Compensation Study

Isle of Wight County is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified firms to establish a contract through competitive negotiations for Compensation Study.

Background

Isle of Wight County is located in the Hampton Roads region in the State of Virginia. Isle of Wight has two incorporated towns, Smithfield and Windsor. Isle of Wight County encompasses 363 square miles of which 316 square miles is land and 47 square miles is water. The James River bounds the County on the north and the Blackwater River to the south.

One of our greatest challenges is that we have neighboring jurisdictions that are paying more than we can under the current pay structure.  This reality greatly impacts our ability to hire and retain our best employees. While we must remain cognizant of the budgetary demands placed on our Board of Supervisors, we cannot forget the pressures we face in compensating the employees who are being called upon to serve. Our objective is to have a compensation package that is fair and equitable. We realize our compensation plan cannot compete with other localities such as Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk or Norfolk. We have been very successful in hiring employees from these localities who were seeking a different work environment. This is essential as we continue to serve an increased number of residents in this growing area. Additionally, ensuring raises and promotions are managed uniformly will allow for better communication and understanding between employees and supervisors. The final report should suggest ways to use a salary structure more rigorously and systematically, as well as provide recommendations that will guide the County in making future compensation decisions.    

The County’s Department of Human Resources administers comprehensive programs aimed at attracting, motivating, and retaining a professional and industrious workforce. The department provides approximately 280 full-time and 300 part-time employees with services related to recruitment, selection and retention, compensation and benefits, performance management, employee relations, policy development and interpretation, organizational development, training and development, and employment law compliance. 

It is the goal of the County to conduct a compensation study to provide a recommendation for salary placements, pay grade, and compression adjustments, placing the County in a comparable position to hire and retain quality employees. The last compensation study conducted by the County was in 2021, with a market study completed in 2024.

Project Details

• Reference ID: RFP-2026-308
• Department: Human Resources
• Department Head: Michelle Clark (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-07-15T19:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Project Approach and Methodology (35 pts) —

  Evaluation of the Offeror's understanding of the project requirements, proposed methodology, stakeholder engagement approach, project management plan, and ability to successfully perform the scope of work.

• Relevant Experience and Past Performance (25 pts) —

  Experience conducting classification and compensation studies for local governments or organizations of similar size and complexity, including demonstrated success on comparable projects.

• Qualifications and Experience of Assigned Personnel (20 pts) —

  Qualifications, certifications, experience, and availability of the personnel assigned to perform the work, including project management and key staff.

• Completeness and overall quality of proposal (5 pts) —

  Overall organization, completeness, clarity, responsiveness, and quality of the proposal, including the Offeror's ability to address all requirements of the solicitation.

• Pricing Proposal (15 pts)

Submission Requirements

• Technical Proposal (required) —

  Offerors may use the attached template to prepare their Technical Proposal.

  Upload one complete Technical Proposal in PDF format. The proposal shall be organized in the following order:

  1. Executive Summary

  2. Firm Profile and Qualifications

  3. Relevant Experience and Past Performance

  4. Project Approach and Methodology

  5. Qualifications and Experience of Assigned Personnel

  6. Project Schedule

  7. References

• SCC Number (required) —

  Enter your SCC number here

• Anticollusion-Nondiscrimination-Drug Free Workplace Clauses (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Proprietary-Confidential Information Identification (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Signature Page (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• FORM W-9 (required) —

  Please upload your W-9.

• Please provide a brief scope of work summary: (required)
• If an offer is accepted within ___________(__) calendar days from the date of the subsequent offers for particular projects (required)
• Please provide your bid/proposal due date: (required) —

  Example: December 1, 2024

  Note: Please keep in mind that most formal projects must be advertised for a minimum of 10 days. Design-Build RFQs require 30 days.

• Bid Opening Time: (required) —

  Example: 2:15 pm

• Renewable Options: (required) —

  "three additional one-year terms" This is the maximum allowed for Indefinite Services.

• Please provide the custom renewable term of the contract: (required) —

  Example: two additional two-year terms

  If this does not apply, state "N/A"