Project Information

Bid Title

Comprehensive Compensation and Classification Study For the Human Resources Department

Issuing Agency

City of Durham

Location

North Carolina

Published Date

Apr 30, 2026

Closing Date

Jun 1, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

26-1058

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Number:	26-1058
Bid Title:	Comprehensive Compensation and Classification Study For the Human Resources Department
Category:	Requests for Proposals/Qualifications and Services
Status:	Open

Description: **** Pre-submittal conference date, time, via VIRTUAL:  Tuesday May 12, 2026, at 11:00 AM Attendees must register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/39BQdAq2QlaIdw3J_m2waQ **** **** RFP date, time, via EMAIL:  Monday June 1, 2026, by 4:00 PM - Send to: For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. **** Publication Date/Time: 4/30/2026 8:00 AM Closing Date/Time: 6/1/2026 4:00 PM Contact Person: Naima Wood [email protected] Related Documents: RFP 26-1058 Compensation and Classification Study Final 2

Attachment Preview

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) for Comprehensive Compensation and Classification Study

For the Human Resources Department

City of Durham

RFP 26-1058

page 1

Compensation and Classification RFP

SELECTED CONTENTS

Date of RFP

Project Manager and Contact with City; Questions about this RFP.

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AND NATURE OF RFP

Project

Scope of Work

Compensation Amount and Schedule

Definitions in this RFP

Contract

Trade Secrets and Confidentiality

Bonds

Insurance

Discretion of the City

SCHEDULE

Schedule

Keeping Proposals Open

Deadline to Submit Proposals

GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT AND RFP PROCESS

Questions

Pre-submittal conferences, meetings, and site visits

Updates and revisions to RFP

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Evaluation Criteria

CONTENTS OF PROPOSAL

Contents of Proposal

Contact information; Legal status; Qualifications; Project Team, Location of Work, and Subcontracting;

Methods; Compensation; Assumptions; UBE; Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBEs); Financial Condition,

Insurance, and Bonds; Conflict of Interest; Non-collusion

COVER LETTER WITH PROPOSAL

Cover letter

Addendums

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

How to submit a proposal

Format

Alternative Proposals

Candidate to Bear Expense; No Claims against City

Notice Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Values of City of Durham

page 2

Compensation and Classification RFP

Request for Proposal (RFP) for a comprehensive Compensation and

Classification Study

10. Date of RFP: April 30, 2026

20. Project Manager and Contact with City; Questions about this RFP. Direct questions and concerns to

Att: Naima Wood

Compensation and Classification

Human Resources Department

101 City Hall Plaza

DURHAM NC 27701-3329

Phone: (919) 560-4214

Email: hrcontracts@durhamnc.gov

If you have concerns about this RFP that you believe are not being addressed by the project manager, please contact:

Jim Reingruber, Assistant Director of Human Resources

Phone: 919-560-4214

Email: Jim.reingruber@durhamnc.gov

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AND NATURE OF RFP

30. Project. This project is a comprehensive compensation and classification study and is being undertaken to achieve 3

goals:

1. Sustainability

The City’s pay system should be affordable and maintainable within normal budget cycles. This study should produce pay

structures with a defined maintenance plan so the system remains current and cost-effective over time while requiring

fewer large periodic corrections.

2. Equity

Pay relationships across the workforce should be internally consistent, defensible, and perceived as fair. Employees should

have clear paths to grow their careers and their pay within the classification system. The study should ensure that all pay

plans, including part-time, are integrated into a coherent framework.

3. Competitiveness

The City should define and hold a market position that allows us to recruit and retain the workforce Durham needs. This

study should establish a target market position, a defensible comparator set, and comprehensive benchmarking across all

pay plans.

The City of Durham has an approximate population of 300,000 residents and employs approximately 2,500 full-time

employees across 265 full-time job classifications, as well as approximately 360 part-time employees across 75 part-time

classifications.

Employees progress through the pay grade to which their position is assigned based on merit increases awarded in

connection with annual performance evaluations.

The City maintains four full-time salary structures supporting the following employee groups:

• Exempt Employees – Open Range Plan

• Non-Exempt Employees – Step Plan

• Police (Sworn) – Step Plan

• Fire (Sworn) – Step Plan

page 3

Compensation and Classification RFP

These full-time employee salary structures consist of pay grades that are either:

• Open ranges, defined by established minimums, midpoints, and maximums; or

• Step ranges, consisting of structured pay steps.

The Part-Time Plan includes pay ranges, each comprised of five pay steps. The City’s most recent comprehensive

compensation and classification study was completed with recommended classification and salary structure changes

implemented in July 2024.

40. Scope of Work. The City is seeking a qualified individual or firm to conduct a comprehensive compensation and

classification study. The resulting deliverables must include clear, actionable recommendations that articulate the City’s

compensation philosophy, including how it should balance internal equity, social equity, and market competitiveness. The

study must also provide a defensible determination of the City’s desired market position and the rationale for that

placement. Components of this include:

1. Comprehensive Compensation & Classification Analysis

• Review and provide feedback on our proposed compensation philosophy.

• Identification of comparator markets and analysis of market data (public and private).

• Analyze the City’s current Durham Minimum Livable Wage (DMLW) methodology to recommend best

practices.

• Analyze peer benefits alongside pay data and factor that analysis into recommendations on target market

position and structure affordability. Pay and benefits findings should inform a single integrated total rewards

recommendation, not separate deliverables.

• Evaluation of existing salary structures, including range design, progression, internal equity, compression,

and step plan structures and effectiveness.

• Recommendations for new or revised salary structures, including midpoint progressions and placement of

incumbents. Recommend a plan for maintaining the structures.

• Compare pay-for-performance methodology with peer organizations and develop recommendations for pay-

for-performance within proposed structures.

2. Classification Plan Review

• Assessment of new or evolving roles not to exceed a total of 300 classification titles in the class plan.

• Job evaluation methodology to support internal equity and plan maintenance.

• Guidance on reclassification processes.

• Development of options supporting career pathing.

• Review of FLSA exempt/non-exempt statuses.

3. Specialized Analyses & Recommendations

• Analysis of transitioning full-time employees from a 37.5-hour to 40-hour workweek.

• Review and recommendations for part-time pay plan structures, and interns.

• Internal pay equity analysis and policy guidance.

• Incentive program assessments (hiring bonuses, certifications, field training, etc.).

• Total rewards recommendations (e.g., childcare, housing-related benefits).

• Review of senior management pay structure needs.

4. Implementation, Costing & Tools

• At least four implementation options with estimated costs.

• Cost modeling for employee placement.

• Drafting new and revising existing job descriptions.

• Six months of implementation support and training for HR.

page 4

Compensation and Classification RFP

5. Engagement & Communication Expectations

• Engage with the City Council/city leadership on the front end to facilitate a framing discussion about

compensation philosophy.

• Delivery of a final comprehensive report and presentation to City Manager, Mayor, and City Council.

• A minimum of six on-site presentations to Executive Leadership, 15 on-site and 15 virtual employee

presentations.

• Detailed communication plan for leadership and employees on the full project.

50. Compensation Amount and Schedule. Clearly outline any cost associated with the required services on a separate fee

addendum. Identify and define the payment method and schedule of payment.

The City will make payments based on a negotiated payment schedule. Each billing must consist of an invoice and progress

report. No payment will be made until the project manager has approved the invoice.

60. Definitions in this RFP: City, RFP, Proposal, Candidate, Contractor, Should. Unless the context indicates otherwise –

(a) The expressions “RFP,” “this RFP,” and “the RFP” refer to this document as it may be amended or updated. (b) “City”

and “city” mean the City of Durham. (c) The “proposal” or "Bid" is the response of a person, firm, or corporation proposing

to provide the services sought by this RFP. (d) The word “Candidate” or “candidate” is the person, firm, or corporation that

submits a proposal or that is considering submitting a proposal. (e) The word “Contractor” or “contractor” is the person,

firm, or corporation with which the City enters into a contract to provide the services sought by this RFP. That is,

“contractor” generally refers to a successful candidate that has obtained a fully executed contract with the City, while

“candidate” is generally reserved to the stage before a contract has been signed. (f) The word “should” is used to tell

candidates what the City thinks it wants and/or what the project manager thinks is best. Candidates that want to increase

the likelihood of being selected will, in general, do what the RFP says candidates “should” do, but failure to comply with all

“shoulds” will not necessarily and automatically result in rejection.

70. Contract. The City anticipates that at the conclusion of the RFP process there will be a contract between the City and

the successful candidate under which the successful candidate will provide the goods and services generally described in

this RFP. It is the City’s intention to use the contract that is attached as Exhibit A, modified and filled in to reflect the RFP

and the proposal. If a candidate objects to any of the contract provisions, it should state the objections in its proposal. An

objection does not guarantee that the City will change its contract provisions. Failure to provide objections creates an

assumption that the candidate accepts all standard City contract terms and conditions.

If federal assistance or funds are used in conjunction with the services provided by the candidate, clauses for contracts

involving federal financial assistance shall be incorporated into contract. The Candidate is required to be familiar with these

federal assistance clauses and to comply with them.

80. Trade Secrets and Confidentiality. As a general rule, all submissions to the City are available to any member of the

public. However, if materials qualify as provided in this section, the City will take reasonable steps to keep trade secrets

confidential.

Definitions.

In this section (Trade Secrets and Confidentiality) –

The term “candidate” includes the candidate as contractor (that is, after it is a party to a contract with the City).

The term “trade secret” means business or technical information, including but not limited to a formula, pattern,

program, device, compilation of information, method, technique, or process that:

a. Derives independent actual or potential commercial value from not being generally known or readily

ascertainable through independent development or reverse engineering by persons who can obtain economic

value from its disclosure or use; and

b. Is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

The existence of a trade secret shall not be negated merely because the information comprising the trade

secret has also been developed, used, or owned independently by more than one person, or licensed to other

persons.

The term “record” means all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic

or other tapes, electronic data-processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form

or characteristics, received by the City of Durham in connection with the candidate’s proposal.

(a) Designation of Confidential Records. To the extent that the candidate wishes to maintain the confidentiality

of trade secrets contained in materials provided to the City, the candidate shall prominently designate the

page 5

Compensation and Classification RFP

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541612Human Resources Consulting Services

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