Methodology · 6-Phase Project Plan
June – December 2026 · 7-month engagement, calibrated to County's FY 2027 budget cycle
The RFP §SCOPE is explicit: final report due Thursday, December 17, 2026, with HR Director updates throughout, and Council presentation upon completion. Our six-phase methodology maps directly to RFP §CLASSIFICATION STUDY items 1–7 and §COMPENSATION STUDY items 1–14. Every phase below cites the specific RFP requirement it satisfies.
01
June 2026
2 weeks
Project kick-off, data intake, & stakeholder engagement design
Maps to: RFP §SCOPE — initial meeting with HR Director, HR Generalist, County Manager
Activities
- ▸Kickoff meeting with HR Director, HR Generalist, County Manager — finalize scope, dedicated personnel, deadlines
- ▸Schedule department-head briefings (1 per major department, 12 total)
- ▸Schedule employee briefings (one per department, recorded for absent staff)
- ▸Pull authoritative source data: 157 current job descriptions, FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget personnel schedule, current pay schedule, FLSA designations
- ▸Pull SC PEBA: SCRS / PORS class designations per incumbent
- ▸Stand up secured project folder + portal credentials for HR Director
Deliverables
- ◆Kickoff Memo
- ◆Stakeholder Engagement Plan
- ◆Data Intake Schedule
- ◆Project Risk Register v1
02
July 2026
4 weeks
Classification audit & evaluation — 157 classifications
Maps to: RFP §CLASSIFICATION STUDY items 1–4
Activities
- ▸Job Analysis Tool (JAT) issued to all incumbents; 100% return targeted
- ▸Department-head structured interviews (12 sessions) to validate JAT data
- ▸AI-drafted classification profile generated for each of 157 classes (using HSG's reconciliation methodology)
- ▸Each AI-drafted profile reconciled by Certified Job Evaluator (Gilda Weech-House) against JAT, SC peer-county descriptions, and DOL O*NET
- ▸Internal hierarchy & relative-worth assessment using point-factor methodology
- ▸Distinct-classification audit — examples flagged in RFP (Clerk vs. Equipment Operator) handled by sub-classification design where work is materially different
Deliverables
- ◆Job Analysis Tool inventory (157 returns)
- ◆Draft Class Specifications (157 classes)
- ◆Internal Hierarchy Memo
- ◆AI/Expert Reconciliation Log
03
August 2026
4 weeks
Comparator survey & external market data collection
Maps to: RFP §SCOPE items E–F + §COMPENSATION STUDY items 3–4
Activities
- ▸12 SC peer-county comparators surveyed: Laurens, Abbeville, Newberry, Edgefield, Saluda, Oconee, Cherokee, Lancaster, Anderson, Spartanburg, Aiken (+ Greenwood self)
- ▸Each comparator's adopted FY 2024-25 / 2025-26 salary schedule pulled (authoritative public records)
- ▸Targeted private-sector benchmark — Self Regional Healthcare, Lander University, Eaton, Fuji, manufacturing-cluster pull for non-public-sector comparable roles
- ▸SC Association of Counties (SCAC) Salary Survey 2024 cross-reference for statewide percentile
- ▸Greenwood-equivalent role mapping (155+ benchmark matches anticipated; flagged where unique)
Deliverables
- ◆Comparator Database (Excel)
- ◆Market Position Report
- ◆Compression Analysis Brief
- ◆Statewide Percentile Memo
04
September – October 2026
8 weeks
Pay structure design & compression analysis
Maps to: RFP §COMPENSATION STUDY items 5–9, 13
Activities
- ▸Pay grade design — minimum, midpoint, maximum for each grade
- ▸Department-Head separate grade ladder (RFP §SUMMARY)
- ▸Career ladders & promotional progressions documented (RFP §CLASSIFICATION STUDY item 4)
- ▸Compression analysis run on every classification; remediation plan tiered (immediate / FY 27 / structural)
- ▸Internal-equity / external-competitiveness reconciliation
- ▸New-hire starting-pay guidelines (RFP §COMPENSATION STUDY item 6)
Deliverables
- ◆Recommended Pay Schedule v1
- ◆Department-Head Grade Ladder Memo
- ◆Compression Remediation Plan
- ◆Career Ladder Map
05
November 2026
4 weeks
Recommendations, cost impact, & HR maintenance system
Maps to: RFP §COMPENSATION STUDY items 7, 11–12 + §CLASSIFICATION STUDY item 6
Activities
- ▸Tiered recommendation package (immediate / FY 27 / structural)
- ▸Cost-impact model — base + SCRS/PORS rollup per classification per FTE
- ▸HR maintenance system — electronic deliverable for Greenwood HR to keep classification & compensation current after award
- ▸Updated pay scale in electronic format (RFP §COMPENSATION STUDY item 11)
- ▸Pay-for-performance / skill / special-assignment / certification / bilingual / promotional / acting-assignment guidance (RFP §COMPENSATION STUDY item 10)
Deliverables
- ◆Tiered Recommendation Package
- ◆Cost Impact Model (Excel)
- ◆HR Maintenance System (electronic)
- ◆Updated Pay Scale (electronic)
06
December 2026
3 weeks
Final delivery, Council presentation, & HR training
Maps to: RFP §SCOPE — final due Thursday, December 17, 2026 + §CLASSIFICATION STUDY item 7 + §COMPENSATION STUDY item 14
Activities
- ▸Comprehensive final report — full study + each grade and class before/after with reasons (RFP §COMPENSATION STUDY item 8)
- ▸Council presentation in Greenwood Council Chambers — pre-rehearsed with HR Director and County Manager
- ▸HR-staff training program executed: 2 sessions over 2 weeks, covering classification administration, market-data refresh process, and the maintenance system
- ▸FINAL DELIVERY: Thursday, December 17, 2026 (per RFP)
Deliverables
- ◆Final Report (PDF + DOCX)
- ◆Council Presentation Deck
- ◆HR Training Program (recorded + slide deck + reference manual)
- ◆Maintenance System Documentation
On-Time Delivery Commitment
December 17, 2026 — locked in writing.
The RFP names this date because it must hit before Greenwood County's FY 2027 budget cycle opens. Every phase above carries a hard buffer to absorb data-availability slippage from comparator counties or HRIS pull delays without compressing the final review-and-approval window. We do not negotiate the December 17 commitment in kickoff — it is the commitment.