The City of Laredo, Texas, is solicitating proposals from qualified consulting firms to conduct a comprehensive Salary, Benefits, Retirement, and Operational Study for the Police and Fire Departments. The study will objectively assess pay structures, benefits, retirement programs, incentives, patrol deployment models, and organizational structures. It must also address Laredo's unique challenges as the #1 U.S. inland port of entry and evaluate governance issues related to union political action committees (PACs) to ensure recommendations align with the City's financial sustainability and service delivery goals. The consultant shall perform the following tasks: A. Salary & Classification Review; Review current salary schedules for all sworn and civilian positions in Police and Fire. Benchmark against peer border cities (El Paso, McAllen, Brownsville) and larger Texas cities (San Antonio, Austin, Dallas). Identify pay compression or inequities between ranks. B. Benefits & Retirement; Evaluate health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage. Review retirement systems (Police: TMRS; Fire: Laredo Firefighters Retirement System). Compare employer and employee contributions against peer jurisdictions. Assess retiree health coverage, DROP programs, and related cost impacts. C. Add-ons and Incentives; Analyze percentage-based vs. flat-dollar incentive structures (e.g., certification, education, language pay). Review assignment and specialty pay, overtime, and longevity pay. Provide cost-benefit analysis of transitioning to flat-dollar incentives where appropriate. D. Police Patrol Deployment Assessment; Evaluate patrol deployment strategies, workload, and response time performance. Review shift configurations and workload alignment. Provide data-driven recommendations for optimizing resource allocation. E. Fire Department Operational Review; Assess management structure and span of control. Review staffing minimums and station configurations. Analyze potential cost savings from alternative shift models (e.g., 48/96). Recommend operational changes to improve efficiency while maintaining service standards. F. Performance and Work Expectations; Review performance evaluation processes. Recommend strategies linking pay progression to measurable performance standards. Evaluate workload distribution and staffing efficiency. G. Police Retention Strategies; Review attrition and exit interview data. Compare Laredo's recruitment and retention incentives to peer agencies and federal entities (CBP, ICE, DPS). Recommend targeted retention strategies. H. Border-City Operational Considerations; Evaluate operational pressures from cross-border trade and population growth. Assess bilingual pay and other unique local requirements. I. PAC Governance Review; Evaluate the influence of union PACs on compensation and negotiations. Provide best-practice recommendations for mitigating conflicts of interest, such as PAC disclosure requirements or firewall policies. J. Fiscal Impact Modeling; Provide 3-5 year cost estimates for all recommendations. Develop phased implementation plans and funding options.
