tilly US, a Limited Liability Partnership with its principal
place of business at 205 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60601 (hereinafter referred to as
“Consultant”). City and Consultant are sometimes individually referred to as “Party” and
collectively as “Parties” in this Agreement.
RECITALS
A. City is a public agency of the State of California and is in need of professional
services for the following project:
Total Compensation Study (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”).
B. Consultant is duly licensed and has the necessary qualifications to provide
such services.
C. The Parties desire by this Agreement to establish the terms for City to retain
Consultant to provide the services described herein.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Services.
Consultant shall provide the City with the services described in the Scope of Services
attached hereto as Exhibit “A.”
2. Compensation.
a. Subject to paragraph 2(b) below, the City shall pay for such services in
accordance with the Schedule of Charges set forth in Exhibit “B.”
b. In no event shall the total amount paid for services rendered by
Consultant under this Agreement exceed the sum of $70,000. This amount is to cover all
printing and related costs, and the City will not pay any additional fees for printing expenses.
Periodic payments shall be made within 30 days of receipt of an invoice which includes a
detailed description of the work performed. Payments to Consultant for work performed
will be made on a monthly billing basis.
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3. Additional Work.
If changes in the work seem merited by Consultant or the City, and informal
consultations with the other party indicate that a change is warranted, it shall be processed
in the following manner: a letter outlining the changes shall be forwarded to the City by
Consultant with a statement of estimated changes in fee or time schedule. An amendment
to this Agreement shall be prepared by the City and executed by both Parties before
performance of such services, or the City will not be required to pay for the changes in the
scope of work. Such amendment shall not render ineffective or invalidate unaffected
portions of this Agreement.
4. Maintenance of Records.
Books, documents, papers, accounting records, and other evidence pertaining to
costs incurred shall be maintained by Consultant and made available at all reasonable times
during the contract period and for four (4) years from the date of final payment under the
contract for inspection by City.
5. Term.
The term of this Agreement shall be from October 7, 2026 to January 5, 2027, unless
earlier terminated as provided herein. The Parties may, by mutual, written consent, extend
the term of this Agreement if necessary to complete the Project. Consultant shall perform
its services in a prompt and timely manner within the term of this Agreement and shall
commence performance upon receipt of written notice from the City to proceed (“Notice to
Proceed”). The Notice to Proceed shall set forth the date of commencement of work.
Consultant shall perform its services in a prompt and timely manner and shall
commence performance upon receipt of written notice from the City to proceed (“Notice to
Proceed”). Consultant shall complete the services required hereunder within The Notice to
Proceed shall set forth the date of commencement of work.
6. Delays in Performance.
a. Neither City nor Consultant shall be considered in default of this Agreement
for delays in performance caused by circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the
non-performing party. For purposes of this Agreement, such circumstances include but are
not limited to, abnormal weather conditions; floods; earthquakes; fire; epidemics; war; riots
and other civil disturbances; strikes, lockouts, work slowdowns, and other labor
disturbances; sabotage or judicial restraint.
b. Should such circumstances occur, the non-performing party shall, within a
reasonable time of being prevented from performing, give written notice to the other party
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describing the circumstances preventing continued performance and the efforts being made
to resume performance of this Agreement.
7. Compliance with Law.
a. Consultant shall comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, codes and
regulations of the federal, state and local government, including Cal/OSHA requirements.
b. If required, Consultant shall assist the City, as requested, in obtaining and
maintaining all permits required of Consultant by federal, state and local regulatory
agencies.
c. If applicable, Consultant is responsible for all costs of clean up and/ or removal
of hazardous and toxic substances spilled as a result of his or her services or operations
performed under this Agreement.
8. Standard of Care
Consultant’s services will be performed in accordance with generally accepted
professional practices and principles and in a manner consistent with the level of care and
skill ordinarily exercised by members of the profession currently practicing under similar
conditions.
9. Assignment and Subconsultant
Consultant shall not assign, sublet, or transfer this Agreement or any rights under or
interest in this Agreement without the written consent of the City, which may be withheld for
any reason. Any attempt to so assign or so transfer without such consent shall be void and
without legal effect and shall constitute grounds for termination. Subcontracts, if any, shall
contain a provision making them subject to all provisions stipulated in this Agreement.
Nothing contained herein shall prevent Consultant from employing independent associates,
and subconsultants as Consultant may deem appropriate to assist in the performance of
services hereunder.
10. Independent Contractor
Consultant is retained as an independent contractor and is not an employee of City.
No employee or agent of Consultant shall become an employee of City. The work to be
performed shall be in accordance with the work described in this Agreement, subject to such
directions and amendments from City as herein provided.
11. Insurance. Consultant shall not commence work for the City until it has
provided evidence satisfactory to the City it has secured all insurance required under this
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section. In addition, Consultant shall not allow any subcontractor to commence work on any
subcontract until it has secured all insurance required under this section.
a. Commercial General Liability
(i) The Consultant shall take out and maintain, during the
performance of all work under this Agreement, in amounts not less than specified herein,
Commercial General Liability Insurance, in a form and with insurance companies acceptable
to the City.
(ii) Coverage for Commercial General Liability insurance shall be at
least as broad as the following:
(1) Insurance Services Office Commercial General Liability
coverage (Occurrence Form CG 00 01) or exact equivalent.
(iii) Commercial General Liability Insurance must include coverage
for the following:
(1) Bodily Injury and Property Damage
(2) Personal Injury/Advertising Injury
(3) Premises/Operations Liability
(4) Products/Completed Operations Liability Consultant
shall procure and submit evidence of insurance for at
least five (5) years from the time that all work under
this Agreement is completed.
(5) Aggregate Limits that Apply per Project
(6) Explosion, Collapse and Underground (UCX) exclusion
deleted
(7) Contractual Liability with respect to this Agreement
(8) Property Damage
(9) Independent Consultants Coverage
(iv) The policy shall contain no endorsements or provisions
limiting coverage for (1) contractual liability; (2) cross liability exclusion for claims or suits by
one insured against another; (3) products/completed operations liability; or (4) contain any
other exclusion contrary to the Agreement.
(v) The policy shall give City, its officials, officers, employees,
agents and City designated volunteers additional insured status using ISO endorsement
forms CG 20 10 10 01 and 20 37 10 01, or endorsements providing the exact same coverage.
Consultant may provide blanket endorsements to meet the Additional Insured requirement
in this written contract. However, all subcontractors’ endorsements shall specifically name
the City, its elected officials, officers, employees, volunteers, boards, agents, and
representatives as additional insureds and blanket endorsements are not acceptable.
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(vi) The general liability program may utilize either deductibles or
provide coverage excess of a self-insured retention, subject to written approval by the City,
and provided that such deductibles shall not apply to the City as an additional insured.
b. Automobile Liability
(i) At all times during the performance of the work under this
Agreement, the Consultant shall maintain Automobile Liability Insurance for bodily injury
and property damage including coverage for owned, non-owned and hired vehicles, in a
form and with insurance companies acceptable to the City.
(ii) Coverage for automobile liability insurance shall be at least as
broad as Insurance Services Office Form Number CA 00 01 covering automobile liability
(Coverage Symbol 1, any auto).
(iii) The policy shall give City, its officials, officers, employees, agents
and City designated volunteers additional insured status. Consultant may provide blanket
endorsements to meet the Additional Insured requirement in this written contract. However,
all subcontractors’ endorsements shall specifically name the City, its elected officials, officers,
employees, volunteers, boards, agents, and representatives as additional insureds and
blanket endorsements are not acceptable.
(iv) Subject to written approval by the City, the automobile liability
program may utilize deductibles, provided that such deductibles shall not apply to the City
as an additional insured, but not a self-insured retention.
c. Workers’ Compensation/Employer’s Liability
(i) Consultant certifies that he/she is aware of the provisions of
Section 3700 of the California Labor Code which requires every employer to be insured
against liability for workers’ compensation or to undertake self-insurance in accordance with
the provisions of that code, and he/she will comply with such provisions before commencing
work under this Agreement.
(ii) To the extent Consultant has employees at any time during the
term of this Agreement, at all times during the performance of the work under this
Agreement, the Consultant shall maintain full compensation insurance for all persons
employed directly by him/her to carry out the work contemplated under this Agreement, all
in accordance with the “Workers’ Compensation and Insurance Act,” Division IV of the Labor
Code of the State of California and any acts amendatory thereof, and Employer’s Liability
Coverage in amounts indicated herein. Consultant shall require all subconsultants to obtain
and maintain, for the period required by this Agreement, workers’ compensation coverage
of the same type and limits as specified in this section.
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d. Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions)
At all times during the performance of the work under this Agreement the Consultant
shall maintain professional liability or Errors and Omissions insurance appropriate to its
profession, in a form and with insurance companies acceptable to the City and in an amount
indicated herein. This insurance shall be endorsed to include contractual liability applicable
to this Agreement and shall be written on a policy form coverage specifically designed to
protect against acts, errors or omissions of the Consultant. “Covered Professional Services”
as designated in the policy must specifically include work performed under this Agreement.
The policy must “pay on behalf of” the insured and must include a provision establishing the
insurer's duty to defend.
e. Minimum Policy Limits Required
(i) The following insurance limits are required for the Agreement:
Combined Single Limit
Commercial General Liability $1,000,000 per occurrence/ $2,000,000 aggregate
for bodily injury, personal injury, and property
damage
Automobile Liability $1,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and
property damage
Employer’s Liability $1,000,000 per occurrence
Professional Liability $1,000,000 per claim and aggregate (errors and
omissions)
(ii) Defense costs shall be payable in addition to the limits.
(iii) Requirements of specific coverage or limits contained in this
section are not intended as a limitation on coverage, limits, or other requirement, or a waiver
of any coverage normally provided by any insurance. Any available coverage shall be
provided to the parties required to be named as Additional Insured pursuant to this
Agreement.
f. Evidence Required
Prior to execution of the Agreement, the Consultant shall file with the City
evidence of insurance from an insurer or insurers certifying to the coverage of all insurance
required herein. Such evidence shall include original copies of the ISO CG 00 01 (or insurer’s
equivalent) signed by the insurer’s representative and Certificate of Insurance (Acord Form
25-S or equivalent), together with required endorsements. All evidence of insurance shall
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be signed by a properly authorized officer, agent, or qualified representative of the insurer
and shall certify the names of the insured, any additional insureds, where appropriate, the
type and amount of the insurance, the location and operations to which the insurance
applies, and the expiration date of such insurance.
g. Policy Provisions Required
(i) Consultant shall provide the City at least thirty (30) days prior
written notice of cancellation of any policy required by this Agreement, except that the
Consultant shall provide at least ten (10) days prior written notice of cancellation of any such
policy due to non-payment of premium. If any of the required coverage is cancelled or
expires during the term of this Agreement, the Consultant shall deliver renewal certificate(s)
including the General Liability Additional Insured Endorsement to the City at least ten (10)
days prior to the effective date of cancellation or expiration. Consultant may provide blanket
endorsements to meet the Additional Insured requirement in this written contract.
However, all subcontractors’ endorsements shall specifically name the City, its elected
officials, officers, employees, volunteers, boards, agents, and representatives as additional
insureds and blanket endorsements are not acceptable.
(ii) The Commercial General Liability Policy and Automobile Policy
shall each contain a provision stating that Consultant’s policy is primary insurance and that
any insurance, self-insurance or other coverage maintained by the City or any named
insureds shall not be called upon to contribute to any loss.
(iii) The retroactive date (if any) of each policy is to be no later than
the effective date of this Agreement. Consultant shall maintain such coverage continuously
for a period of at least three years after the completion of the work under this Agreement.
Consultant shall purchase a one (1) year extended reporting period A) if the retroactive date
is advanced past the effective date of this Agreement; B) if the policy is cancelled or not
renewed; or C) if the policy is replaced by another claims-made policy with a retroactive date
subsequent to the effective date of this Agreement.
(iv) All required insurance coverages, except for the professional
liability coverage, shall contain or be endorsed to waiver of subrogation in favor of the City,
its officials, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers or shall specifically allow Consultant
or others providing insurance evidence in compliance with these specifications to waive
their right of recovery prior to a loss. Consultant hereby waives its own right of recovery
against City, and shall require similar written express waivers and insurance clauses from
each of its subconsultants.
(v) The limits set forth herein shall apply separately to each insured
against whom claims are made or suits are brought, except with respect to the limits of
liability. Further the limits set forth herein shall not be construed to relieve the Consultant
from liability in excess of such coverage, nor shall it limit the Consultant’s indemnification
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obligations to the City and shall not preclude the City from taking such other actions
available to the City under other provisions of the Agreement or law.
h. Qualifying Insurers
(i) All policies required shall be issued by acceptable insurance
companies, as determined by the City, which satisfy the following minimum requirements:
(1) Each such policy shall be from a company or companies
with a current A.M. Best's rating of no less than A:VII and admitted to transact in the
business of insurance in the State of California, or otherwise allowed to place
insurance through surplus line brokers under applicable provisions of the California
Insurance Code or any federal law.
i. Additional Insurance Provisions
(i) The foregoing requirements as to the types and limits of
insurance coverage to be maintained by Consultant, and any approval of said insurance by
the City, is not intended to and shall not in any manner limit or qualify the liabilities and
obligations otherwise assumed by the Consultant pursuant to this Agreement, including but
not limited to, the provisions concerning indemnification.
(ii) If at any time during the life of the Agreement, any policy of
insurance required under this Agreement does not comply with these specifications or is
canceled and not replaced, City has the right but not the duty to obtain the insurance it
deems necessary and any premium paid by City will be promptly reimbursed by Consultant
or City will withhold amounts sufficient to pay premium from Consultant payments. In the
alternative, City may cancel this Agreement.
(iii) The City may require the Consultant to provide complete copies
of all insurance policies in effect for the duration of the Project.
(iv) Neither the City nor any of its officials, officers, employees,
agents or volunteers shall be personally responsible for any liability arising under or by
virtue of this Agreement.
j. Subconsultant Insurance Requirements. Consultant shall not allow any
subcontractors or subconsultants to commence work on any subcontract until they have
provided evidence satisfactory to the City that they have secured all insurance required
under this section. Policies of commercial general liability insurance provided by such
subcontractors or subconsultants shall be endorsed to name the City as an additional
insured using ISO form CG 20 38 04 13 or an endorsement providing the exact same
coverage. All subcontractors’ endorsements shall specifically name the City, its elected
officials, officers, employees, volunteers, boards, agents, and representatives as additional
insureds and blanket endorsements are not acceptable. If requested by Consultant, City
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may approve different scopes or minimum limits of insurance for particular subcontractors
or subconsultants.
12. Indemnification.
a. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Consultant shall defend (with
counsel of City’s choosing), indemnify and hold the City, its officials, officers, employees,
volunteers, and agents free and harmless from any and all claims, demands, causes of action,
costs, expenses, liability, loss, damage or injury of any kind, in law or equity, to property or
persons, including wrongful death, in any manner arising out of, pertaining to, or incident
to any acts, errors or omissions, or willful misconduct of Consultant, its officials, officers,
employees, subcontractors, consultants or agents in connection with the performance of the
Consultant’s services, the Project or this Agreement, including without limitation the
payment of all damages, expert witness fees and attorney’s fees and other related costs and
expenses. Consultant's obligation to indemnify shall not be restricted to insurance proceeds,
if any, received by Consultant, the City, its officials, officers, employees, agents, or volunteers.
b. To the extent required by Civil Code section 2782.8, which is fully
incorporated herein, Consultant’s obligations under the above indemnity shall be limited to
claims that arise out of, pertain to, or relate to the negligence, recklessness, or willful
misconduct of the Consultant, but shall not otherwise be reduced. If Consultant’s obligations
to defend, indemnify, and/or hold harmless arise out of Consultant’s performance of “design
professional services” (as that term is defined under Civil Code section 2782.8), then upon
Consultant obtaining a final adjudication that liability under a claim is caused by the
comparative active negligence or willful misconduct of the City, Consultant’s obligations shall
be reduced in proportion to the established comparative liability of the City and shall not
exceed the Consultant’s proportionate percentage of fault.
13. California Labor Code Requirements.
a. Consultant is aware of the requirements of California Labor Code
Sections 1720 et seq. and 1770 et seq., which require the payment of prevailing wage rates
and the performance of other requirements on certain “public works” and “maintenance”
projects (“Prevailing Wage Laws”). If the services are being performed as part of an applicable
“public works” or “maintenance” project, as defined by the Prevailing Wage Laws, and if the
total compensation is $15,000 or more for maintenance or $25,000 or more for construction,
alteration, demolition, installation, or repair, Consultant agrees to fully comply with such
Prevailing Wage Laws. Consultant shall defend, indemnify and hold the City, its officials,
officers, employees and agents free and harmless from any claims, liabilities, costs, penalties
or interest arising out of any failure or alleged failure to comply with the Prevailing Wage
Laws. It shall be mandatory upon the Consultant and all subconsultants to comply with all
California Labor Code provisions, which include but are not limited to prevailing wages
(Labor Code Sections 1771, 1774 and 1775), employment of apprentices (Labor Code Section
1777.5), certified payroll records (Labor Code Sections 1771.4 and 1776), hours of labor
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(Labor Code Sections 1813 and 1815) and debarment of contractors and subcontractors
(Labor Code Section 1777.1).
b. If the services are being performed as part of an applicable “public
works” or “maintenance” project and if the total compensation is $15,000 or more for
maintenance or $25,000 or more for construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or
repair, then pursuant to Labor Code Sections 1725.5 and 1771.1, the Consultant and all
subconsultants performing such services must be registered with the Department of
Industrial Relations. Consultant shall maintain registration for the duration of the Project
and require the same of any subconsultants, as applicable. This Project may also be subject
to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. It
shall be Consultant’s sole responsibility to comply with all applicable registration and labor
compliance requirements.
c. This Agreement may also be subject to compliance monitoring and
enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. It shall be Consultant’s sole
responsibility to comply with all applicable registration and labor compliance requirements.
Any stop orders issued by the Department of Industrial Relations against Consultant or any
subcontractor that affect Consultant’s performance of services, including any delay, shall be
Consultant’s sole responsibility. Any delay arising out of or resulting from such stop orders
shall be considered Consultant caused delay and shall not be compensable by the City.
Consultant shall defend, indemnify and hold the City, its officials, officers, employees and
agents free and harmless from any claim or liability arising out of stop orders issued by the
Department of Industrial Relations against Consultant or any subcontractor.
14. Verification of Employment Eligibility.
By executing this Agreement, Consultant verifies that it fully complies with all
requirements and restrictions of state and federal law respecting the employment of
undocumented aliens, including, but not limited to, the Immigration Reform and Control Act
of 1986, as may be amended from time to time, and shall require all subconsultants and sub-
subconsultants to comply with the same.
15. Laws and Venue.
This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of
California. If any action is brought to interpret or enforce any term of this Agreement, the
action shall be brought in a state or federal court situated in the County of Los Angeles, State
of California.
16. Termination or Abandonment
a. City has the right to terminate or abandon any portion or all of the work
under this Agreement by giving ten (10) calendar days written notice to Consultant. In such
event, City shall be immediately given title and possession to all original field notes, drawings
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and specifications, written reports and other documents produced or developed for that
portion of the work completed and/or being abandoned. City shall pay Consultant the
reasonable value of services rendered for any portion of the work completed prior to
termination. If said termination occurs prior to completion of any task for the Project for
which a payment request has not been received, the charge for services performed during
such task shall be the reasonable value of such services, based on an amount mutually
agreed to by City and Consultant of the portion of such task completed but not paid prior to
said termination. City shall not be liable for any costs other than the charges or portions
thereof which are specified herein. Consultant shall not be entitled to payment for
unperformed services, and shall not be entitled to damages or compensation for termination
of work.
b. Consultant may terminate its obligation to provide further services
under this Agreement upon thirty (30) calendar days’ written notice to City only in the event
of substantial failure by City to perform in accordance with the terms of this Agreement
through no fault of Consultant.
17. Documents. Except as otherwise provided in “Termination or Abandonment,”
above, all original field notes, written reports, Drawings and Specifications and other
documents, produced or developed for the Project shall, upon payment in full for the
services described in this Agreement, be furnished to and become the property of the City.
18. Organization
Consultant shall assign Jada Kent as Project Manager. The Project Manager shall not
be removed from the Project or reassigned without the prior written consent of the City.
19. Limitation of Agreement.
This Agreement is limited to and includes only the work included in the Project
described above.
20. Notice
Any notice or instrument required to be given or delivered by this Agreement may be
given or delivered by depositing the same in any United States Post Office, certified mail,
return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to:
CITY:
City of Arcadia
240 West Huntington Drive
Arcadia, CA 91066
CONSULTANT:
Baker Tilly US, LLP
205 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60601
12
Updated Feb. 2020
Attn: Sairy Stepanian, Human Resources
and shall be effective upon receipt thereof.
21. Third Party Rights
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give any rights or benefits to anyone
other than the City and the Consultant.
22. Equal Opportunity Employment.
Consultant represents that it is an equal opportunity employer and that it shall not
discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion,
color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age or other interests protected by the State or Federal
Constitutions. Such non-discrimination shall include, but not be limited to, all activities
related to initial employment, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment
advertising, layoff or termination.
23. Entire Agreement
This Agreement, with its exhibits, represents the entire understanding of City and
Consultant as to those matters contained herein, and supersedes and cancels any prior or
contemporaneous oral or written understanding, promises or representations with respect
to those matters covered hereunder. Each party acknowledges that no representations,
inducements, promises or agreements have been made by any person which are not
incorporated herein, and that any other agreements shall be void. This Agreement may not
be modified or altered except in writing signed by both Parties hereto. This is an integrated
Agreement.
24. Severability
The unenforceability, invalidity or illegality of any provision(s) of this Agreement shall
not render the provisions unenforceable, invalid or illegal.
25. Successors and Assigns
This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the successors
in interest, executors, administrators and assigns of each party to this Agreement. However,
Consultant shall not assign or transfer by operation of law or otherwise any or all of its rights,
burdens, duties or obligations without the prior written consent of City. Any attempted
assignment without such consent shall be invalid and void.
26. Non-Waiver
13
Updated Feb. 2020
None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be considered waived by either party,
unless such waiver is specifically specified in writing.
27. Time of Essence
Time is of the essence for each and every provision of this Agreement.
28. City’s Right to Employ Other Consultants
City reserves its right to employ other consultants, including engineers, in connection
with this Project or other projects.
29. Prohibited Interests
Consultant maintains and warrants that it has not employed nor retained any
company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely for Consultant, to solicit
or secure this Agreement. Further, Consultant warrants that it has not paid nor has it agreed
to pay any company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely for
Consultant, any fee, commission, percentage, brokerage fee, gift or other consideration
contingent upon or resulting from the award or making of this Agreement. For breach or
violation of this warranty, City shall have the right to rescind this Agreement without liability.
For the term of this Agreement, no director, official, officer or employee of City, during the
term of his or her service with City, shall have any direct interest in this Agreement, or obtain
any present or anticipated material benefit arising therefrom.
[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]
14
Updated Feb. 2020
SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE CITY OF ARCADIA
AND BAKER TILLY US, LLP
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first
written above.
CITY OF ARCADIA BAKER TILLY US, LLP
By: By:
Dominic Lazzaretto Signature
City Manager
Date: Its:
ATTEST: Printed Name
By: Date:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM By:
Signature
By: Its:
Michael Maurer
City Attorney
Printed Name
15
Updated Feb. 2020
EXHIBIT A
Scope of Services
16
Updated Feb. 2020
EXHIBIT B
Schedule of Charges/Payments
Consultant will invoice City on a monthly cycle. Consultant will include with each invoice a
detailed progress report that indicates the amount of budget spent on each task. Consultant
will inform City regarding any out-of-scope work being performed by Consultant. This is a
time-and-materials contract.
17
Updated Feb. 2020
EXHIBIT C
Activity Schedule
18
Updated Feb. 2020
1
August 24, 2026
City of Arcadia, CA
Proposal to conduct an informational total
compensation study
To conquer a challenging landscape, you have to understand it.
Explore total compensation solutions that check all the boxes on
the way to addressing the needs of your community.
2
Executive Summary
Baker Tilly appreciates the opportunity to provide the City of Arcadia with a tailored approach to its Total
Compensation Study. Through our extensive experience providing human resources consulting services
to public sector clients nationwide, we are well qualified to assist the City in evaluating its current
compensation program and developing recommendations that support internal equity, external
competitiveness and the City’s ability to attract and retain qualified talent.
Our team has been providing human resources and management consulting services for more than 30
years and has conducted hundreds of compensation studies for state and local government
organizations. Our specific experience includes pay and benefits market studies across the State of
California, pay structure design, compensation plan implementation, job evaluation and analysis, and pay
policy and practices. Baker Tilly’s public sector focus means the City will be served by professionals who
understand the unique compensation, benefits and workforce considerations facing governmental
organizations in your region.
For the City of Arcadia, Baker Tilly will conduct a comprehensive review of the City’s compensation
program, including base salary, special pays and benefits. We will work with the City to establish
appropriate public peer organizations, collect and analyze market data, evaluate the competitiveness of
the City’s current salary ranges and benefits offerings, identify potential pay compression or compaction
issues, and provide options for appropriate wage and salary ranges. Our benefits comparison will include
employer-paid retirement contributions, longevity and certification pay, educational incentives, specialty
and standby/call-back pay, insurance contributions and leave benefits to support a complete analysis of
total compensation.
Our approach is highly collaborative. We will work closely with the City’s project team throughout the
engagement to establish the project plan, collect and review necessary information, evaluate preliminary
results and confirm the direction of the study. Our recommendations will be data-driven, and our quality
assurance protocols are designed to safeguard the integrity of the market data and analysis. Baker Tilly
takes pride in providing sound results and recommendations that are fair, defensible and practical for the
organizations we serve.
The City will also benefit from Baker Tilly’s experience serving California public agencies, including recent
work for the cities of Laguna Beach, Hollister, Paso Robles, Vernon and other California organizations, as
well as our familiarity with public safety positions and CalPERS-related considerations. Our Southern
California offices provide a local presence, while our national compensation practice gives the City access
to experienced compensation professionals and resources from across the firm.
We look forward to partnering with the City of Arcadia to provide a reliable and comprehensive
assessment of its total compensation program and practical recommendations that align with the City’s
organizational needs, market conditions, budget and long-term workforce objectives. If you have any
questions or require additional information, please contact me by phone at +1 (972) 748 0514 or via email
at jada.kent@bakertilly.com.
Sincerely,
Jada Kent, CCP, CLRP, Managing Director | Practice Leader
+1 (940) 748 0514 | jada.kent@bakertilly.com
3
Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................. 2
STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING ......................................................................... 4
ABOUT BAKER TILLY ............................................................................................... 4
OUR TEAM ................................................................................................................ 6
OUR EXPERIENCE .................................................................................................... 9
DEMONSTRATING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOWN THIS PATH BEFORE ..................... 14
SERVICE APPROACH ............................................................................................. 15
PROVIDING OUR SOLUTION TO ACHIEVE THE CITY’S OBJECTIVES .................. 15
Phase 1 – Project Initiation & Current State Review .......................................................................................... 15
Phase 2 – Total Compensation Market Study .................................................................................................... 16
Phase 3 – Compression Analysis, Cost Modeling & Administration ................................................................. 19
Phase 4 – Project Completion ............................................................................................................................. 20
EXPLAINING THE CITY’S RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................... 20
PROJECT TIMELINE ............................................................................................... 21
PROJECT FEE ......................................................................................................... 22
OUR PROMISE ........................................................................................................ 24
PROPOSED CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS ............................................................. 25
4
Statement of Understanding
Baker Tilly understands that the City of Arcadia is seeking an informational total compensation study that
evaluates base salary, special pays and benefits; assesses internal and external equity; identifies
potential pay compression; and provides appropriate wage/salary range options for City positions. Our
proposed scope and methodology have been developed to address these objectives and the
requirements set forth in the City's RFP. Baker Tilly believes it is well qualified to perform these services
based on our extensive experience conducting compensation and total rewards studies for California
municipal organizations, including our experience with CalPERS and public safety positions.
Baker Tilly confirms that this proposal constitutes a firm and irrevocable offer, subject to specific
requested modifications to the City's Professional Services Agreement as identified in this proposal.
About Baker Tilly
We are a top-ten advisory, tax and assurance firm dedicated to customized business solutions that
generate and sustain growth. We lead with purpose and walk with you every step of your journey.
What We
Stand For
Forward is the only direction we know.
• Protecting your value means helping you navigate regulatory requirements,
identifying and mitigating risk, and improving the way you work.
• We make your business our business — and we’re alongside you through the
crests and valleys.
Who We Are Passionate. Curious. Driven.
• Our professionals, who hail from coast to coast and around the world, bring
diverse perspectives, experiences and points of view to help you discover
what’s possible.
• As Value Architects™, we draw upon our natural sense of curiosity to uncover
new opportunities with our clients and build new blueprints for success.
Our Journey Honoring our roots. Shaping our future.
• Our firm was born in 1931 in Waterloo, Wisconsin, at the height of the Great
Depression. Ed Virchow started our business by providing audits to the
Midwestern canning companies that helped feed our nation.
• Since then, we have combined with more than 50 different firms, growing our
presence coast to coast and internationally.
• Our journey has taken us from a local to a regional to a global firm — building
on our culture of passion, innovation and collaboration and always searching
for the next best way to work, serve and connect.
On June 3, 2025, Baker Tilly and Moss Adams combined to redefine advisory and accounting services for
our clients. Our unified firm operates under the Baker Tilly name, forming a leading firm positioned to help
the middle market navigate an increasingly complex environment. Our combination multiplies the value
we can deliver through a shared people-first culture, client-centric service model and steadfast
commitment to quality. We didn’t merge to be bigger. We merged to be better.
5
Industry & Service Specialization
We’ve been advising public sector organizations for 90+ years and are one of the few advisory, tax and
assurance firms with a practice dedicated entirely to serving governmental clients.
Unlike many other firms, Baker Tilly is organized by sector, not service line. What does this mean for your
organization? It means you will be served by a government-focused team of professionals with
specialized skills and experience in the services provided. Nationwide, our public sector practice includes
more than 350 professionals providing services for more than 4,200 state and local government entities.
Further, Baker Tilly has been providing human resources and management consulting services for more
than 30 years.1 Our specific compensation-related services include:
• Compensation plan implementation
• Employee opinion survey
• Employee pay equity testing (gender,
race, and age)
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) review
• Job architecture / career ladder
development
• Job description development
• Job evaluation and analysis
• Pay and benefits market studies
• Pay equity compliance
• Pay policy and practices
• Pay structure design
• Performance management
While our practice has evolved over the years to stay aligned with trends and regulations, it has always
remained focused on serving public sector clients. Here are some examples of the types of organizations
we commonly work with:
• State, county, or municipal
• Bridge, tunnel, or tollway
• Education (K-12, higher education,
libraries)
• Healthcare (health, hospital)
• Housing or community development
• Not-for-profit
• Parks and recreation
• Public safety (fire protection, emergency
services, corrections)
• Transportation (airport, mass transit,
parking, port)
• Tribal government
• Utilities (electric, gas, sewer, solid
waste, water)
1 Prior to our combination with Baker Tilly in 2019, our team provided human resources-related services as Springsted Inc. (based in
Minnesota) and as Waters Consulting (based in Texas) prior to 2014.
6
Our Team
Baker Tilly’s public sector compensation practice operates as an integrated national team, allowing us to
assemble professionals based on the expertise and experience best suited to each engagement. Our
team routinely serves public sector clients virtually across the country and will be available for on-site
meetings and presentations in Arcadia as needed.
Madeline Scott (Manager) will serve as Project Manager and the City’s primary point of contact,
coordinating the Baker Tilly team, maintaining regular communication with Human Resources and
monitoring project progress. Below is more information on our compensation professionals:
Jada Kent, CCP, CLRP | Managing Director
Jada leads the compensation consulting practice within Baker Tilly’s public sector
advisory group and has been with the firm since 2015. She has more than 10 years
of experience providing consulting services to local governments nationwide. Jada
is focused on providing a variety of services related to job classification, base pay
market analysis, pay plan development, FLSA review, benefits comparative
analysis, pay policy recommendations, compensation philosophy design, and
strategic compensation communication and change management. She has earned
a Master of Legal Studies from Texas A&M School of Law and a Master of Public
Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is a member of the North Texas
Compensation Association, a Certified Compensation Professional, and a Certified
Labor Relations Professional through National PELRA.
Jessie Lenhardt, PMP | Senior Manager
Jessie specializes in helping clients in the public sector achieve their organizational
development goals. Her experience includes strategic planning, succession
planning, process enhancement, evaluations of organizational and operational
efficiency, compensation benchmarking, and assessments of structure and staffing.
Jessie's approach is grounded in a deep understanding of the dynamics that shape
effective organizations, and she brings a unique blend of strategic thinking and
operational acumen to each engagement. She holds a Master’s in organizational
leadership from Gonzaga University, is a Project Management Professional (PMP),
and is in progress to obtain a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)
designation.
Sarah Towne, CCA | Senior Manager
Sarah is a senior manager with a background in higher education, local
government and human resources management. Sarah is experienced in leading
classification and compensation projects, including job evaluation, compensation
benchmarking, pay structure design, career ladder development, FLSA review,
benefits and total compensation analysis, implementation strategy, job descriptions,
and pay policy development. Sarah has additionally served as an adjunct faculty
member and course coordinator for the online MPA program at the University of
North Carolina’s School of Government for 10 years. She is a member of the
Southeastern Conference for Public Administration and has served on the
Personnel Administration and Labor Relations board of the American Society for
Public Administration. She earned a Master of Public Administration from
Appalachian State University and pursued her doctoral studies in Public
Administration at American University in Washington, DC. Sarah is a Certified
Compensation Analyst (CCA) from the Compensation Analyst Academy.
7
Emily Hayes, CIA | Manager
Emily has more than 14 years of experience in a diverse range of roles delivering a
broad array of consulting, internal audit and in-depth research services. Her
passion is helping clients identify, evaluate and implement opportunities for
improvement through strategic, operational and risk management consulting
services. Emily’s background in research and information management drives her
commitment to connecting clients with meaningful, actionable information in every
engagement. Emily has led the delivery of targeted research and analysis services,
including financial, operational and compensation benchmarking; economic,
industry and market analysis; the development and administration of surveys; and
the development and tracking of performance measures. She holds a Master in
Information Science from the University of Washington and is a Certified Internal
Auditor.
Madeline Scott, CCP | Manager
Madeline brings a decade of experience in data analysis, human resources and
compensation in the public sector. For the State of Colorado, she led a high-
performing compensation team responsible for daily operations, executive
compensation and strategic initiatives that advanced pay equity and transparency
in her agency. Her work included leading agency-wide pay equity audits,
developing data-driven compensation systems and ensuring compliance with
overlapping laws, rules and regulations. Madeline has managed complex
compensation strategy and process innovations, including implementing HR data
systems to streamline equitable pay decisions. She is recognized for developing
inclusive systems that foster transparency and informed decision making. At Baker
Tilly, Madeline collaborates closely with clients to design tailored solutions
grounded in data, compliance and best practices aligned with each organization’s
mission and values. She earned a Master's of Infrastructure Planning &
Management, a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Washington
and is a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).
Marti Gregory, CCA | Senior Consultant
Marti is a consultant with a background in local government and higher education.
She has over 7 years of experience in human resources, with a focus on public
sector recruitment and selection. Marti provides project support by facilitating the
employee questionnaire process, conducting job evaluation, developing job
descriptions, conducting pay and benefits surveys, and related project reporting.
Prior to joining Baker Tilly, Marti was a human resources analyst for the City of
Pasadena. Additionally, Marti has served in human resources roles for MiraCosta
Community College and the Anaheim Union High School District. Marti earned a
Bachelor in Economics from Spelman College, a Master of Arts in Management
from Wake Forest University and is a Certified Compensation Analyst (CCA) from
the Compensation Analyst Academy.
8
Thomas Patton, CCA | Senior Consultant
Thomas is a senior consultant with a background in human resources management
and development, possessing more than 6 years of experience in providing
classification and compensation services to local government organizations.
Thomas serves as a project lead, responsible for managing projects from initiation
to conclusion. He specializes in conducting job analysis and point-factor evaluation
and provides training to clients to maintain their classification and compensation
plans using our SAFE methodology. Thomas is experienced with MN Local
Government Pay Equity requirements and the corresponding reporting. He is
further experienced in reviewing FLSA designations and developing job
descriptions and career ladders. Thomas earned a Bachelor of Science in Human
Resources Development from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, is a Certified
Compensation Analyst (CCA) from the Compensation Analyst Academy and is in
progress toward obtaining the Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)
designation.
Daniel Tejada | Consultant
Daniel is a compensation consultant on the public sector advisory team with more
than 3 years of experience providing compensation consulting to local
governments. Before joining Baker Tilly, Daniel worked as a human resources data
analyst providing compensation and benefits consulting services across multiple
industries. Daniel provides project support by conducting job evaluation, facilitating
pay and benefits surveys, developing job descriptions and career ladders, and
related project reporting. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from
Florida State University.
Anna Yin | Consultant
Anna is a compensation consultant at Baker Tilly, specializing in data-driven
compensation strategies for public sector clients. She advises municipalities,
government agencies and public organizations on job evaluation, market
assessment and pay structure design. Anna brings prior experience from two other
consulting firms, where she contributed to compensation projects across various
industries. She holds a Bachelor of Economics and Psychology from New York
University, with a minor in Business Studies from the Stern School of Business.
9
Our Experience
Our team has conducted hundreds of similar studies nationwide over the last 35 years, resulting in
successful implementations in state and local governments of all sizes. More specifically, we’ve
conducted over 700 compensation projects since 2009 alone, and your organization will benefit from our
experience in delivering high-value compensation services.
Listing our similar projects
The following is a sample of organizations we have provided compensation services to over the last few
years. We realize the list is lengthy, but so is our experience working with organizations that are very
similar to and very different from yours. We hope you will trust that our extensive experience means we’ve
seen and solved our share of challenges and can assist you and your organization through this study and
any challenges you may also be facing.
SAMPLE OF RELEVANT PROJECTS: PRESENT — 2023
Year Client State Project Pop.
Pending Berkeley CA Class & comp study 121,749
Pending Des Plaines IL Class & comp study 60,675
Pending New Brighton MN Class & comp study 23,454
Pending Sunnyvale TX Class & comp study 7,893
Current Allegheny County PA Class & comp study 1,225,000
Current Buncombe County NC Class & comp study 269,452
Current Cape Coral FL Class & comp study 236,264
Current Casper/Natrona Co. Int. Airport WY Class & comp study 80,000
Current Columbus Utilities IN Market study 50,474
Current Dinwiddie Co. Public Schools VA Class & comp study 28,576
Current Foothills Regional Housing CO Class & comp study 582,910
Current Hillsborough County FL Class & comp study 1,630,000
Current Hutchinson Utilities Commission MN Class & comp study 5,500
Current Johnson County IA Class & comp study 160,080
Current Kings Mountain NC Class & comp study 11,142
Current Madison WI Class & comp study 269,196
Current Merrillville IN Class & comp study 36,347
Current North Texas Tollway Authority TX Class & comp study 14,000,000
Current Orland Park IL Class & comp study 58,703
Current Peach Tree Health CA Class & comp study 41,000
Current Proviso Township High School District IL Class & comp study 4,493
Current Sachse TX Pay for performance 32,294
Current South Bend IN Market study 103,201
Current Summit County CO Class & comp study 30,880
Current Wayzata MN Class & comp study 4,252
2026 Alamance County NC Class & comp study, Part 2 173,877
2026 Bemidji MN Class & comp study 15,743
2026 Churchill County NV Class & comp study 26,033
10
SAMPLE OF RELEVANT PROJECTS: PRESENT — 2023
Year Client State Project Pop.
2026 Garner NC Class & comp study 39,345
2026 Gatesville TX Job descriptions 16,135
2026 Hillsborough Co Aviation Authority FL Class & comp study, Part 2 8,400,000
2026 Laguna Beach CA Class & comp study 23,032
2026 Le Sueur County, MN MN Market study 28,674
2026 Loren Parks Memorial Foundation OR Executive compensation
2026 Natrona County WY Class & comp study 80,777
2026 New Carlisle IN Class & comp study 1,910
2026 Onalaska WI Class & comp study 20,200
2026 Ottawa County MI Class & comp study 306,240
2026 Sauk Rapids MN Class & comp study 13,896
2026 Thibodaux LA Market study 15,948
2026 Vivent Health WI Executive compensation 17,000
2026 Wake Forest NC Class & comp study, Part 2 49,657
2026 West Lafayette IN Class & comp study 45,060
2025 Auburn IN Class & comp study 13,410
2025 Beltrami County MN Class & comp study 46,799
2025 Bexar County Deputy Sheriffs Assn TX Market study 1,990,000
2025 Bloomington MN Class & comp study 87,797
2025 Bloomington IN Pay Policy Review 79,170
2025 Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe SD Comp study 15,933
2025 Crystal MN Class & comp study 21,906
2025 Guilford County NC Compensation consulting 549,866
2025 Hillsborough Co Aviation Authority FL Class & comp study, Part 1 8,400,000
2025 Hollister CA Compensation study 44,218
2025 Huntington (Union) IN Market study 17,020
2025 Kansas City Police Department MO Class & comp study 508,394
2025 Kennewick WA Class & comp study 84,750
2025 King County Housing Authority WA Class & comp study 50,000
2025 Lake County IL Class & comp study 711,239
2025 LeSueur County MN Compensation study 29,255
2025 Maricopa County Sheriff's Office AZ Compensation study 4,615,909
2025 Medina County TX Class & comp study 53,723
2025 Middleton WI Class & comp study 21,830
2025 Mount Holly NC Class & comp study 18,170
2025 New Bern NC Comp consulting 32,226
2025 Pasco WA Class & comp study 78,871
2025 Pasco County Sheriff's Office FL Class & comp study 632,996
2025 Paso Robles CA Class & comp study 31,759
2025 Peach Tree Health CA Comp & class study 27,000
11
SAMPLE OF RELEVANT PROJECTS: PRESENT — 2023
Year Client State Project Pop.
2025 Pineville NC Class & comp study 10,866
2025 Port Arthur TX Market Study 56,040
2025 Roseville CA Career ladder development 159,135
2025 Sachse TX Class & comp study 32,294
2025 Savannah GA Class & comp study 148,566
2025 Seattle Housing Authority WA Class & comp study 780,995
2025 Sioux City IA Class & comp study 85,543
2025 St. Paul MN Class & comp study 303,176
2025 Thibodaux LA Pay Adjustment Study 15,950
2025 TOArts CA Comp benchmarking 50,000
2025 Ulster County NY Class & comp study 181,951
2025 Utah, State of UT Compensation study 3,417,734
2025 Utah, State of UT Title & comp audit 3,417,734
2025 Utah, State of UT Wage scales & career series 3,417,734
2025 Vernon CA Class & comp study 35,162
2025 Visit Pleasant Prairie WI Market study 21,901
2025 Waite Park MN Class & comp study 8,360
2025 Weber County UT Class & comp study 269,561
2025 Weld County CO Class & comp study 340,036
2025 Wolverine Human Services MI Executive compensation
2024 Alamance County NC Class & comp study, Part 1 173,877
2024 Apex NC Class & comp update 62,911
2024 ARRAY Alliance CA Comp benchmarking
2024 Burke County NC Class & comp study 87,611
2024 Columbus OH Compensation study 906,528
2024 Compton CA Class & comp study 95,740
2024 Douglas County NV Class & comp study 49,870
2024 Elk River Municipal Utility MN Class & comp study 27,340
2024 Franklin County NC Class & comp study 68,570
2024 Frederick MD Class & comp study 79,588
2024 Greensboro NC Pay equity study 298,236
2024 Hermantown MN Class & comp study 10,130
2024 Idaho National Laboratory ID Comp MFC USW data 2,062,610
2024 Miami FL Compensation study 305,756
2024 Milwaukee Metro Sewer District WI Class & comp study 563,531
2024 Mono County CA Class & comp study 13,247
2024 Morehead City NC Class & comp study 9,857
2024 New Mexico, State of, Law Offices of
the Public Defender NM Hourly rate study 2,130,256
2024 Newark CA Reclassification Review 47,530
12
SAMPLE OF RELEVANT PROJECTS: PRESENT — 2023
Year Client State Project Pop.
2024 North Las Vegas NV Class & comp study 247,248
2024 Oregon Public Defense Commission OR Salary study 4,272,371
2024 Pierce Township OH Compensation study 15,100
2024 Pinellas County Sheriff's Department FL Class & comp study 959,107
2024 Red Wing MN Class & comp study 16,550
2024 Richfield MN Class & comp study 36,527
2024 Saginaw TX Class & comp study 24,011
2024 Salt River Community Gaming
Enterprises AZ Comp benchmarking 7,382
2024 Seattle Housing Authority WA Class & comp study 780,995
2024 Shelbyville (Police & Fire) IN Compensation study 20,070
2024 Summit County CO Class & comp study 31,055
2024 Trinity River Authority TX Class & comp study 1,861,247
2024 Truckee Donner Public Utility District CA Comp study 45,000
2024 Wake Forest, part 1 NC Compensation study 49,657
2023 Ashland KY Pay & class study 21,625
2023 Bemidji MN Market study 14,574
2023 Bexar County TX Class & comp study 1,990,000
2023 Clark County WA Class & comp study 511,404
2023 Eudora KS Pay & class study 6,408
2023 Fort Wayne IN Class & comp study 263,886
2023 Frederick Police Department MD Class & comp study 79,588
2023 Goshen IN Wage & benefits analysis 34,108
2023 Greene County VA Class & comp study 19,779
2023 Guadalupe County TX Class & comp study 177,036
2023 Harrisonburg VA Class & comp study 51,814
2023 Hernando County FL Classification study 200,638
2023 Laurinburg NC Class & comp study 15,118
2023 Marion IA Class & comp study 41,535
2023 Minnehaha Creek Watershed District MN Class & comp study 450,000
2023 Montgomery County TX Compensation study 607,391
2023 New Brighton MN Class & comp study 23,454
2023 Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe WA Council comp review 1,440
2023 Prince Edward County VA Comp consulting services 22,950
2023 Purcellville VA Class & comp study 8,929
2023 Rappahannock County VA Class & comp study 7,407
2023 Rockingham County VA Class & comp study 81,244
2023 RSW Regional Jail VA Class & comp study 130,000
2023 Salt River Community Gaming
Enterprises AZ Comp benchmarking 7,382
2023 Sampson County NC Class & comp study 58,990
13
SAMPLE OF RELEVANT PROJECTS: PRESENT — 2023
Year Client State Project Pop.
2023 San Diego Housing Authority CA Comp services 1,404,452
2023 Scott County VA Class & comp study 21,534
2023 St. Cloud HRA MN Class & comp study 500,000
2023 Stevens Point WI Class & comp study 25,670
2023 Victoria County TX Class & comp study 92,035
2023 Waite Park MN Market study 8,360
2023 Wayzata MN Market study 4,378
2023 West Valley Housing Authority OR Comp benchmarking 90,000
2023 Wheaton IL Classification study 53,970
2023 Woodstock VA Class & comp study 5,861
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Demonstrating that we've been down this path before
The experiences of our clients speak more to Baker Tilly’s capabilities than any proposal ever could.
That’s why we encourage you to talk with our clients. Here are a few individuals who welcome the
opportunity to share their Baker Tilly experience.
Each will give you an authentic perspective as you consider your own needs.
City of Laguna Beach, CA
Name &
Title
Robina Arora, Senior Human
Resources Analyst
Address 505 Forest Avenue
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone (949) 715-8606 Email rarora@lagunabeachcity.net
Services The City has approximately 324 employees across about 169 unique position titles. The
project included comprehensive job evaluation, a base pay market survey of 134
benchmark positions, and a benefits comparison. Baker Tilly developed five pay
structures (Police, Fire, Marine Safety, General, and Management) and three
implementation cost scenarios to support internal equity, market competitiveness, and
long-term administration of the compensation system.
City of Paso Robles, CA
Name &
Title
Shannon Foutz, Human
Resources/Risk Manager
Address 1000 Spring Street
Paso Robles, CA 93446
Phone (805) 237-3962 Email SFoutz@prcity.com
Services The City has approximately 286 employees across 112 position titles. The project
included comprehensive job evaluation, a base pay market survey, FLSA review, and a
comparison of peer benefits and pay practices. Baker Tilly developed a consolidated 25-
grade pay plan and three implementation cost scenarios designed to support internal
equity, external competitiveness, and sustainable administration of the City’s
compensation system.
Town of Wake Forest, NC
Name &
Title
Angela McCray, Human
Resources Director
Address 301 S. Brooks St.
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Phone (919) 435-9491 Email amccray@wakeforestnc.gov
Services The Town has approximately 340 employees across more than 160 positions. The project
included comprehensive job evaluation and a base pay market survey. Baker Tilly
developed four pay structures (Police, Fire, Electric-Util, and General) and implementation
cost scenarios to support continued market competitiveness and internal equity. Baker
Tilly conducts a rotating review of approximately one third of the Town's position
classifications each year as part of a three-year compensation maintenance cycle.
PROVIDING VALUABLE PERSPECTIVES FROM CURRENT CLIENTS
At Baker Tilly, relationships matter. Our team has a record of successfully enhancing
and protecting similar clients’ goals — resulting in experience-based insights for the City.
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Service approach
Providing our solution to achieve the City’s objectives
The following pages outline our methodology and proposed project scope for the City’s Total
Compensation Study. Our team of Certified Compensation Professionals developed Baker Tilly’s
approach and project tools. We take pride in our ability to provide your organization with sound results
and recommendations that, if implemented, are fair and defensible.
We are confident that you will find our assertions substantiated by the information presented in this
proposal and the comments provided by our references. We look forward to a successful and lasting
relationship.
Phase 1 – Project Initiation & Current State Review
• Project Planning. Baker Tilly will meet with the City’s project team to confirm project objectives,
finalize the work plan and establish the project schedule. Regular status communication with Human
Resources will continue throughout the engagement.
• Data collection. Baker Tilly will collect documentation from your organization such as job
descriptions, organization charts, salary and benefit schedules, the Fringe Benefits Resolution, the
memoranda of understanding for each of the City’s five bargaining groups (ACEA, AFFA, APCEA,
APOA and APWEA), and an employee census file. Current job descriptions will serve as our
understanding of each position in the study.
• Current State. We will review the City’s existing job descriptions and compensation system to
understand position duties and responsibilities, organizational relationships, and the current salary
and benefit structure. This information will provide the foundation for market matching and
consideration of internal equity throughout the study.
• Communication Meetings. In addition to project team meetings, Baker Tilly will also conduct
leadership and employee information meetings to introduce our team and the project process and
answer questions about the project. We will also distribute a department head questionnaire to your
leadership team and, if necessary, meet 1-on-1 or in groups to get additional information about any
specific classification and compensation challenges in their area.
• Job Evaluation. Job evaluation involves assessing and comparing positions within an organization to
determine their relative value. We can utilize your existing job evaluation process or implement our
own. Baker Tilly has a proprietary point-factor job evaluation system called SAFE® (Systematic
Analysis and Factor Evaluation), which was designed specifically to measure public sector roles. This
method assigns point values across multiple levels for each compensable factor (shown below),
resulting in a total score that reflects the internal equity of each position.
o SAFE supports the development of a fair and consistent job hierarchy, aligning with the
requirements of the federal Equal Pay Act. Results will be reviewed and finalized with your
organization’s project team to establish job hierarchy.
Our process is highly collaborative and requires the participation of our clients. We want to leave
the City of Arcadia with a total compensation analysis that will assist in achieving
your compensation philosophy, attract and retain qualified workers, and align with
your organizational needs. To achieve this, we need your input along the way. We encourage
organizations that are interested in collaborating with Baker Tilly on such a study
to be prepared for an inclusive process.
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Nine Compensable Factors Measured by SAFE
Compensable Factors Weight Description / Measurement
Education 16% Minimum formal education level required by the position
Experience 12% Minimum years of experience required by the position
Level of Work 14% Degree of difficulty of work performed by the position
Human Relations 8% Type and level of human interactions
Physical Demands 5% Physical exertion performed by the position
Working Conditions 7% Environmental conditions experienced by the position
Independence to act 12% Degree of independence to make decisions and act on them
Impact of actions 14% Severity of consequences as a result of decisions
Supervision exercised 14% Type and level of supervision exercised
Phase 2 – Total Compensation Market Study
• Benchmark Positions. Baker Tilly will review the City’s position titles and identify a sample to be
benchmarked in the market survey. Benchmarks are typically the most common and recognizable
positions and, therefore, are most likely to yield higher quality and quantity matches. We will work
with you to ensure the sample includes every level of the organization, most populated titles, law
enforcement, and leadership roles necessary to achieve the best results.
• Public Peer Organizations. Baker Tilly will work with your organization to establish a list of
comparable peer organizations to include in the study. Generally, these organizations will be similar in
size and the services they provide, and they will have similar roles. These organizations are often
those from which you lose employees or gain new ones; however, it may be necessary to consider
public peer organizations similar in size and services but located outside the immediate geographic
area. Consistent with the RFP, the survey will include up to 14 comparable regional public agencies
impacting the Arcadia labor market, confirmed with Human Resources during Phase 1.
o To represent the private sector in the dataset, we may utilize pay data from the following
survey sources, as desired: CompAnalyst, Economic Research Institute (ERI), the Bureau of
Labor Statistics, and/or Pay Factors.
• Quality Control. Baker Tilly will review and validate survey data to confirm 75% overlap in duties and
responsibilities, as this is the accepted best definition of a “good” match. Additionally, we require at
least 3 matches per benchmark position to determine market value.
• Data Adjustments. Adjustments may be applied to establish consistency in market data comparison;
to include adjustments for differences in workweek hours, aging the data if it’s not for the current fiscal
year, and cost of labor adjustments by geography. Controlling these elements means you can trust
the accuracy of the data result.
• Market Reports. Baker Tilly will deliver two market reports: 1) demonstrating an aggregate of the
market minimum, midpoint and maximum for each benchmark and 2) a comparison of your
organization’s current ranges to the market range. Sample shown below.
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Sample market results
Sample range comparison
• Benefits Comparison. We will conduct a comprehensive benefits and special pay survey of
comparable peer organizations, including employer-paid retirement contributions, longevity pay,
certification pay, educational incentives, specialty pay, standby/call-back pay, employer-paid medical,
dental, vision, life and disability insurance contributions, and leave benefits such as holiday, sick and
vacation leave. Results will be compiled and compared to the City’s current offerings to assess the
market competitiveness and value of its benefits package and support an overall analysis of total
compensation. Retirement comparisons will address CalPERS classic and PEPRA tiers, employer-
paid member contributions and cost-sharing arrangements, so that retirement value is compared on a
like-for-like basis across peers.
#Department Benchmark Title Matches Average
Minimum
Average
Midpoint
Average
Maximum Spread
1 Administration City Administrator 7 115,638.95 135,998.75 149,182.14 29%
2 Administration City Clerk 5 64,417.15 73,749.84 83,082.52 29%
3 Building Inspections Building Official 10 71,421.18 84,443.23 97,465.28 36%
4 Communications Director of Communications & Community Engagment 4 75,859.29 94,214.87 112,570.45 48%
5 Community Developmen Director of Community Development 11 83,597.87 98,177.72 112,757.57 35%
6 Finance & Admin Accountant 9 62,014.07 74,704.62 87,395.16 41%
7 Finance & Admin Accountant Clerk 11 46,745.78 55,492.67 62,704.34 34%
8 Finance & Admin Administrative Assistant 8 42,700.57 50,210.81 57,721.05 35%
9 Finance & Admin Director of Finance and Administration 12 101,431.02 125,245.91 149,060.81 47%
10 Finance & Admin Utility Billing Clerk 12 47,940.98 55,911.35 63,419.80 32%
11 Public Safety Deputy Fire Chief 5 68,562.00 85,194.52 88,254.95 29%
12 Public Safety Fire Inspector/Training Officer 3 62,918.03 72,923.67 82,462.43 31%
13 Public Safety Chief of Police 6 95,766.90 109,930.07 124,093.23 30%
14 Public Safety Lead Police Records Technician 5 45,229.72 54,262.68 63,295.64 40%
15 Public Safety Police Commander 6 81,181.10 92,218.43 103,255.76 27%
16 Public Safety Police Officer 10 61,842.82 72,068.24 82,293.67 33%
17 Public Safety Police Records Technician 12 43,707.88 51,911.91 58,545.26 34%
18 Public Safety Police Sergeant 9 72,902.07 86,154.45 98,016.13 34%
19 Public Safety Property Technician Law Enforce Secretary 7 45,901.72 53,991.18 62,080.64 35%
20 Public Works Building Maintenance Worker 10 43,847.18 51,822.67 59,798.16 36%
21 Public Works Public Works Director 6 98,811.71 110,837.51 122,863.31 24%
22 Public Works Utility Maintenance Worker 11 48,805.31 57,783.96 66,620.71 37%
23 Utilties Director of Utilities & Infrastructure 5 97,574.80 115,101.46 132,628.12 36%
#Department Benchmark Title Matches Average
Minimum
Average
Midpoint
Average
Maximum
Current
Minimum
+/-
Market
Current
Midpoint
+/-
Market
Current
Maximum
+/-
Market
1 Finance & Admin Administrative Assistant 8 42,700.57 50,210.81 57,721.05 43,368.00 1.6%48,287.20 -3.8%53,206.40 -7.8%
2 Finance & Admin Accountant Clerk 11 46,745.78 55,492.67 62,704.34 47,236.80 1.1%52,759.20 -4.9%58,281.60 -7.1%
3 Public Safety Police Records Technician 12 43,707.88 51,911.91 58,545.26 47,236.80 8.1%52,759.20 1.6%58,281.60 -0.5%
4 Finance & Admin Utility Billing Clerk 12 47,940.98 55,911.35 63,419.80 50,440.00 5.2%56,472.00 1.0%62,504.00 -1.4%
5 Public Safety Lead Police Records Technician 5 45,229.72 54,262.68 63,295.64 50,440.00 11.5%56,472.00 4.1%62,504.00 -1.3%
6 Public Safety Property Technician Law Enforce Secretary 7 45,901.72 53,991.18 62,080.64 50,440.00 9.9%56,472.00 4.6%62,504.00 0.7%
7 Public Works Building Maintenance Worker 10 43,847.18 51,822.67 59,798.16 54,412.80 24.1%60,569.60 16.9%66,726.40 11.6%
8 Public Works Utility Maintenance Worker 11 48,805.31 57,783.96 66,620.71 54,412.80 11.5%60,569.60 4.8%66,726.40 0.2%
9 Administration City Clerk 5 64,417.15 73,749.84 83,082.52 62,234.63 -3.4%70,707.23 -4.1%79,179.83 -4.7%
10 Public Safety Police Officer 10 61,842.82 72,068.24 82,293.67 64,500.80 4.3%71,895.20 -0.2%79,289.60 -3.7%
11 Finance & Admin Accountant 9 62,014.07 74,704.62 87,395.16 71,252.44 14.9%80,952.72 8.4%90,653.00 3.7%
12 Building Inspections Building Official 10 71,421.18 84,443.23 97,465.28 76,240.11 6.7%86,619.41 2.6%96,998.71 -0.5%
13 Public Safety Fire Inspector/Training Officer 3 62,918.03 72,923.67 82,462.43 76,240.11 21.2%86,619.41 18.8%96,998.71 17.6%
14 Public Safety Police Sergeant 9 72,902.07 86,154.45 98,016.13 84,739.20 16.2%87,755.20 1.9%90,771.20 -7.4%
15 Public Safety Police Commander 6 81,181.10 92,218.43 103,255.76 87,287.29 7.5%99,170.55 7.5%111,053.81 7.6%
16 Public Safety Deputy Fire Chief 5 68,562.00 85,194.52 88,254.95 87,287.29 27.3%99,170.55 16.4%111,053.81 25.8%
17 Communications Director of Communications & Community Engagment 4 75,859.29 94,214.87 112,570.45 93,397.41 23.1%106,112.49 12.6%118,827.58 5.6%
18 Community Development Director of Community Development 11 83,597.87 98,177.72 112,757.57 93,397.41 11.7%106,112.49 8.1%118,827.58 5.4%
19 Public Works Public Works Director 6 98,811.71 110,837.51 122,863.31 93,397.41 -5.5%106,112.49 -4.3%118,827.58 -3.3%
20 Utilties Director of Utilities & Infrastructure 5 97,574.80 115,101.46 132,628.12 93,397.41 -4.3%106,112.49 -7.8%118,827.58 -10.4%
21 Finance & Admin Director of Finance and Administration 12 101,431.02 125,245.91 149,060.81 106,930.68 5.4%121,488.18 -3.0%136,045.69 -8.7%
22 Public Safety Chief of Police 6 95,766.90 109,930.07 124,093.23 106,930.68 11.7%121,488.18 10.5%136,045.69 9.6%
23 Administration City Administrator 7 115,638.95 135,998.75 149,182.14 114,415.83 -1.1%129,992.36 -4.4%145,568.89 -2.4%
Average Min 9.1%Average Mid 3.8%Average Max 1.2%
Market City
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Sample comparisons
• Pay Strategy and Design. Baker Tilly will lead discussions about possible pay plan adjustments and
an approach for recalibrating grade assignments. The purpose of this task is to ensure your
compensation philosophy goals are able to be achieved through the design of your pay structure.
Samples of different pay structures are shown below.
Sample Pay Structures
• Grade Assignments. Once the pay structures are finalized, positions will be assigned to appropriate
pay grades using a combination of internal job evaluation scores from the SAFE system and external
market data. To confirm the design of the pay structure and test for anomalies or outliers by position,
Baker Tilly will apply a regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between internal and external
data and understand the natural distribution of jobs. Example shown below.
Grade 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mid Diff Spread
1 $50,000 $52,500 $55,125 $57,881 $60,775 $63,814 $67,005 34%
2 $54,000 $56,700 $59,535 $62,512 $65,637 $68,919 $72,365 8.0%34%
3 $58,320 $61,236 $64,298 $67,513 $70,888 $74,433 $78,154 8.0%34%
4 $62,986 $66,135 $69,442 $72,914 $76,559 $80,387 $84,407 8.0%34%
5 $68,024 $71,426 $74,997 $78,747 $82,684 $86,818 $91,159 8.0%34%
Grade Minimum Midpoint Maximum Mid Diff Spread
1 $50,000 $57,881 $67,005 34%
2 $54,000 $62,512 $72,365 8.0%34%
3 $58,320 $67,513 $78,154 8.0%34%
4 $62,986 $72,914 $84,407 8.0%34%
5 $68,024 $78,747 $91,159 8.0%34%
Grade 1 2 3 4 Maximum Mid Diff Spread
1 $50,000 $52,500 $55,125 $57,881 $72,352 45%
2 $54,000 $56,700 $59,535 $62,512 $78,140 8.0%45%
3 $58,320 $61,236 $64,298 $67,513 $84,391 8.0%45%
4 $62,986 $66,135 $69,442 $72,914 $91,142 8.0%45%
5 $68,024 $71,426 $74,997 $78,747 $98,434 8.0%45%
St
e
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Op
e
n
Hy
b
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i
d
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o Preliminary grade assignments will be reviewed with your organization’s project team, and
Baker Tilly may also recommend a broader review with department heads to gather additional
input before finalizing the assignments.
Sample regression analysis
Phase 3 – Compression Analysis, Cost Modeling & Administration
• Pay Compression and Compaction Analysis. Baker Tilly will test the City’s current and proposed
structures for pay compression and compaction between employees and supervisors and between
adjacent grades, including the safety series, and will report the positions and relationships where
compression is present together with options for resolving it.
• Employee Allocation and Cost Modeling. To this point, the study has focused entirely on the
position. In this step, we will shift focus to employees, and Baker Tilly will work with your organization
to appropriately allocate each employee to a title and grade established within the proposed pay plan.
Next, Baker Tilly will prepare three scenarios for your organization modeling the estimated cost to
implementation of the proposed plan. These scenarios are intended to define a consistent approach
for adjusting employee salaries relative to the newly defined pay range for their position. Common
scenarios include 1) the minimum action needed to adopt the plan, 2) an approach that mimics an
across-the-board adjustment and 3) an approach that addresses pay compression.
Sample Implementation Cost Analysis
20
• Administration Guidelines. Changes to the City’s compensation system may impact its current pay-
related policies and practices. We will provide guidance for new or updated policies aligned with best
practices, including standard guidance for general and market/COLA increases as well as employee
placement upon hire, promotion, and reclassification.
o A more in-depth and tailored pay policy review and recommendations report can be provided
as an additional service, if desired.
• Communication Plan. To prepare for implementation, we will provide the City with the tools it needs
to communicate the new plan to employees. This includes a draft of the final presentation, Frequently
Asked Questions to be distributed organization-wide, implementation examples to help employees
understand the impact to their pay, as well as a guideline to any policy changes.
Phase 4 – Project Completion
• Final Documentation. Baker Tilly will deliver final documentation summarizing the methodology
used, key findings and recommendations tailored to your organization. We understand this is a public
facing document and, therefore, it will focus on position-level outcomes and will not include individual
employee data.
• Final Communication. We will provide up to two presentations to explain the study’s findings and
recommendations. Typically these include a presentation to your organization’s elected officials as
well as an organization-wide presentation for all staff to learn about the results and ask questions.
Explaining the City’s responsibilities
Proper planning and collaboration are vital to ensure the efficient and successful execution of the City's
total compensation study. This section outlines the key responsibilities of both Baker Tilly and the City's
project team, focusing on ongoing maintenance, data collection and stakeholder engagement.
• Project team. We will work closely with your organization’s project team and recommend establishing
standing 15- to 30-minute bi-weekly meetings for the duration of the project. Furthermore, we may
request that your organization’s project team collaborate with us to schedule meetings with key
stakeholders and decision makers, thereby facilitating the successful completion of the study.
• Data collection. We will prepare a detailed data request outlining the necessary information to
perform these services. The data will be requested in a format compatible with our computer system
and project tools (Microsoft Excel and Word). We will examine the data for missing information and
consistency upon receipt.
• Job documentation. Consistent with the RFP, this scope and price rely on the City’s existing job
descriptions rather than online position analysis questionnaires. If a current description is unavailable
or materially out of date, Baker Tilly will work with the City’s project team to identify the appropriate
staff to confirm duties for that position.
• Salary and benefits data. Our ability to provide fair and defensible recommendations on pay depends
on the availability of that data. Baker Tilly may request your organization’s project team or leadership
to contribute to outreach efforts to collect necessary data from public peer organizations and keep the
project on schedule.
21
• Review of and feedback on preliminary results. We encourage clients to be involved in significant
decisions regarding preliminary results that will drive the study’s outcomes. However, we understand
that your commitment to providing uninterrupted support and services to the community must come
first, and that your organization’s project team may not be as available as expected to review and
approve information when provided. We are familiar with the ebb and flow of local government
operations and will be flexible in coordinating with your organization to keep the project on track as
much as possible.
Project Timeline
They say time is money, and we agree. We’ll collaborate closely with you to finalize a project plan that
meets all your needs — especially your timing. We are prepared to initiate the City’s Total Compensation
Study within two weeks of receiving the official notice to proceed.
The table below shows a projection of how long we expect your project to take, based on the scope.
Baker Tilly recognizes the RFP’s estimated end date of January 5, 2027.
Anticipated Project Timeline in Months
Project Phase Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan
1. Project Initiation
2. Total Compensation Market
Study
3. Compression Analysis, Cost
Modeling & Administration
4. Project Completion
* There are factors impacting the project schedule that are beyond the consulting team’s control, such as holidays
that impact office closures; HR operations that take up significant resources, such as benefit enrollment, payroll and
budget cycles; as well as client availability to review results and approve the direction of the project. Baker Tilly will
promptly advise the organization if any factors impact the project timeline.
22
Project Fee
We will perform the tasks as described in this proposal for your organization for a fixed professional fee of
$54,400. This fee is based upon conducting a total compensation review of approximately 155 position
titles covering the City’s 322 full-time and regular part-time benefitted employees, as described in Section
III of the RFP.
COSTING BREAKDOWN: BASE STUDY PRICE
Project Initiation. Includes planning meetings with project team, data collection, current
state assessment, and communication meetings (up to 2) to inform staff about the
project and answer questions. Also includes SAFE® job evaluation.
$9,900
Total Compensation Market Study. Includes custom survey with 100 benchmarks to
14 public peers and inclusion of up to 2 published surveys sources representing the
private sector. Delivery of updated pay plan and grade assignments.
$34,500
Compression Analysis, Cost Modeling & Administration. Includes compression
testing, cost modeling across 3 scenarios, policy guidelines and a communication plan. $4,700
Project Completion. Includes delivery of final documentation and up to 2 final (virtual)
presentations of the results. $2,200
Project Management. Standing bi-weekly meetings for duration of the project. $3,100
TOTAL $54,400
Invoicing for services. We will invoice based on the milestones outlined in the breakdown shown above.
Partial phase billing may occur if the duration exceeds 45 days.
Out-of-pocket expenses. Should your organization desire and approve in-person meetings or
presentations, we will invoice for direct out-of-pocket travel expenses. Estimated expenses of ~$500 -
$1,200 per 1–2-day visit, depending on the visit.
Role Rate
Director $430
Senior Manager $340
Manager $280
Senior Consultant $230
Consultant $180
Examples of out-of-scope requests may include additional peers or benchmarks, additional pay structures
or implementation scenarios, and/or additional reports or meetings beyond what is described in the
project scope.
Additional services. We are happy to go beyond the
scope of the project to deliver to your needs. Whenever
possible, we’ll provide an estimate in advance, outlining
the time and expenses we believe will achieve your
objectives.
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ONGOING SERVICES PRICE
Ad hoc Service model: We offer an ad hoc consulting agreement for flexible, on-
demand support tailored to your organization’s needs. Under this model, clients typically
engage us at a fixed rate per reclassification request, supplemented by our standard
hourly rates for additional services such as market analysis, FLSA compliance reviews,
training sessions, or presentations, etc.
• These agreements are generally structured with a two-year or $20,000 cap,
whichever comes first. More important, we only invoice for work that is specifically
requested, and most clients average $4,500 annually under this arrangement. We
are happy to customize the contract to include any cap or scope parameters that
align with your budget and expectations.
• For clients anticipating recurring needs—such as annual mini-market studies or a
formal appeals process—we can incorporate these as fixed-price deliverables while
remaining available for other ad hoc requests throughout the year. This model is
particularly well-suited for organizations that prefer to maintain on-call access to
expert support without committing to a full-scale engagement upfront.
$250 per reclass
Hourly rates
otherwise
Prepaid service model: As an alternative to ad hoc billing, we offer a prepaid service
agreement that provides predictable support over a multi-year period. Under this model,
the organization would commit to a three-year engagement with a minimum investment
of $15,000, distributed as $5,000 prepaid annually.
• In recognition of this commitment, we would extend a 10% discount on the base
study.
• The $5,000 annual allotment could be used in any way needed by the organization,
for example, up to 20 reclassification requests or approximately 20 consulting hours,
or a mixture of those. Should additional services be required beyond the prepaid
scope, we would offer discounted hourly rates (10%) for any supplemental work.
• This approach is ideal for organizations that anticipate a consistent level of support
over time and prefer the budget certainty and value of a prepaid structure, while still
maintaining flexibility for evolving needs.
$15,000 prepaid
for 3 years
Discounted rates
for work beyond
that
Preparing our best and final offer. We understand that budget considerations are crucial. While our
pricing reflects the estimated hours and effort, we’re flexible. In our experience, the most significant
pricing variations among comparable consulting firms often stem from differences in how scope is
interpreted. We welcome the opportunity to have an open conversation about how our approach and
deliverables compare to others—and are happy to adjust the scope, if needed, to better align with your
priorities or budget.
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Our Promise
Our team of compensation professionals brings a proven track record of designing and delivering
strategic compensation solutions, performing comprehensive classification analysis, and navigating
complex pay equity issues to ensure fair and defensible results for our clients.
• Our SAFE® job evaluation process is a fair, consistent, defensible and objective approach for
comparing position characteristics. In today’s environment, organizations need to know that their
methods are proven and sound. SAFE will provide your organization with the tools it needs to
ensure positions are measured consistently across nine key factors.
• With Baker Tilly, you do not just get a study; you get a customized system and access to our
proprietary job evaluation process afterwards. We train our clients so they are equipped to
administer and maintain their new classification and compensation plan post-project. As positions
evolve, new positions are created and/or market conditions change, your HR staff will be able to
make the appropriate adjustments using our SAFE job evaluation process.
• We know a good study rests on quality data. Our recommendations are data-driven, and our
process adheres to best practices and guidelines for collecting and analyzing that data. When
working with public sector organizations, we understand that the results we submit to you may
become public record. This means our reputation stands on the quality of those results and the
validity of our recommendations. This is why we have quality assurance protocols in place to
safeguard the integrity of our data and analysis.
• We will assign Certified Compensation Professionals and Analysts to review your market data
and build your new pay structures. Our team understands that compensation analysis is both an
art and a science. We have a strong cadre of trained and experienced professionals working
together to ensure that appropriate and competitive pay structures are presented for
consideration.
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Proposed Contract Modifications
Baker Tilly has reviewed the City's draft Professional Services Agreement included as Attachment B to the
RFP. Except for the modifications identified below, Baker Tilly takes no exception to the City's form of
Agreement. Final contract language will be mutually agreed upon by the parties.
PSA Section Requested Modification
Section 11 - Insurance
Baker Tilly requests deletion of Sections 11.i(ii)–(iii), including the City's
right to procure insurance at Consultant's expense and require complete
copies of insurance policies. Baker Tilly requests that failure to maintain
required insurance instead permit the City to terminate the Agreement.
Baker Tilly also requests that references to endorsements providing the
“exact same coverage” be revised to “equivalent coverage.”
Section 12 –
Indemnification and
Limitation of Liability
Baker Tilly requests that indemnification be limited to third-party claims
arising from Baker Tilly's negligent acts, errors or omissions, or willful
misconduct. Baker Tilly also requests an aggregate liability limitation of
three times the fees paid under the Agreement and an exclusion of
consequential, special, incidental, exemplary and punitive damages.
Section 17 – Documents /
Intellectual Property
Baker Tilly requests clarification that the City will own project-specific
deliverables upon payment, while Baker Tilly retains ownership of its pre-
existing and reusable methodologies, tools, templates, systems, know-
how and other Consultant Knowledge. The City would receive a
perpetual license to Consultant Knowledge incorporated into the
deliverables.