Invitation for Bids: Single Platform for Payroll, Timekeeping and HR

GARDNER
KANSAS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FOR
Single Platform for Payroll, Timekeeping, and HR
RFP # F12026-01

Issue Date: 04/20/2026

Proposal Submittal Deadline: 05/29/2026 at 10:00 a.m.
City of Gardner
City Clerk
120 E. Main St.

Gardner, KS 66030

Contact: Matt Wolff, Finance Director
Phone: (913) 856-0927
Email: mwolff@gardnerkansas.gov

PURPOSE

The City of Gardner is seeking proposals from qualified vendors for a comprehensive Payroll,
Timekeeping, and Human Capital Management system. The system should support payroll, time
and attendance tracking, HR functions, benefits administration, and compliance reporting. The
solution must be scalable to accommodate both full-time employees and seasonal staff while
ensuring compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

The City of Gardner has approximately 160 full-time employees and approximately 275-300
seasonal employees. The city consists of the following departments: Police, Parks & Recreation,
Public Works, Airport, Community Development, Utilities (Electric, Water, and Wastewater),
Administration, and Finance. Payroll is processed bi-weekly for most employees, except for
council members, judges and prosecutors who are paid monthly.

The City currently utilizes a timekeeping and HR system from one company and a payroll system
from another company. So currently the systems are separate, which causes duplicate data entry
and extra steps to reconcile and ensure that the two systems are in sync. The City will be moving
to a single platform to replace these separate systems and is looking for a system that is fully
integrated across all modules.

The City has some unique payroll and benefit processes, such as paying game officials by the
game instead of the hour, compensatory time (comp time), seasonal workers that work multiple
positions at different rates of pay (currently they pick what job they are working on from a
dropdown list when they clock in and those jobs are associated with different rates of pay), an
aquatic center that uses two timeclocks to punch seasonal workers in and out, shift differential
with blended OT for police officers, holiday pay with overtime and double time calculations
possible.

The City offers various benefits including medical, dental, vision, H.S.A. and flex spending
accounts, a 457B plan, and various supplemental plans. The City moved to ICHRA (Individual
Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement) plans in 2024 for medical insurance. These are,
in effect, plans purchased through the marketplace. The City provides a contribution to
employees' H.S.A. plans where eligible and matches employees' 457B plan contributions at 1%
if certain criteria are met.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
FOR
Single Platform for Payroll, Timekeeping, and HR
RFP # F12026-01

Reports currently utilized by the City are listed under Appendix A.

Pertinent sections of the City's records retention schedule have been included as Appendix B.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS*

(C) 04/20/2026 RFP issue date

e 05/04/2026 Deadline for questions

e 05/29/2026 Proposal submittal deadline at 10:00 am

e 06/08/2026 Evaluation of proposals

e 06/22/2026 Interviews, if necessary

e 06/26/2026 Selection of preferred proposal

(C) 07/10/2026 Contract negotiations

e 07/20/2026 Recommendation to Council for awarding contract
e 07/21/2026 Agreement Start Date

(C) 01/01/2027 "Go live" date

*Tentative and subject to change

SCOPE OF SERVICES
The selected vendor will be responsible for providing the following services:

1.

2.

Item 1:

0000000000

degrees

Item 2:

000000

Payroll & Compensation Management

Payroll processing for 160+ full-time employees and 275+ seasonal employees
Shift differential pay for police officers, including blended overtime

Process payroll for employees with various shift schedules (8, 10, and 12 hours)
Holiday pay calculations

Overtime and double time pay calculations

Some recreational seasonal staff compensated on a per-game basis
Compensatory (comp) time tracking and payouts

Payroll tax filing and compliance (federal, state, and local)

KPERs compliance

Comprehensive, user-friendly reporting, including journal entry download data in a
compatible forward for uploading into the City's enterprise system (CentralSquare)
Employee Self-Service and user-friendly apps

Time & Attendance Management

Support for physical timeclocks at remote locations

Mobile app and web-based clock-in /out functionality

Geo-fencing for location-based time tracking

Accrual tracking (vacation, sick leave, comp time, personal holiday)
Comprehensive, user-friendly reporting

Employee Self-Service and user-friendly apps

"GARDNER
KANSAS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FOR
Single Platform for Payroll, Timekeeping, and HR
RFP # F12026-01

3. Item 3: HR & Workforce Management
o Applicant tracking system (ATS) for recruiting and hiring
o Onboarding process automation, including I-9s and E-Verify; the ability to utilize
electronic signatures; and the ability to perform pre-employment background
checks within the system
o Employee records management with full history retention
o Performance management and evaluation tracking (including tracking disciplinary
action); ability to partition the system for employee evaluations (manager view) so
evaluations could be completed in the system
o Training module to track training hours, training expirations and certifications; if
possible, a drop-down menu to select the training type; ability to set notifications
or reminders at varying intervals as trainings approach due dates/expirations;
ability to upload historical training data is preferred
o Benefits administration, including eligibility tracking and enrollment
Comprehensive, user-friendly reporting

degrees

4. Item 4: Compliance Reporting

EEO reporting and compliance tracking

Automated workflow approvals, including a structured approval hierarchy for police
System-generated documentation and training manuals

ACA reporting

(C)0000

5. Item 5: Data Migration
o Historical data migration from current systems will be required for this conversion

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS
The submittal should be organized in a manner that will convey pertinent information. The
proposal should be formatted in the order shown below.

A. Title Page
Indicate the name of the business, address, telephone number, name of the contact person,
and the date.

B. Table of Contents
Include a clear identification of the material by section and by page number.

C. Transmittal Letter

A signed letter of transmittal by an authorized agent of the respondent briefly stating the
business understands the work to be done, the commitment to perform the work, the location
and hours of operation of the office from which work will be performed, and a statement why
the firm believes itself to be best qualified to perform the engagement. Shall be addressed to

Matt Wolff at mwolff@gardnerkansas.gov.
D. System Overview
Description of the proposed system and its capabilities.

E. Implementation Plan
Timeline, key milestones, and estimated completion.

KANSAS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FOR
Single Platform for Payroll, Timekeeping, and HR
RFP # F12026-01

Support & Training
Availability of customer support, training resources, and documentation.

Security, Compliance & Disaster Recovery

Details on system security, data protection, regulatory compliance and disaster recovery
plans.

Pricing
Breakdown of costs, including licensing, implementation, maintenance, and training.

Qualifications & Experience

e Describe the firm's qualifications for providing the specified services. Elaborate on
experience with working with municipalities.

e Identify all key staff members that will assist in the implementation of the proposed
solution and ongoing support. List their names, titles, contact information, a brief
description of their role, and relevant experience.

e Describe any unique services or capabilities relevant to this RFP.

References

e Provide at least three (3) references (preferably governmental clients or organizations of
a similar size) the City may contact as references with respect to the respondent's work
performance. Include the name, title, address, phone number and email for each
reference.

Disclosures
e Disclosure of any bankruptcy or insolvency, false declarations, significant or persistent
deficiencies in performance of any substantive requirement or obligation under a prior
contract or contracts, final judgement in respect of serious crimes or other serious
offences, professional misconduct or acts or omissions adversely reflecting on the
commercial integrity of the firm, or failure to pay taxes.
Insurance
e Describe amounts and types of insurance carried, including the deductible amount, to
cover errors and omissions, improper judgements or negligence.
Fee Proposal

e Submit a fee proposal which includes the breakdown of costs, including licensing,
implementation, maintenance, and training. The proposal should include the cost for
the first year and for the next 3 years.

Exceptions to this Request for Proposals
e Respondents must explicitly note any exceptions in their proposal. If not so noted,
compliance with the provisions of the Request for Proposals shall be assumed.

KANSAS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
FOR
Single Platform for Payroll, Timekeeping, and HR
RFP # F12026-01

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Respondents must submit seven (7) printed copies and one (1) digital copy (USB flash drive or
CD) of the proposal no later than 10:00 AM on Friday, May 29, 2026. Any proposals received
after 10:00 A.M. will be deemed ineligible. Please submit the proposal in a sealed envelope.

Submit proposals to:
Renee Rich

City Clerk

120 E. Main St
Gardner, KS 66030

PROPOSAL EVALUATION
The proposals will be evaluated by a cross-departmental selection committee comprised of 6-7
employees.

The proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:
e Functionality (30 points)
e Implementation & Training (15 points)
e Security & Compliance (20 points)
e Cost (20 points)
e References & Experience (15 points)

The maximum possible score is 100.

The selection committee will evaluate the written proposals and will select the respondent(s)
which meets the best interests of the City. After evaluating the proposals, the City may request
additional information. At its discretion, the City may require any respondent(s) to make an oral
presentation of the proposal. These presentations provide an opportunity for the respondent(s) to
clarify the proposal for the City. The City will schedule any such presentations.

The City shall be the sole judge of its own best interests, the proposals, and the resulting
negotiated agreement. The City's decisions will be final. The City reserves the right to terminate
the RFP process at any point, if it deems it to be in the best interest of the City to do so.

The City reserves the right to negotiate any and all elements of this proposal, including but not
limited to the fee structure and length of the contract, with the respondent selected.

During evaluation, proposals will be treated as proprietary working documents and not subject to
public inspection. Once an official recommendation for award has been made and forwarded to
the Gardner City Council for approval, all information associated with the proposals, including
pricing, become available as public records. Should any items within your proposal be deemed
confidential, under the provisions of the State of Kansas Open Records laws, they must be so
marked and submitted as a separate document.

PROTEST PROCESS

Any actual or prospective bidder, contractor or vendor who is aggrieved in connection with the
solicitation or award of a contract/purchase order may protest to the City Administrator or his/her
designee. The protest shall be submitted in writing to the City Administrator or his/her

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"GARDNER
KANSAS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.

FOR
Single Platform for Payroll, Timekeeping, and HR
RFP # F12026-01

designated representative within 10 working days after the aggrieved party knows or should
have known of the facts giving rise to the grievance.

The City Administrator or his/her designee shall have the authority to settle and resolve a
protest of an aggrieved bidder, contractor or vendor, actual or prospective, concerning a
solicitation or award of a contract. A written decision regarding the protest shall be exercised in
accordance with the City's procurement regulations contained in this policy.

APPROPRIATIONS CLAUSE

The City is subject to the Kansas Cash Basis Law. Accordingly, execution and continuation of
the contract is contingent upon annual appropriation of funds by its legislative body in an amount
sufficient to allow performance in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. The
City shall, upon receipt of notice by its City Administrator, Finance Department or other
appropriate authority that sufficient funds are not available to continue full and faithful
performance of the contract, provide prompt written notice to the advisor of such event, and
effective thirty (30) days after giving such notice or upon the expiration of the period of time for
which funds were appropriated, whichever comes first, be thereafter released of all further
obligations in any way related to the contract.

GOVERNING LAW
All contractual agreements shall be subject to, governed by, and construed according to the laws
of the State of Kansas.

INDEMNITY

For purposes of indemnification requirements, "Loss" means any and all loss, damage, liability or
expense of any nature whatsoever, whether incurred as a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine or
otherwise (including attorney's fees and cost of defense).

For purposes of this RFP, the Respondent hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless
the City, its employees and agents, from any and all "loss" where "loss" is caused or incurred or
alleged to be caused or incurred in whole or in part as a result of the negligence or other actionable
fault of the Respondent. It is agreed as a specific element of consideration of this agreement that
this indemnity shall apply notwithstanding the joint, concurring or contributory or comparative fault
or negligence of the City or any third party and further notwithstanding any theory of law including,
but not limited to, a characterization of the City's or any third party's joint, concurring or
contributory or comparative fault or negligence as either passive or active in nature, provided,
however, that the Respondent's obligation hereunder shall not include amounts attributable to the
fault or negligence of the City. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to impose liability on the
Respondent to indemnify the City for loss when the City's negligence or other actionable fault is
the sole cause of loss.

DATA OWNERSHIP & TRANSITION REQUIREMENTS

The City of Gardner will retain full ownership of all payroll and HR data. The selected vendor must
support data migration and ensure secure transfer should the City transition to a different system
in the future.

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"GARDNER
KANSAS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FOR
Single Platform for Payroll, Timekeeping, and HR
RFP # F12026-01

INQUIRIES

All inquiries concerning this RFP should be submitted to Matt Wolff at
mwolff@gardnerkansas.gov. All inquiries received will be responded to by means of addendum
to this RFP and distributed via email to all known interested institutions.

DEADLINE FOR INQUIRIES
The deadline for receipt of questions from respondents is close of business May 4, 2026. No
further questions or clarifications will be provided after that date. Questions should be sent to Matt

Wolff at mwolff@gardnerkansas.gov.

Appendix A
City of Gardner, KS
List of Reports

Reports currently used from Kronos:

Less than 40 hour week by employee
Negative accruals

Missing punch report

Exempt employees with greater than 80 hours
Timesheets with less than 80 hours
Unapproved time off requests

Unapproved timesheet change requests
Unapproved timesheets

FMLA time off

Holiday hours

Holiday Worked report

Seasonal job reports showing hours and job

Reports currently used from Paycor:

Reporting in Excel format for sorting purposes

Live checks reports for positive pay for bank

SSN/Name mismatch

ACA reports

Audit reports of changes made to system and who made those changes

Accruals Used/Balances

Employee gender by pay period for governmental reporting

HSA Direct Deposits by requested time periods

Active/Terminated employees with hire, rehire, adjusted hire date, & termination date

Age report

457 report by type separating out Roth that includes employee deductions and employer contributions
KPERS with both employee & employer contributions by pay period or other time frames

Overtime report by dept-current pay period as well as YTD

Benefit report by specified deductions by time frame for billing and other reporting

Report with dept including all earnings & all deductions for specified time frame including NCCI code
Pay rate & seniority reports for GTL changes & other

YTD Hour reports to keep seasonal's under 1000 hours ( KPERS requirement)

YTD reports for tax filing reconciliation

YTD Sick time used by actual date if possible

Active/Terminated employees with department, hire dates, rehire dates, & term dates

Budget reports

Employee Change report including all changes made to a profile for a period of time & who made changes
Check Register by YTD

Phone number list

Desired Reports:

Need reports in Excel format

Reports with all/or selective earnings types, all or selective deductions by specified periods (ytd, bi-weekly, monthly,
or specified date ranges)

Historical reports with hire & term dates including job title at that time

Appendix B

Record Retention Schedule
City of Gardner

(relevant sections only)

Table of Contents
HUMAN RESOURCES

FISCAL SERVICES