Our Studies

Find samples of our previous and ongoing projects below. Please contact us to learn more.

Evergreen Solutions Awarded GSA Schedule Contract

The General Services Administration (GSA) has awarded Evergreen Solutions a schedule on the Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services (MOBIS) contract. GSA schedules are important contracts that the Federal Government uses to select vendors for services at previously agreed upon prices. The proposal and negotiation process to obtain a schedule is arduous and takes several months to complete.

Under this contract, Evergreen Solutions is an approved federal government vendor who will be able to provide any Federal Government Agency with the following services related to MOBIS: Management Consulting Services (SIN 874-1), Survey Services (SIN 874-3), and Program Integration and Project Management Services (SIN 874-7). The contract is for a five year period with three renewal options. Evergreen Solutions' contract number is GS-10F-0252U and it is effective until June 8, 2013.

Evergreen Solutions Received Rave Client Reviews

Based on a recent survey, Evergreen Solutions excels in client performance ratings! With the continual growth at Evergreen Solutions, it is important that customer satisfaction never falters. That is why we are proud to announce that in a recent survey conducted by Dun and Bradstreet, we have achieved the highest satisfaction ratings in all areas! The consulting services that Evergreen Solutions provides have been ranked among the highest quality in the nation. Dun and Bradstreet affirmed our place as one of the top consulting firms in the business by ranking us in the top 90th percentile in all areas including, but not limited to reliability, cost, quality, timeliness, customer support, and order accuracy.

Technical Staffing Clientele Expanding

Evergreen Solutions has been added to the list of approved vendors that can provide information technology technical staffing for the University of Oklahoma and the State of Maine's Office of Information Technology. Evergreen Solutions has been listed as a provider of staff augmentation services for school districts, municipal governments, and state governments across the country for years providing services to Hillsborough County Public Schools, Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, and the State of Florida, for example.

K-12 PROJECTS

Rock Hill Schools, South Carolina: Evaluation and Analysis of Operations Department

Rock Hill Schools contracted with Evergreen Solutions to provide a comprehensive assessment of its Operations Department in which Evergreen Solutions will evaluate six specific functional areas of the department. Evergreen Solutions’ project approach will use several methodologies and tools to both plan and manage this school district study while following a customized work plan based on our experience in conducting facilities, plant operations, and operational studies in school districts around the country.

Areas that will be included in the evaluation are: personnel, including organization and staffing levels, administration and management staff, office support staff, maintenance staff, grounds staff, and custodial staff; procedures, including payroll and time reporting, work order system authorization and control, purchasing procedures, budget procedures and cost controls, preventive maintenance, warehousing, safety, and emergency preparedness; fleet vehicles and equipment management; energy management and control; training and skill development programs; and internal and external communications.

Burke County School System, North Carolina: Financial Review

The Burke County Commissioners contracted with Evergreen Solutions to complete a financial review of the Burke County School System. This review includes a detailed analysis of all of the school system’s financial management functions, including accounts payable, payroll, internal allocation of resources, internal controls, impact of federal and state reporting requirements, use of grant funds and procurement.

The project also includes a review of the other operations in the Burke County School System, including organization and management, technology, safety, human resources, food service, transportation, and facilities.

Pupil Transportation Consulting Services

Evergreen Solutions, as a subcontractor to The TransPar Group, is conducting a study with Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) Transportation Department. The study will focus on organizational efficiency; data reporting; staffing and organization; vehicle maintenance; and various other aspects of the transportation system employed at OCPS. The overall goal will be to increase operational efficiency in all areas possible in order to reduce costs in the transportation function of the school district.

Evergreen Solutions will focus primarily on state-level, finance, and compliance matters. Specifically, the Evergreen Team will determine which costs are out of line based upon rider counts, miles, buses, and Florida comparisons as well as establish action items to address each inefficiency identified. Evergreen Solutions will also analyze the current process for collecting transportation data in the school district and determine if the data are accurately compiled and reported to the Florida Department of Education.

Minneapolis Public Schools, Minnesota: Operational Function Optimization Study of Facilities, Plant Operations, and Transportation

In February 2009, the School Board of Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) approved a contract with Evergreen Solutions to conduct an Operational Function Optimization Study of Facilities, Plant Operations, and Transportation.

The project objectives for this study are to:

• Review existing MPS data, conduct an on-site assessment, and utilize external benchmarks and industry-recognized best business practices to identify areas of success and barriers to optimal performance within and among the three functional areas.
• Synthesize findings about key strengths and weaknesses of these functions’ shared vision and mission, customer relations, organizational structure, process effectiveness and efficiency, and culture.
• Make short and long-term recommendations for improvement in the following areas:

1. bottlenecks or redundancies in the current flow of work between and within the facilities, plant operations, and transportation functions, schools, other operational departments;
2. customer, vendor, and service partner relationships;
3. efficiency and effectiveness of the facilities, plant operations, and transportation functions’ purchasing practices, energy utilization, asset management, quality assurance, and regulatory/safety compliance, including identification of where MPS is overly cautious in its practices;
4. organizational configuration including spans of control, staffing levels, skill levels, workload, and evaluation of current and potential contracted service arrangements to accomplish the three functional areas; and
5. planning, data, measurement, and benchmark capabilities.

In calling for this study, MPS recognizes there are opportunities to optimize the overall structure, staffing, processes, practices, and organizational culture of these functions in order to ensure services that are efficient, effective, customer-focused, and nimble.

Minneapolis Public Schools has more than 37,000 students in 115 schools.

Guam Public School System: Management and Curriculum Audit and Audit of Food Services Program

The purpose of this project was to provide an objective Management and Curriculum Audit for the Guam Public School System. Evergreen Solutions conducted an independent management and curriculum audit using nationally recognized auditing standards, inclusive of academic (curricular) programs and operational (support) services.

The school management and curriculum audit identified and assessed deficiencies in GPSS's organizational structure; compliance with federal and local laws; compliance with board policies; physical and operational security; workflow designs and management; internal controls; staffing levels and competencies; management levels and competencies; management practices; training standards and practices; compliance and creation of policies and procedures; adequacy of facilities; physical plant management effectiveness and efficiency; technical and administrative infrastructure; redundancy of systems and procedures; productivity and quality standards; recruitment, certification, and training of teachers; and recruitment, training and staff development.

P.L. 29-19, Section 84 requires that a management and curriculum audit of the Guam Public School System be conducted. There is a need to conduct periodic assessments of the Guam Public School System for the following purposes:

• to ascertain whether the System is providing an adequate public education as defined by the Title 1 GCA 715;
• to evaluate the effectiveness of GPSS administrators in implementing board policy and in fulfilling assigned objectives;
• to evaluate the effectiveness of GPSS-instructional personnel and their ability to meet curriculum goals; and
• to recommend alternatives to correct systemic deficiencies and to improve the ability of GPSS personnel to fulfill assigned objectives.

In June 2008, Evergreen Solutions consultants returned to Guam to conduct an Audit of the Food Services Program for the Public School System. The review will look at financial performance, breakfast and lunch participation rates, catering services, and food quality. The audit will compare the outsourcing of food services to the internal food services operation in GPSS.

Duplin County School System, North Carolina: Financial Review

In September 2008, Evergreen Solutions initiated its fourth school system project in North Carolina in the past three years with a Financial Review of the Duplin County School System. This review included a detailed analysis of all of the school system’s financial management functions, including payroll, internal allocation of resources, internal controls, impact of federal and state reporting requirements, discretionary spending, use of technology to support financial functions, use of grant funds, procurement, and travel expenditures.

The project also included a review of some of the system’s other operations, including organization and management, human resources, food service, transportation, and facilities.

Duplin County School System has over 9,000 students in 15 schools, and is located in Kenansville, North Carolina.

Cement Public Schools and Tipton Public Schools, Oklahoma: School Performance Reviews

Evergreen Solutions completed completed two School Performance Reviews in two Oklahoma Public Schools-Cement Public Schools and Tipton Public Schools in Septemeber 2008. They studies were condcuted for the Oklahoma Office of Accountability. The School Performance Reviews of Cement Public Schools and Tipton Public Schools consist of the following components:

• Management, Personnel, and Communications: Findings, commendations, recommendations, and estimates of costs and savings regarding the school district's organization, management, and personnel as well as the district's long-range planning process and community involvement.
• Instructional Delivery: Findings, commendations, recommendations, and estimates of costs and savings regarding the school district's instructional delivery, educational programs, and technology related to instruction.
• Business Operations: Findings, commendations, recommendations, and estimates of costs and savings regarding the school district's business operations, asset and risk management, financial management, purchasing and warehouse services, human resources, and payroll.
• Facilities Use and Management: Findings, commendations, recommendations, and estimates of costs and savings regarding the school district's facilities use and management, safety and security, and energy management.
• Support Services: Findings, commendations, recommendations, and estimates of costs and savings regarding the school district's support services. These services include computers and technology, food services, and transportation services.

Dayton Public Schools, Ohio: Diagnostic Review of District Operations

In January 2008, the Dayton Foundation, working with a Business and Citizens Advisory Committee, contracted with Evergreen Solutions, LLC to conduct a comprehensive diagnostic review of operations in Dayton (Ohio) Public Schools. This urban school district has been plagued with decreased school enrollment, declining fiscal resources, and lower than expected student achievement at many schools and grade levels. The Evergreen Consultant Team conducted surveys of central office administrators,principals, and teachers. The study focused on instructional improvements as well as efficiency and effectiveness improvements to non-instructional operations including finance, facilities, safety and security, transportation, human resources, technology, and district organization and management.

Department of Defense: Review of Food Service Operations

Department of Defense (sub to Cotton and Company)

In August 2007, through Cotton and Company, Evergreen Solutions employees were contracted to conduct an independent audit of the Army and Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES) School Meal Program (SMP) to assess the accuracy of collections and accounting for the Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DODDS). The SMP is a USDA Child Nutrition Entitlement Program funded by three primary sources: USDA reimbursements and commodities, Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) appropriations, and the meal prices charges to students.

The audit reviewed SMP operations annually from government fiscal years 2004-2006 and include information from AAFES Headquarters in Dallas, Texas as well as 10 schools and five accounting offices in three European (Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom) and two Pacific countries (Korea and Japan). Areas under review include claims for reimbursement, accounting systems, annual reconciliation processing, financial management, financial reporting, staffing, foreign currency exchange, and nutritional adequacy.

Los Angeles Unified School District, California: Management Reviews

The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest in the country with approximately 750,000 students and 900 schools. As part of a two-phase review, Evergreen Solutions studied the most significant audits, reports, and studies on the district's organizational performance and assessed what was implemented, what was not, and the reasons why.

Phase I was completed in March 2007 and included an in-depth evaluation of the district's food services program. Phase II, completed in fall of 2007, included studies of the following:

• Instruction
• Governance
• Accountability
• Safety and security
• Finance
• Budgeting and payroll

Washington State Auditor's Office: Yellow Book Performance Audit of the Administrative and Overhead Operations at the Ten Largest School Districts in the State of Washington

As a subcontractor to Cotton and Company LLP, Evergreen Solutions applied its education expertise to a comprehensive, independent performance audit of the administrative and overhead operations of the ten largest school districts in the state of Washington.

The districts being reviewed include:

• Seattle School District
• Tacoma School District
• Spokane School District
• Kent School District
• Evergreen (Clark) School District
• Lake Washington School District
• Federal Way School District
• Vancouver School District
• Puyallup School District
• Edmonds School District

The audit reviewed and analyzed the economy and efficiency of the administrative and overhead operations at these school districts and was conducted in accordance with government auditing standards.

STATE GOVERNMENT PROJECTS

Florida State Board of Administration: Compensation and Classification Survey

The Florida State Board of Administration (SBA) has contracted with Evergreen Solutions to update its compensation and classification system and ensure that internal and external equity is maintained. As part of the update, Evergreen Solutions is reviewing the current structure that was established in 2006; determining the impact of compression since new employees are being hired further into the range than before; verifying overall grade placement and internal equity for the organization as a whole; and ensuring external equity with the marketplace utilizing primary and secondary data collection techniques.

Florida Department of Education: Ready to Work (RTW) Program Evaluation

The Florida Department of Education has retained Evergreen Solution’s to evaluate the performance of the Florida Ready to Work (RTW) Program. Established in 2006, the Ready to Work Program is a statewide workforce education and economic development program. The goals of the Florida Ready to Work Program are to provide students and jobseekers with a standard credential that certifies their workplace readiness and ability to succeed on the job; save employers time and money by taking the guesswork out of the hiring process; help educators and workforce development partners prepare today’s students and jobseekers for tomorrow’s jobs; and help attract businesses with high-wage jobs to Florida which will grow Florida’s economy.

Evergreen Solutions is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the program throughout the State of Florida which will involve visiting sites to obtain data and performance information from RTW shareholders. These shareholders, including job seekers, site administrators, and employers, will provide real time feedback on how they feel the RTW Program is performing. In addition to administering surveys and conducting onsite visits, Evergreen Solutions will analyze data collected through the program, such as courseware utilization, performance of those taking assessments, employment rate for those with Ready to Work certifications, as well as overall success rate in varying geographic areas around the state.

State of Nebraska: Operations and Process Review and Assessment of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Human Resource Functions

In March 2009, Evergreen Solutions launched a comprehensive Operations and Process Review and Assessment of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Human Resource functions for the State of Nebraska. In addition to conducting the review, Evergreen Solutions will also assist with the implementation of our proposed recommendations.

Our team will work for approximately seven months through the four-phased study. Each phase was designed to meet the state’s objectives. Phase one, Project Initiation, includes the finalization of the work plan and collection of data. During phase two, Environmental Scanning and Stakeholder Involvement, Evergreen Solutions’ consultants will analyze and evaluate different business processes, conduct interviews, and identify organizational obstacles or barriers to service delivery. The third phase, Development of Department Structure and Service Delivery Strategy, includes tasks to meet the state’s objectives to identify opportunities and strategies for improving the service delivery process, as well as to identify processes that can be streamlined, and conduct a cost-benefit analysis of services. Finally, in phase four, Development of Department Structure and Service Delivery Strategy, our consulting team will create an overall implementation plan and deliver recommendations for the functional and process transitions.

The State of Nebraska’s DHHS has six divisions: Behavioral Health, Children and Family Services, Developmental Disabilities, Medicaid and Long-Term Care, Public Health, and Veterans’ Homes.

North Carolina Legislative Services Commission: Study of Structure and Organization of the State Board of Education, State Superintendent of Instruction, and Department of Public Instruction

In October 2008, Evergreen Solution began a project with the Program Evaluation Division of the North Carolina General Assembly, as part of the Appropriations Act of 2008, to conduct a Policy Analysis of Education Governance in North Carolina. This analysis includes a review of the State Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Education, and the Department of Public Instruction.

The study will include, but not be limited to:

• analysis of the roles of agencies and individuals;
• analysis of governance structure;
• review of oversight and accountability;
• peer state education agency size and output comparison;
• analysis of Department of Public Instruction organization problems;
• analysis of Department of Public Instruction accountability and quality; and
• best practices assessment of similar organizations.

The study will conclude with a comprehensive report and implementation plan, multiple presentations to the General Assembly, and draft legislation.

Florida Department of Education: Food Services Study

Nationally, the meals of more than two million students who are eligible for free or reduced price breakfasts go unserved. While this is a problem nationally, Florida is one of the states with the highest percentage of eligible students who are not consuming the free or reduced price meals they are eligible for, especially in secondary schools.

The purpose of Evergreen Solutions' contract with the Florida Department of Education, which concluded in August 2008, was to study the reasons for this lack of participation in Florida's 67 school districts. The scope of services includes designing tools, strategies, and preparing for the use of effective, tailored market research for secondary students, staff, and parents.

Florida Department of Health: Outsourcing Services

Evergreen Solutions, in association with Five Points Technology, is providing the Florida Department of Health outsourcing services to fulfill the Department's Public Health and Medical Preparedness and Response Consultant position.

As a function of this agreement, the consultant will:

• review the relationship of other community providers as well as local Emergency Management Plans.
• assure that exercises and plans are in keeping with practical aspects of the problem being addressed.
• attempt to formulate a building block approach to disaster planning to allow for public and private entities to achieve success and not be overcome by the scenario.
• promote the integration of rumor control into public information operations.
• work with the projects' already established local and state committees to obtain consensus on the planning.
• work with project managers to obtain final approvals from the SWG and the DSOC, as appropriate.
• advise, when appropriate, the ongoing information exchange with other response partners, in particular hospitals, long-term care, fire/rescue, law enforcement, and education.
• work with exercise design consultant lead in development of scenarios.

Evergreen Solutions also maintains outsourcing contracts with other municipal government organizations.

Florida Department of Management Services: Best Practices Study and Human Resource Strategic Planning

The Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) retained Evergreen Solutions to create a statewide workforce strategic plan. The purpose of this project was to develop a strategic planning document with recommendations that will serve as the State’s roadmap for human resource policy guidance for the next five years. This roadmap will assist DMS in providing innovative, world-class human resource services designed to recruit, retain, reward and recognize a high-performance workforce for the State of Florida through 2012. The Strategic Plan was created to address three critical components: workforce design, compensation and benefits, and workforce training and development.

To generate a comprehensive understanding of stakeholder perspectives, Evergreen Solutions interviewed state-level leaders, engaged employees through focus groups, and conducted trend analysis. In addition, Evergreen Solutions administered an electronic survey statewide and that generated feedback from more than 20,000 employees across all departments and agencies. This research assisted Evergreen Solutions in creating meaningful action-driven recommendations.

Evergreen Solutions was also recently retained by the DMS to conduct a Best Practices Review of its internal human resources operation. A multi-faceted, multi-level approach was utilized that included focus groups, interviews, peer review, process analysis, best practices, benchmarking, and gap analysis. Based on data from each of these tools, a variety of operational commendations and recommendations were made.

HIGHER EDUCATION PROJECTS

Broward College: Evaluation of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Grant

In February 2010, Broward College contracted Evergreen Solutions to evaluate an Emergency Management for Higher Education Grant. As part of the evaluation, Evergreen Solutions will assess four areas of Broward College’s emergency management plan, including prevention migration, preparedness, response, and recovery. Additionally, the evaluation will include developing a sustainable performance measurement system that will evaluate the college’s early warning program. Evergreen Solutions will design and disseminate methods of evaluation appropriate to goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project.

Evergreen Solutions will use a methodology that includes collecting and tracking quantitative and qualitative data for each of the project’s objectives and measurements. Specifically, this will include: designing evaluation instruments (surveys, questionnaires, evaluations, and other necessary and appropriate forms); developing specialized tracking systems to measure performance objectives and to assess whether intended outcomes were realized; and conducting focus groups and interviews with students, staff, and faculty. The evaluation will also assess overall efficiency and effectiveness of the training, practice drills, and after-action reports associated with the emergency management plan. In addition, the emergency communication systems will also be assessed during the evaluation.

Pulaski Technical College: Evaluation of the Emergency Management for Higher Education Grant

Pulaski Technical College is the largest and fastest growing comprehensive community college in Arkansas, with eight locations in the most populated metropolitan regions. Recently, the college has contracted with Evergreen Solutions to evaluate an Emergency Management for Higher Education Grant. The grant is designed to constitute a coherent, sustained program of training in the field of emergency management, including conducting training and exercises in emergency management procedures. Aside from increasing awareness among college faculty, staff, and students regarding emergency management policies and procedures, the grant is aimed at improving partnerships between community partners and campus leaders.

Evergreen Solutions will assess the overall effectiveness of the grant utilizing a customized work plan designed to evaluate Pulaski Technical College’s specific objectives. The work plan will evaluate the grants success with increasing the number of emergency management courses attended by campus personnel as well as with supplementing the college’s current emergency preparedness plan with additional exercises. Furthermore, a Crisis Intervention Plan and a Health Emergency Plan established by the grant will be assessed by Evergreen Solutions during the evaluation.

Missouri Western State University: Comprehensive Market Survey and Compensation Plan Study

In February 2008, Evergreen Solutions kicked off a Comprehensive Market Salary Survey and Compensation Plan Study for all non-faculty jobs at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. Evergreen Solutions consultants worked with the University's Salary Review and Compensation Committee to select benchmark job titles and market peer organizations to survey. Market comparisons were made at the local, regional, state, and national levels. Once data was collected using the survey tool, Evergreen Solutions provided detailed and comprehensive recommendations for revision and update the University's pay plans, including projected costs for implementation. Finally, Evergreen Solutions staff provided compensation administration guidelines for continued administration of the updated pay plans. Missouri Western State University is a four-year, state-supported institution providing undergraduate and graduate programs through the colleges of liberal arts and professional studies. In addition, the University offers continuing education courses, seminars, conferences, and workshops suited to the needs of the community and serving groups throughout the nation.

St. Thomas University: Emergency Management for Higher Education Grant Evaluation

In July 2009, St. Thomas University selected Evergreen Solutions to evaluate an Emergency Management for Higher Education Grant. The purpose of the grant is to fund higher education institution projects with the purpose to develop, review, improve, and fully integrate all campus-based emergency management planning efforts. With the 18-month federal grant, a Campus Community Emergency Planning for Safety (C-CEPS) Consortium was created in cooperation with neighboring institutions Barry University and Florida Memorial. The consortium will participate in the development of college-wide and campus-based emergency management plans and training programs.

In order to ensure the overall goals and specific objectives of the grant are being met, Evergreen Solutions established a customized work plan to evaluate the execution of the grant. These tasks focused on addressing St. Thomas University’s objectives including developing emergency management and preparedness materials based on best practice, increasing overall awareness of hazards and emergency procedures, and training University faculty, staff, and students to be more efficient and effective in emergency procedures.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROJECTS

City of Mauldin, South Carolina: Compensation and Classification Study

The City of Mauldin has retained Evergreen Solutions to provide oversight into the data collection process regarding compensation and classification as well as provide recommendations following the collection of the data for the City to transition into a purely merit-based pay system. The purpose of the study is to review the current structure that has not been updated in the last few years utilizing the position rating manual and position analysis questionnaire; review the salary survey methods and results collected from local municipalities and national IMCA data; verify overall grade placement and internal equity for the organization as a whole; ensure external equity with the marketplace; and provide oversight on transition to a performance management, merit-pay system.

As part of the study, Evergreen Solutions will review the materials provided by the City and give feedback on best practices and market trends; analyze internal equity data collected by the City and give feedback to address internal equity; review salary survey data collected by the City for accuracy and provide insight regarding findings; develop the strategic position for the City utilizing collected data and desired intentions of the City; and assist the City with developing a transition plan.

City of Branson, Missouri: Compensation and Classification Study

The City of Branson, Missouri has retained Evergreen Solutions to conduct a comprehensive compensation and classification study to determine if the City possesses a compensation and classification system that is both equitable as compared to the external competitive employment market and equitable internally. In doing so, the City of Branson hopes to design a system that will enable them to recruit, retain, and motivate a qualified workforce as well as compensate employees at a fair, equitable and competitive rate.

The study will include a complete classification analysis including a statistical assessment of internal conditions and an assessment of external equity. Specifically, Evergreen Solutions will conduct a salary and benefits survey of competing organizations, review and assess current job duties in all classifications, as well as culminate a series of findings and recommendations designed to alleviate any strains on the system and, if necessary, redesign or augment the existing system in place at the City of Branson.

BexarMet Metropolitan Water District, Texas: Salary and Benefits Survey

The Bexar Metropolitan Water District (BexarMet) has retained Evergreen Solutions to conduct a salary and benefits survey to determine if BexarMet is offering salaries and benefits that are within an appropriate competitive range. The study results will provide BexarMet with recommendations related to external equity while still ensuring that internal equity is maintained.

The study will include a review of the analysis conducted on the market data, recommendations based on the compensation structure, development of specific compensation recommendations, and creation of a strategic direction for BexarMet to use in implementing the proposed compensation system.

Town of Colchester, Vermont: Departmental Job Analysis, Classification and Efficiency Study

In September 2009, the Town of Colchester retained Evergreen Solutions to assist with an efficiency and effectiveness review of Town operations. The study includes a multi-disciplinary approach to gaining input from employees, managers, elected officials, and citizens. Data will be collected through employee focus groups, employee and manager surveys, manager interviews,  a community survey, employee job analysis, benchmark analysis, and process review sessions. An overall operational model will be created to summarize Town operations and link employee tasks, major functional activities, key business processes, and services or programs together for all levels of the organization and analyze the value, performance and resources for each element.

The results of the model will be compared to current and potential outcomes through gap analysis and a series of recommendations will be created to address the current and future needs of the Town. Each recommendation will then be coupled with specific action plans, timelines, resource outcomes, and assignment of duties. In addition, the current classification structure will be updated to ensure that the documented division of work matches organizational reality.

Allegany County, Maryland: Compensation Study for the Office of the Sheriff

Allegany County, Maryland contracted with Evergreen Solutions to conduct a comprehensive compensation study and analysis for the Office of the Sheriff. The Office of the Sheriff includes the primary functional areas of Road Patrol and Correction Deputies at the county correctional facility. Evergreen Solutions understands that the Office of the Sheriff faces competitive pressure from other area law enforcement agencies and is designing a salary survey instrument for distribution to an approved list of local peers. This survey will take into account total compensation, including supplemental pay, insurance benefits, retirement, leave, and other tangible benefits.

The results of this survey and the subsequently prepared report will provide the County with recommendations designed to improve their competitive position and ability to recruit the best and brightest available persons for these key areas.

Denton County, Texas: Comprehensive Classification, Compensation, and Benefits Study

Evergreen Solutions is performing Denton County’s first Comprehensive Classification, Compensation, and Benefits Study in 15 years. The study includes conducting employee orientation sessions, focus groups and interviews, as well as a job analysis for more than 1,550 Denton County employees. The study also includes a comprehensive salary and benefits survey of local, regional, public, and private labor market peers, which will help Evergreen Solutions assess the County's competitive position for wages and benefits. The data collected will eventually contribute to the development of recommendations for the compensation structure and individual job classification slotting.

The content of all classification descriptions will be updated, and FLSA designations and ADA compliance will be reviewed. At the conclusion of the engagement, our consultants will provide compensation administration guidelines and training on Evergreen Solutions’ JobForce software to provide Denton County with the tools necessary to maintain the new system.

Brazos River Authority, Texas: Compensation and Classification Study

Evergreen Solutions was recently selected to perform a Compensation and Classification Study for the Brazos River Authority. The Authority, headquartered in Waco, Texas, has branch offices located along the Brazos River. With over 250 employees, the Brazos River Authority is solely responsible for developing and managing the water resources of the entire Brazos River basin.

Evergreen Solutions’ study will include, but will not be limited to:

• a comprehensive evaluation of the Authority’s existing compensation plan;
• completion of a market salary survey;
• construction of a classification plan through which work performed at all classification levels will be evaluated using Evergreen Solutions’ Job Assessment Tool (JAT) and Management Issues Tool (MIT); and
• development of strategic positioning and compensation recommendations for sustaining the compensation and classification system.

Town of Gilbert, Arizona: Employee Satisfaction Survey

Evergreen Solutions was sought after by the Town of Gilbert to conduct an Employee Satisfaction Survey. The survey will allow all employees to assess employee satisfaction with operational methods and policies, identify wants and desires of employees, and gather information that will help leadership make decisions in the best interest of the employees.

As functions of this engagement, Evergreen Solutions consultants will:

• meet with the Town’s Project Manager and leadership to develop a better understanding as to the Town’s concerns and reason for conducting the study;
• solicit the involvement of all employees and managers through focus groups and meetings;
• conduct extensive benchmark analysis comparing the Town of Gilbert with other similar local governments;
• review previous survey results from the Town of Gilbert surveys; and;
• conduct a web-based survey with a variety of question types including multiple choice, matrix tables, multi-point scales, and rank order among others.

In the end, Evergreen Solutions will identify both areas where employees express satisfaction and areas where employees believe further improvements are needed. The Town will receive a final report that includes data in text, tabular, and graphic formats to fully explain the survey results.

The Town of Gilbert is located in Maricopa County, Arizona.

City of Santa Fe, New Mexico: Comprehensive Compensation and Classification Study

Evergreen Solutions was recently engaged by the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico to conduct a Comprehensive Compensation and Classification Study for all City employees, including non-bargaining employees and those covered by collective bargaining agreements. Evergreen Solutions anticipates working with the City for approximately ten months to complete the work with input from the more than 1,325 City employees.

The Evergreen Solutions Team will conduct orientations and focus groups with employees, as well as interviews with department directors and other executive managers. All employees will be asked to complete Evergreen Solutions’ Job Assessment Tool, and supervisors will complete the Management Issues Tool, as needed. The data gathered through this process will result in JAT scores for each job title, placement of each job into an internal hierarchy, and potential recommendations for revision to the current classification structure. Evergreen Solutions also will work with City Human Resources staff to conduct a comprehensive salary survey of local and regional peers. The results will be reviewed in conjunction with the internal hierarchy to help generate recommendations for a comprehensive compensation and classification structure.

Finally, the Evergreen Solutions Team will provide detailed recommendations for implementation of the new structure and related employee salary adjustments. In addition to the compensation and classification components of this study, Evergreen Solutions consultants will assist the City with implementation of a revised performance assessment system. This process will include the creation and distribution of performance appraisal factor weighting forms, and trainings for supervisors and staff.

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico, and the fourth largest city in the state with a population of more than 72,000.

In addition to the City of Santa Fe project, Evergreen Solutions is providing human resources consulting services to Albuquerque Public Schools and Gadsden Independent School District in New Mexico.

City of Kalamazoo, Michigan: Department of Public Safety Job Analysis Study

Evergreen Solutions completed a project in which they assisted the City of Kalamazoo, Michigan with a comprehensive Job Analysis Study of all KPSOA and KPSA positions within the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (DPS). To ensure the job analysis is accurate and relevant for future employment, transfer, and promotional testing and assessment processes, DPS personnel were involved in the job analysis research. During the course of this study, relevant personnel were requested to identify the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform each position through the completion of the Job Analysis Tool, and further information was gained through focus groups and interviews. At the completion of the study, the City of Kalamazoo was issued accurate and current job descriptions for all KPSOA and KPSA positions within the Department of Public Safety.

This was Evergreen Solutions’ first project in Michigan; however the firm has completed many similar public safety studies. The City of Kalamazoo is the largest city in southwest Michigan, with an estimated population of more than 323,000. It is the home of Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College.

City of Newport News and the Newport News Sheriff’s Office, Virginia: Job Comparability Study

In August 2008, Evergreen Solutions concluded a project with the City of Newport News and the Newport News Sheriff’s Office to conduct a Job Comparability Study of selected positions. The main focus of the project was to review and evaluate Sheriff’s Department jobs utilizing job description reviews, questionnaires (where appropriate), and meetings with subject matter expert (SME) committees.

The project involved assessing the comparability of NNSO ranking positions against similar positions in the Newport News Police Department, Parks Department, and Adult Corrections Department. The structure of the Newport News Sheriff’s Office is designed in a typical paramilitary fashion, with a ranking hierarchy consisting of the following sworn classifications: Deputy I, Deputy II, Master Deputy/Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lt. Colonel, and Colonel.

Evergreen Solutions methodology for conducting the review included six major components. These components were Policies and Statutes Review, Personal Interviews, Focus Groups, Job Assessment Tool (JAT) Collection, and Personal Observations, including time spent in the following capacities: Jail Administration, Courtroom Security and Transportation, Civil Process, Booking, and Records/Classification.

As an additional element of the analysis, Evergreen Solutions conducted a market salary survey of regional sheriff’s offices to assess the competitive position of NNSO against eight regional peers. Evergreen Solutions consultants conducted a statistical analysis of the mean salary ranges at the minimum, midpoint, and maximum levels of the salary ranges within NNSO.

City of Columbia, Missouri: Employee Satisfaction Survey and Performance Management Consulting

In 2006, Evergreen Solutions worked with the City of Columbia, Missouri to conduct a general survey of employee satisfaction for approximately 1,200 City employees. The primary purpose of the survey was to provide the City with information regarding satisfaction with City operational methods. Additional purposes were to identify new benefits desired and to gather information that will assist in policy decisions.

Evergreen Solutions consultants conducted focus groups, developed and administered the survey, and performed a comprehensive analysis, including cross-tabular analysis by department. Final results of the survey were presented formally to the City Council and City employees. The City intends to repeat the satisfaction survey within the next year to track progress and tailor efforts to continually improve internal employee relations.

One of the themes employees identified in the survey was their desire for a more effective mechanism for evaluating and rewarding employees. This led to the City of Columbia retaining Evergreen Solutions again in 2007 to assist with a comprehensive review of its performance management system. Based on data collected through focus groups, employee surveys, interviews, and best practice research, Evergreen Solutions created a new performance management system that was consistent, objective, and constructive. The system combined performance factors from each level of the organization including the individual, department, and organizational levels. Our consultants also provided on-site training for the use of the performance appraisal program with supervisors and on-site meetings with non-supervisory employees to provide them with an overview of the performance appraisal program.

In mid-2008, the City of Columbia re-contracted with Evergreen Solutions to review implementation and application of the performance management system one year after initial implementation. Evergreen Solutions consultants met with employees again through focus groups and interviews to collect additional input on the first year of system implementation. Evergreen Solutions then presented additional recommendations for revision of the performance management system and provide training to employees on goal-setting. In the end, the City of Columbia now has a performance appraisal program that will improve employee and supervisor accountability and improve service delivery.

Manatee County, Florida: Compensation and Classification Study

In December 2007, the Evergreen Solutions Team kicked-off a Compensation and Classification Study for Manatee County, Florida. The study included all employees that serve in capacities for the Board of County Commissioners. As part of the review, orientation sessions, focus groups, and interviews were conducted throughout the county with approximately 1,500 employees. All employees were asked to complete Evergreen Solution's Job Assessment Tool (JAT). Consultants conducted job analysis based on employee feedback in order to assist with the creation of a classification plan. A salary survey of local and regional employers was conducted to assess Manatee County's level of market competitiveness. Based on the classification and compensation findings, a new pay plan, as well as policies and procedures, were recommended to the County.

City of Fountain, Colorado: Management Review and Strategic Planning

As part of an ongoing effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations and management, the City of Fountain, Colorado, a growing city near Colorado Springs, hired Evergreen Solutions to conduct a comprehensive management and performance review of its operations.

In Phase I, Evergreen Solutions consultants conducted a thorough diagnostic review of the city’s structure, management, and organizational issues. Chief among those was the tremendous growth the city has experienced since the late ‘90s, and which is projected to continue. This growth has led to a strain on limited resources within the city and a need to identify strategic priorities for the future.

In Phase II of the study, the Evergreen Solutions team conducted an in-depth analysis of the city’s overall organizational structure, financial operations, human resources management, public safety operations, public works, and utilities management. The overriding goal of the study was to assist the city in determining where resources needed to be directed to accomplish its goals, where resources were being utilized inefficiently, and the best approach to realign resources to sustain positive community development.

In 2008, the City of Fountain again engaged Evergreen Solutions to facilitate the development of the City’s comprehensive strategic plan. In the context of the plan development, the following major tasks will be completed over a six-month period:

• Conduct Internal, External, and Market Analysis
• Develop City Mission, Vision, and Strategic Priorities
• Develop City Administrative Goals and Objectives
• Develop Budget Linkage Plan

Evergreen Solutions will be responsible for conducting a community-wide outreach program to solicit input, identifying the City’s major strengths and weaknesses as well as core values, and developing a comprehensive plan to address five-year goals and objectives to guide the City and its development.