Request for Proposal for a Compensation Strategy Study

Location:	North Carolina
Posted:	Oct 24, 2025
Due:	Nov 24, 2025
Agency:	State Government of North Carolina
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	B - Special Studies and Analyses - Not R&D
Solicitation No:	525-525-11242025
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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HARNETT COUNTY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

COMPENSATION STRATEGY STUDY

Proposals Due November 24, 2025, no later 4:00 pm.

Submit Proposals to:

Harnett County Finance

Attn: Renea Warren-Ford

Procurement Manager

455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington, NC 27546

Submit via UPS, FedEx or in person

Include Bid No. HR-11242025 on the outside of a sealed envelope.

455 McKinney Parkway

Lillington, North Carolina 27546

PURPOSE

Harnett County Local Government (“the County”) is seeking proposals from experienced and qualified

consulting firms to conduct a compensation strategy study which will include recommendations and

suggestions for implementation and maintenance.

Goals of the study are to:

• Ensure the County can attract and retain high quality employees

• Ensure market competitiveness with peer communities and the regional labor market

Key, example review objectives include:

• Analyzing position market rates and appropriate min/max points.

• Refining the County’s current pay for performance program to ensure it appropriately

recognizes and rewards exceptional employee performance.

• Examining appropriateness and design of potential career development ladders and other

incentive approaches such as educational attainment, professional certifications, or second

language skills.

• Examining internal pay equity

Project objectives should ensure program outcomes and recommendations that are internally

equitable, externally competitive, understandable, legally defensible, easily maintained and

administered by the County staff, flexible to change as market conditions evolve, and appropriate for

the County’s goals, structure, and reward system.

GENERAL CLARIFICATIONS AND QUESTIONS

General clarifications and questions related to the request should be sent to Renea Warren-Ford at

bids@harnett.org. Please include Compensation Study in the subject line.

BACKGROUND

Harnett County is one of the fastest growing counties in North Carolina with approximately 146,000

residents. Harnett's tagline of "Strong Roots, New Growth," describes a county in transition, one that

values its rural agricultural heritage while also embracing new growth and industry.

Harnett County is optimally located just between North Carolina's capital city of Raleigh and the

internationally recognized Research Triangle Park to the north, and the nation's largest military

installation in Fort Bragg to the south. The county is also centrally located in North Carolina and is

within close proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway, and to the numerous

Atlantic Ocean beaches and the Outer Banks.

Harnett County also possesses abundant natural resources including nearly 6,000 acres of park land

and 26 miles of hiking and walking trails. Harnett is home to Raven Rock State Park and some of the

best white water rapids in the region along the Cape Fear River.

The County currently employs approximately 1,100 employees in 25 departments providing a full range

of services including public safety, development and planning, elections, solid waste, water and

sanitary sewer services, health and human services, rural transit, management of public records, and

recreational and cultural activities for residents.

Harnett County operates under a Board of Commissioners and County Manager form of government.

The Board, comprised of five elected officials, holds the policy-making and legislative authority for the

County. The Board of Commissioners appoint the County Manager to supervise all County offices and

departments, citizen appointed boards, commissions and agencies, and prepares and submits an

annual budget and Capital Improvement Program to Commissioners.

The most recent study was performed in 2023 and was implemented in July of 2023. The County

completed a Position Analysis and Job Description revision project in 2022.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The purpose of the Compensation Strategy Study is to assist the County in reviewing and analyzing the

current staff compensation structure and obtain recommendations for improvements to the existing

structure to ensure internal equity and external competitiveness. All regular, full-time and part-time

staff positions will be included in the study. The County’s goal is to provide competitive pay levels to

its current employees and future prospective employees. The scope of services should include:

Compensation Strategy Review

Analyze the effectiveness of the existing base compensation strategy (annual merit pay and

classification) and recommend changes, if needed. Recommend a base compensation strategy which

maintains market competitiveness, uses pay for performance as a guiding principle, and leverages

annual merit pay as the primary pay increase mechanism.

a. Assist the County with identifying an appropriate market.

b. Evaluate current salary structure, comparing with other local government entities both in North

Carolina and those of similar size within our local region and the private sector, making

recommendations (e.g. broadening our bands, using market trends, addressing compression,

internal equity, etc.) as appropriate. Recommendations should include the geographic factors

that impact salaries in this area.

c. Analyze any statewide or regional standards that employers use to assist with justifying

compensation decisions, especially as it relates to determining salaries for new hires,

promotions, etc. Explain the effectiveness of these standards.

d. Conduct an analysis of the current compensation and classification process/procedures and

identify strengths and weaknesses, recommend necessary changes which include best practices

and provide alternative options.

e. Conduct an internal equity analysis of employee salaries and make recommendations, as

needed. The analysis will also include the development of appropriate internal relationship

guidelines.

f. Conduct a customized compensation survey to determine whether current employees are

compensated appropriately relative to market for similar positions based on the agreed upon

new market. The survey will be used to determine the relative internal value of each

classification so that a fair and equitable compensation structure can be established.

g. Review all rewards that the County currently offers and recommend an overall compensation

system that includes other incentives.

h. Recommend pay practices that provide for in-grade and progressive rewards.

Final Report and Conclusion

a. Provide a final report to include an executive summary, the approach, all findings, principal

recommendations, a detailed cost analysis and Implementation Plan with the associated

costs. The Implementation Plan, which includes a communication strategy and associated

materials, slides, explanatory booklets, etc. and cost analysis should be broken down in

phases and priority.

b. Consultants will be expected to attend several meetings with Human Resources staff and

other internal stakeholders to provide information, answer questions and make a preliminary

and a final presentation prior to meeting with the Board of Commissioners.

c. Consultants will be expected to also attend several Board of Commissioners’ meetings to

provide information, answer questions and make a preliminary and a final presentation to the

Board regarding the proposed recommendations.

COMPLETION SCHEDULE

The study shall be completed and submitted to Harnett County no later than 4:00 PM on January 16,

2026 for implementation in the County’s FY2026-2027 budget.

SERVICE CONTENTS

Please provide the following:

1. Company Background – Provide information on the company background to include the

following:

a. Firm local name, address, and phone number

b. Contact person, phone number, and e-mail address

c. Number of years in business

d. Provide brief summaries of key personnel assigned to this account including the

designation of the person who will have the primary responsibility in conducting the

study.

e. Provide the office location for each staff member

f. Describe contractual relationships, if any, with any other organization(s) that will be

providing services regarding this project.

2. Relevant Experience

a. Provide information on specific knowledge and experience relevant to conducting

comprehensive Compensation studies, and recommending new Compensation plans

similar to the services requested in this solicitation

b. Provide a minimum of five (5) public sector references where your firm has completed

comprehensive pay plan studies during the past five (5) years. Include client name,

location, contact person, phone number, and e-mail address.

3. Work Plan and Approach– Provide detailed information on the methodology, approach and

timeline that demonstrates how your firm will ensure that the study meets the requirements

of the Request and the needs of the County. This section should include a well-defined work

plan consistent with the project tasks demonstrating the ability and the strategy that will be

used to complete the elements within the statement of work including:

a. Description of the firm’s approach to the development of a compensation system,

including information on the job evaluation system proposed, an explanation of the

factors (or other criteria used in the evaluation) and the weighting of the factors, along

with sample job descriptions and employee questionnaires.

b. Tentative timeline for each task and deliverables required within the project.

c. Description of the method by which the County will be apprised of progress

throughout the review and study process.

4. Fee Proposal – The fee proposal should be submitted and include all costs associated with the

performance of the services specified, including labor, materials, travel related expenses, and

all related costs.

EVALUATION/AWARD CRITERIA

All responses received from qualified proposers will be reviewed and discussed by the Human

Resources Director, County Manager, Finance Officer, and any other County leaders as selected by the

County Manager. The County may hold discussions with all proposers judged reasonably susceptible of

being selected for award, or potentially so. However, the County also reserves the right to reject any

or all proposals if it determines that select proposals are not responsive to the RFP. The County also

reserves the right to make an award without holding discussions. In either case, the County may

determine a proposer to not be qualified and/or a proposal to not be reasonably susceptible of being

selected for award, at any time after the initial closing date for receipt of proposals and the review of

those proposals. Furthermore, the County reserves the right to delete or add functionality up until

the final contract signing.

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Solicitation Number:	525-525-11242025
Project Title:	Request for Proposal for a Compensation Strategy Study
Description:	Harnett County Local Government ("the County") is seeking proposals from experienced and qualified consulting firms to conduct a compensation study which will include recommendations and suggestions for implementation and maintenance.
Opening Date:	11/24/2025 4:00 PM
Posted Date:	10/25/2025
Status:	Open
Department:	COUNTY OF HARNETT


Solicitation Number * 525-525-11242025	Department COUNTY OF HARNETT	Status Reason Open
Opening Date 2025-11-24T16:00:00.0000000	Posted Date * 2025-10-24T20:52:14.0000000Z	Commodity Code Customer relationship management services
Mandatory Conference/Site Visit — —	Special Instructions —	Solicitation Type * Select RFP IFB RFI
Owner Renea Warren-Ford
Description Harnett County Local Government ("the County") is seeking proposals from experienced and qualified consulting firms to conduct a compensation study which will include recommendations and suggestions for implementation and maintenance.

Attachments Harnett County Compensation Study 2025 - DRAFT.pdf (286.35 KB)

Request for Proposal for a Compensation Strategy Study

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