Specifications include, but are not limited to: A. Classification Study 1. Consultant to review Denton County’s existing job classifications, organization charts, and related background information, and propose recommended strategies for the County. 2. Consultant to conduct interviews and/or job audits as appropriate. Interviews and/or job audits may be conducted individually or in groups based upon the classification. 3. Consultant to develop job evaluation questionnaires for each job description and distributed to a percentage of employees within those positions. 4. Consultant to update job descriptions to uniformly reflect the distinguishing characteristics, essential job functions, minimum qualifications (education/experience and knowledge/skills/abilities), working conditions (physical demands, work environment, and travel requirements), and certification/licenses/registrations requirements for classification as needed. 5. Consultant to classify benchmark jobs and slot remaining jobs in appropriate classifications for internal equity. 6. Consultant to identify Officials, Administrators, Professionals, Technicians, Administrative Support, Skilled Craft Workers, and Service employees, including Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) status (exempt/non-exempt). 7. Consultant to present proposed recommendations to the Commissioners Court & Human Resources Director for review before making any classification determinations. 8. Consultant to finalize class specifications and recommend appropriate classification for each employee, including correction of identified discrepancies between existing and proposed classifications. 9. Consultant to identify career ladders and promotional opportunities as deemed appropriate. 10. Consultant to submit recommendations for appropriate implementation measures that the Human Resources staff will need to take. 11. Consultant to provide a straightforward, easily understood, maintenance system that Human Resources Department will use to keep the classification system current and equitable. B. Compensation Study 1. Consultant to review current compensation plan (salary grade levels and/or steps) and understand current challenges in recruiting and retaining employees. 2. Consultant to recommend and identify a consistent and competitive market position that the County can strive to maintain. 3. Consultant to recommend comparable labor markets, including both public and private sector employers for compensation survey. 4. Consultant to develop and conduct a comprehensive compensation and benefits survey, to include local, and regional recognized public and private sector companies. 5. Consultant to recommend appropriate salary range for each position based on the classification plan, the compensation survey results, and the internal relationships and equality. Consultant to prepare a new salary structure based on the results of the survey and best practices. 6. Consultant to develop guidelines to assist County staff with determining the starting pay for new employees based on knowledge and experience above the minimum requirements of the position, how difficult the position is to fill, and market competitiveness. 7. Consultant to recommend implementation strategies including calculating the cost of implementing the plan. 8. Consultant to identify any extreme current individual or group compensation inequities and to provide a recommended corrective action plan and process to remedy these situations. 9. Consultant to make recommendations and to provide implementation strategies related to other key compensation practices, based on market demands, including pay for performance, skill pay, special assignment pay, certification pay, bilingual pay, promotional pay, and acting assignment pay. 10. Consultant to provide recommendations for the ongoing internal administration and maintenance of the proposed compensation plan. Maintenance should include annual activities such as market survey. 11. Consultant to conduct a compression analysis to include any recommendations for implementation. 12. Consultant to conduct a comprehensive training program for Human Resources staff to ensure that the staff can explain and administer the new system in the future.