City-Wide Total Compensation Study Documents: Addendum No. 1

Agency:	City of Atwater
State:	California
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
Posted Date:	Oct 20, 2026
Due Date:	Nov 2, 2026
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Description

Title & Document	Issued	Submissions Due
City-Wide Total Compensation Study Documents: Addendum No. 1	October 1st, 2026	4:00 P.M. PT November 2nd, 2026

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CITY OF ATWATER, CA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

FOR

CITY-WIDE TOTAL COMPENSATION STUDY

RFP RELEASE DATE: October 1, 2026

PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY

4:00 P.M. on November 2, 2026

Table of Contents

CITY OF ATWATER

CITY-WIDE TOTAL COMPENSATION STUDY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................. 3

BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 3

OBJECTIVE ...................................................................................................................... 3

PROJECT SCHEDULE .................................................................................................... 4

SCOPE OF SERVICES..................................................................................................... 4

PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT....................................................................... 5

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION ........................................................................................ 7

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................... 8

General Requirements....................................................................................................8

Submission of Proposal .................................................................................................9

Format for Proposal .......................................................................................................9

GENERAL.......................................................................................................................... 9

City Requirements .........................................................................................................9

Attachment 1: Special Conditions ..................................................................................11

Attachment 2: City of Atwater Professional Services Agreement............................... 14

Page 2 of 30

INTRODUCTION

The City of Atwater (hereinafter referred to as the “City”) is requesting proposals from

qualified firms to conduct a City-wide Total Compensation Study. The purpose of the study is

to assist the City in maintaining a competitive compensation program that supports the

recruitment and retention of a high-quality workforce and provides a sound basis for

compensation decisions. The selected consultant will be expected to conduct a

comprehensive review of the City’s existing classifications, salary ranges, and employee

benefits; compare the City’s compensation practices with those of appropriate comparable

public agencies; evaluate internal relationships and equity; and provide practical

recommendations for maintaining a competitive and sustainable total compensation

program.

All proposals must be received by the City, no later than 4:00 PM on November 2, 2026. Late

proposals will not be considered. The City desires to enter into an agreement for professional

services with a qualified consultant that can demonstrate substantial experience conducting

compensation and classification studies for public agencies, preferably California cities and

other comparable governmental organizations. In addition to technical expertise, the City

seeks a consultant that can communicate effectively with City management, employees, and

elected officials and provide clear, defensible recommendations.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any informality in the

proposal process, and to select the proposal that, in the City’s judgment, provides the best

overall value. Cost alone shall not be the determinative factor.

The request for proposals does not oblige the City to award a contract or complete the project

and the City reserves the right to cancel the solicitation if deemed in its best interest. There is

no express or implied obligation for the City to reimburse respondents for any expenses

incurred in preparing proposals in response to this RFP, including any expenses incurred due

to participation in this RFP process; the City shall not reimburse respondents for any such

expenses.

The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and to use any ideas in a proposal

regardless of whether a specific respondent is ultimately selected. Submission of a proposal

indicates acceptance by the consultant of the conditions contained in this RFP, unless clearly

and specifically otherwise noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the subsequent

contract between the City and the selected consultant.

BACKGROUND

The City of Atwater has a population of approximately 32,000. The City is located on State

Route 99 in Merced County, in California’s Great San Joaquin Valley.

The City is a general-law City that operates under a Council-Manager form of government,

with a five-member City Council. The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Attorney.

Page 3 of 30

The City is a full-service city. The City is divided into departments that provide a full range of

municipal services, including police, fire, public works, community development, and

administration. Information regarding the City and its organization, such as governmental

structure, services provided, the current Operating and Capital Budgets, and Annual Financial

Reports are available on the City’s website at https://www.atwater.org/departments/finance/.

The City’s organization includes multiple departments and a variety of classifications

encompassing management, supervisory, professional, technical, administrative and other

municipal positions.

The City is seeking a comprehensive and objective review of its compensation structure to

ensure that compensation practices remain competitive within the relevant labor market

while maintaining appropriate internal relationships and equity.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the Total Compensation Study is to provide the City with current, credible, and

actionable information regarding employee compensation and benefits and to support the

City’s ability to recruit and retain qualified employees.

The objectives of the study include, but are not limited to:

1. Evaluate the competitiveness of the City’s salary ranges in relation to an appropriate

market of comparable public agencies.

2. Review the City’s classification structure and evaluate internal salary relationships and

equity among classifications.

3. Recommend appropriate salary ranges based on market data, classification

responsibilities, internal relationships, and other relevant factors.

4. Review the competitiveness of benefits, including retirement, health insurance, leave

benefits, deferred compensation, and other compensation components.

5. Identify opportunities to improve promotional opportunities and recognizable

compensation growth.

6. Provide recommendations concerning staff alignments, reporting relationships, and

organizational structure where supported by the study.

7. Provide City staff with practical tools and guidance to maintain the compensation

system between formal studies.

The selected consultant shall propose a detailed project schedule identifying anticipated

dates for the project kickoff, data collection, stakeholder engagement, classification review,

compensation and benefits analysis, draft findings, City review, final report, and presentation

to the City Council. The City anticipates that the study will be completed within approximately

four (4) months following City Council approval, subject to the availability of City and

Consultant staff and timely receipt of requested information.

Page 4 of 30

PROJECT SCHEDULE

Below is the tentative time schedule for this process; however, dates may be subject to change

and adjusted as necessary.

RFP Issued

Questions due

Responses to Questions Provided

Proposal Submittal Deadline

Screening / Ranking and

Oral Interviews (at City discretion)

Contract awarded by City Council

October 1, 2026

October 12, 2026

October 19, 2026

November 2, 2026

November 9-13, 2026

December 14, 2026

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The City of Atwater is seeking a qualified consultant to conduct a comprehensive City-wide Total

Compensation Study. The study shall include all existing City job classifications. The Consultant

shall evaluate salary, total compensation, internal equity, classification relationships, market

competitiveness, and the City’s overall compensation structure, and shall provide practical

recommendations for implementation.

The scope of work includes, but is not limited to, the following:

A. Classification Review.

1. Review all existing City job classifications and classification specifications, including

represented and unrepresented classifications, as applicable.

2. Evaluate duties, responsibilities, complexity, organizational relationships, and other

factors relevant to internal equity and market comparisons.

3. Identify classifications or classification relationships that warrant further review.

B. Comparable Agencies and Labor Market.

1. Work with the City to identify comparable agencies. Document the rationale and

relevant characteristics of the comparator group, including geography, population,

organizational structure, services provided, workforce characteristics, and relevant

labor-market considerations.

2. Identify material limitations in available comparison data.

C. Salary Market Survey.

1. Conduct a salary survey for all existing City classifications.

2. Compare minimum, midpoint, maximum, steps where applicable, range width, and

other relevant salary information.

3. Identify classifications that are below, at, or above the market and explain the

methodology used to determine market positioning and recommended salary ranges.

Page 5 of 30

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

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City-Wide Total Compensation Study Documents: Addendum No. 1

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