COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN UPDATE

City of Fountain Inn | RFP #2026-04 | Compensation and Classification Pay Plan Update
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
THE CITY OF FOUNTAIN INN, SOUTH CAROLINA
RFP #2026-04
COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN UPDATE
Update to Established Pay Bands and Targeted Job Description Review
Milestone Date / Requirement
Issue Date 30 July 2026
Question Deadline 21 August 2026, 5:00 P.M. (EST)
Submission Deadline 27 August 2026, 2:00 P.M. (EST)
Anticipated Start As soon as practical after award and contract execution
Council Presentation Upon completion of final draft report and City review
Sealed proposals must be received by the City Administrator at 200 N. Main Street, Fountain Inn, SC
29644 no later than the submission deadline shown above.
INTRODUCTION
The City of Fountain Inn solicits written proposals from qualified firms to assist the City with an update to its
established compensation and classification program. The City completed a full compensation and
classification study in September 2023, established pay bands, and has reviewed the majority of its job
descriptions. Accordingly, this solicitation is intended to obtain professional services to refresh the City's pay
bands, evaluate market competitiveness, identify pay compression or placement concerns, and complete a
targeted review of job descriptions as needed rather than to conduct a full classification study from the ground
up.
GENERAL BACKGROUND
Fountain Inn is located in the Upstate of South Carolina and is split between Greenville and Laurens Counties.
The City operates under the Council form of government and provides municipal services through
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City of Fountain Inn | RFP #2026-04 | Compensation and Classification Pay Plan Update
departments that include Administration, Public Works, Judicial, Police, Fire, Natural Gas, Community
Relations, Planning and Development, and Recreation.
The City currently employs approximately 178 full-time and 26 part-time municipal employees under
approximately 70 job titles. The City's most recent full compensation and classification study was completed
in September 2023. Since that study, the City has established pay bands and reviewed the majority of its job
descriptions. The City now seeks a focused market update, verification of pay band competitiveness,
evaluation of internal alignment and compression, and targeted updates to job descriptions where necessary
to maintain a competitive and legally defensible compensation and classification structure.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The primary purpose of this project is to update and maintain the City's existing compensation and
classification framework. The City's objectives are to:
* Refresh established pay bands using current market data from comparable public-sector employers and
relevant regional labor markets.
* Maintain the City's ability to attract and retain qualified employees while supporting responsible fiscal
planning.
* Review pay grade placement, pay ranges, market position, and pay compression concerns within the
existing structure.
* Identify any positions that may warrant reclassification, title adjustment, pay band movement, or
additional review based on changes in duties, market conditions, or internal equity.
* Complete a targeted review of job descriptions for accuracy, consistency, essential functions, minimum
qualifications, physical requirements, and compliance with applicable FLSA, EEO, and ADA
considerations.
* Provide clear recommendations, implementation options, and practical tools for the City to maintain the
pay plan and job description system after completion of the project.
SCOPE OF WORK
All work will be completed with regular involvement of the Human Resources Department, Administration,
Department Heads, and other key City personnel as needed. The successful proposer must provide a
collaborative process, regular project status updates, and clear review points before final recommendations
are issued.
A. Project Initiation and Document Review
* Conduct a project kickoff meeting with City representatives to confirm scope, schedule, data needs,
review process, and communication expectations.
* Review the September 2023 compensation and classification study, current pay bands, job descriptions,
organizational structure, employee roster data, current wages, recruitment and retention concerns, and
other relevant City materials.
* Identify any data gaps, classification concerns, or job description deficiencies that should be addressed
during the project.
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City of Fountain Inn | RFP #2026-04 | Compensation and Classification Pay Plan Update
B. Compensation and Pay Band Update
* Review the City's current compensation plan, pay grades, pay ranges, and pay band structure.
* Conduct a market update of selected benchmark positions against comparable South Carolina
municipalities, public utilities, special-purpose districts, and other relevant public-sector employers. The
City has historically used the following benchmark organizations: Simpsonville, Mauldin, Clinton, Laurens,
Travelers Rest, Greer, Laurens CPW, Greer CPW, Metro Connects, ReWa, LCWSC, Easley, Clemson,
Clinton-Newberry Natural Gas Authority, and Fort Hill Natural Gas.
* Recommend any revisions to minimum, midpoint, and maximum pay ranges, pay grade assignments,
range spreads, market adjustments, or other structural changes to the existing pay bands.
* Analyze internal pay alignment and identify potential compression, inversion, retention, or recruitment
concerns.
* Provide implementation options, including estimated fiscal impact, phased implementation alternatives,
and priority recommendations where full implementation is not immediately feasible.
* Provide recommendations for ongoing annual market maintenance and internal administration of the pay
plan.
C. Targeted Classification and Job Description Review
* Review existing job descriptions to determine whether they remain accurate, consistent, and properly
aligned with the City's current duties and pay structure.
* Prioritize review of positions where duties have changed materially, recruitment or retention challenges
exist, classification concerns have been identified or pay band placement may require validation.
* Update job descriptions as needed to reflect distinguishing characteristics, essential functions, minimum
qualifications, knowledge, skills and abilities, licenses/certifications, working conditions, physical
demands, and other job-related requirements.
* Create new job descriptions only when needed for positions that are new, materially changed, or not
adequately covered by an existing description.
* Identify recommended title changes, consolidation of job titles, reclassification issues, and positions
requiring additional management review.
* Provide final job descriptions in editable Microsoft Word format.
D. Deliverables
At a minimum, the selected proposer must provide the following deliverables:
* A written project work plan and schedule.
* Market survey methodology, benchmark list, and summary of data sources.
* Updated pay band recommendations, including revised ranges and rationale for recommended changes.
* Analysis of internal equity, compression, and position placement issues.
* Implementation cost analysis with one or more implementation options or phases.
* Targeted job description review summary and final updated job descriptions, as applicable.
* A final written report summarizing methodology, findings, recommendations, implementation
considerations, and maintenance guidance.
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City of Fountain Inn | RFP #2026-04 | Compensation and Classification Pay Plan Update
* Editable electronic files of the compensation model, implementation worksheets, pay plan documents,
and job descriptions in formats usable by City staff.
* Presentation of final recommendations to City staff and City Council, if requested.
CONTENT OF PROPOSALS
Proposals must be concise, clearly organized, and signed by an individual authorized to bind the proposer.
Proposals must include the following:
* Cover Letter - State the proposer's interest in the project and identify the authorized representative.
* Firm Information - Provide the firm name, address, telephone number, email address, and the office from
which services will be provided.
* Project Team - Identify the project manager, key personnel, roles, resumes, and any sub-consultants.
* Business License - Provide confirmation that the proposer holds, or will obtain prior to contract
execution, all business licenses required to perform work for the City of Fountain Inn.
* Relevant Experience - Describe recent experience completing compensation, classification, pay plan,
market update, and job description review projects for local government or comparable public employers.
* Methodology - Describe the proposed approach to updating pay bands, selecting benchmark positions,
obtaining and validating market data, evaluating internal equity and compression, and reviewing job
descriptions.
* Work Product - Describe the structure and format of deliverables, including electronic file formats and
compatibility with Microsoft Word and Excel.
* Schedule - Provide a task-by-task timeline showing anticipated start and completion dates after award.
* References - Provide at least five references for comparable projects, preferably governmental
jurisdictions, including contact name, title, phone number, and email address.
* Fee Proposal - Provide a complete fee proposal, including all professional fees, travel, licenses, copies,
postage, reimbursable expenses, optional services, and any assumptions or exclusions.
* Sample Work Product - Provide a pro forma or redacted sample report or similar deliverable showing the
anticipated format and level of detail.
* Online Review Tools - Describe any online tools or portals available for City staff to review drafts, provide
comments, track progress, or share data securely.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The City may evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:
* Understanding of the City's requested focused update, including the distinction between a pay plan
refresh and a full compensation and classification study.
* Quality, clarity, and practicality of the proposed methodology.
* Experience with local government compensation, classification, pay band updates, and job description
review.
* Qualifications and availability of the assigned project team.
* Quality and usability of proposed deliverables.
* Project schedule and ability to meet the City's needs.
* References and performance history.
* Cost and overall value to the City.
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City of Fountain Inn | RFP #2026-04 | Compensation and Classification Pay Plan Update
The City reserves the right to interview one or more proposers, request clarification, negotiate scope and fee,
or award the contract to the proposer deemed most advantageous to the City.
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
Prior to execution of a contract derived from this RFP, the awarded individual or firm shall obtain and maintain
appropriate insurance coverage during the term of the contract. Insurance policies shall be issued by
companies authorized to do business in the State of South Carolina. Certificates of insurance must clearly
indicate that the individual or firm has obtained insurance of the type, amount, and classification required for
compliance with this provision, and that no material change or cancellation of insurance shall be effective
without thirty (30) days prior written notice to the City. Compliance with these requirements shall not relieve
the individual or firm of liability or obligations under the resulting contract.
LIMITATIONS
The City reserves the right to cancel this Request for Proposals and to reject any or all responses in whole or in
part when it is for good cause and in the best interests of the City, at the City's sole discretion. The City also
reserves the right to waive informalities or minor irregularities, request additional information, and negotiate
final scope and terms with the selected proposer.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The original wet-ink signed proposal, three (3) hard copies, and one electronic copy on a thumb drive must be
mailed or hand delivered by the submission deadline to:
Russ Slatton
Assistant City Administrator
City of Fountain Inn
200 N. Main Street
Fountain Inn, SC 29644
Responses must be submitted in a sealed envelope labeled: "RFP #2026-04 - Compensation and
Classification Pay Plan Update." Proposals must be received by the Assistant City Administrator no later than
27 August 2026 at 2:00 P.M. (EST).
* Late responses will not be accepted.
* Faxed and emailed responses will not be accepted.
* No proposal may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) calendar days after the submittal deadline.
* All costs incurred in preparing a proposal or otherwise responding to this RFP are the sole responsibility of
the proposer.
* All materials and documents submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the City of
Fountain Inn and will not be returned.
CITY CONTACT
Questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to Russ Slatton at russell.slatton@fountaininn.org.
No phone calls will be accepted. Questions will be accepted until 21 August 2026 at 5:00 P.M. (EST). Any
addendum, if needed, will be posted on the City's website or otherwise distributed in accordance with City
purchasing procedures.
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City of Fountain Inn | RFP #2026-04 | Compensation and Classification Pay Plan Update
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
The Vendor certifies that no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefit of, or otherwise
discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or other legally protected status in
connection with any proposal submitted to the City of Fountain Inn or the performance of any contract
resulting from this RFP. The Vendor further certifies that it will comply with all applicable federal, state, and
local nondiscrimination requirements.
PROPOSER CERTIFICATION
I have read and understood the requirements set forth in RFP #2026-04 and agree to comply with the
requirements stated herein. I further certify that the proposer holds, or will obtain prior to contract execution,
all business licenses required to perform work for the City of Fountain Inn.
MUST BE SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE WITH THE ABILITY TO BIND
THE PROPOSER'S COMPANY.
SUBMITTED BY:
VENDOR:
SIGNED:
NAME (PRINT):
ADDRESS:
CITY/STATE/ZIP:
TELEPHONE:
EMAIL:
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