The Institute is requesting proposals from qualified compensation specialists to conduct an analysis of senior leadership compensation. Firms responding to this RFP should send an indication of intent to respond to the Institute, to include firm address and contact information, by 5 pm on Friday, May 9, 2014. Full proposals will be due by 5:00 p.m. May 23, 2014.

Unbekanntes Objekt

INSTITUTE FOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF PUBLIC RESEARCH

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR SENIOR LEADERSHIP COMPENSATION ANALYSIS

BACKGROUND:

The Institute for Commercialization of Public Research (The Institute) is a not-for-profit organization established by the Florida Legislature in 2007. Its purpose is to stimulate growth of new spinout companies based on publicly-funded research by providing both startup company support services as well as seed funding to qualified companies. The Institute works with its public and private research partners (universities and institutes) to identify commercially viable technologies, create commercialization and business plans, and attract seed funding to help new companies achieve development milestones, secure funding, grow and succeed. 

The Institute employs a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a Chief Operating Officer (COO) (senior leadership) and eight associates, all with industry and entrepreneurship experience.

The Institute is requesting proposals from qualified compensation specialists to conduct an analysis of senior leadership compensation.     

SCOPE OF SERVICES:

The Institute requires an analysis of both CEO and COO compensation. Both associates joined the Institute in 2012 with offer letters stipulating eligibility for performance bonuses upon each anniversary of employment.

The Institute is subject to open records and meetings requirements of Section 24, Article I of the Florida Constitution and the Florida Statutes, but is provided certain exemptions under s. 288.9626, F.S. for proprietary information it may receive.  Responding firms should have knowledge of and experience with publicly-funded organizations and Florida “Government-in-the-Sunshine” requirements, and the exemptions from those requirements that relate to the Institute in particular and economic development in general.

The services to be provided by the selected firm to the Institute shall include:

a. Analyze CEO and COO positions and compensation levels to include salary and other benefits;

b. Confirm comparable positions in other Florida-based public/private partnership organizations and business-focused not-for-profit and comparable private sector organizations, and present benchmark findings.

c. Develop recommendations for anticipated bonus structure and amounts (current) as well as future salary and benefits packages.

PROJECT GOALS

The Institute for Commercialization of Public Research expects to achieve the following goals through the selection of a compensation specialist for this project:

a. Maintain an executive leadership compensation program that is comparable to those within other business-oriented public/private partnership organizations, investment entities, and entrepreneurial support organizations in Florida;

b. Provide a competitive compensation program to maintain employee satisfaction and to attract and retain top associates;

c. Demonstrate fiscal responsibility and compliance by managing the compensation program appropriately.

d. Tie compensation increases to performance.

RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

Proposals are limited to 10 pages. Reviewers will have no obligation to review appendices or attachments beyond the page limits. Firms responding to this RFP should send an indication of intent to respond to the Institute, to include firm address and contact information, via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 5 pm on Friday, May 9, 2014.

Two hard copy proposals should be sent to the Institute by 5:00 p.m. May 23, 2014 at the following address:

Institute for Commercialization of Public Research
3651 FAU Blvd. Suite 400
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Attn: Teri Hart
 

Proposals should also be sent via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 5:00 p.m. on May 23, 2014.

Note: The Institute reserves the right both to reject all proposals and to award the services to multiple firms.

Respondents should provide qualifications and describe significant experience that aligns with the needed services described above.  The response should also provide information that addresses the below listed items.

  1. Describe the firm, including the number of specialists in Florida and describe in particular the number, and the office location, of specialists currently representing non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and science and technology-related ventures.
  1. Describe the firm's experience and qualifications in representing entities subject to Florida's Government-in-the-Sunshine laws.
  1. Describe the firm’s experience and qualifications in representing Florida economic development organizations or its other experience and qualifications in representing any organizations intended to create new businesses and jobs in Florida that are based on high growth potential technologies, products, or services that further diversify the economy of Florida.
  1. Identify the specialist or specialists in the firm who would be primarily responsible to the Institute, and briefly describe their backgrounds, including day-to-day contact information.
  1. Describe the firm’s anti-discrimination and affirmative action/equal opportunity policies.
  1. Legal and compliance (attachments, if needed, are excluded from the page count limit).

a.     Describe any securities or tax law related regulatory or felony criminal investigation, indictment, prosecution or other proceeding brought within the last 10 years against the firm, its management or any associate within the firm who might provide services to the Institute.

b.     Describe any securities or tax law related civil complaint seeking damages in excess of $25,000 alleging fraud, deceptive practices, malfeasance, or any similar charge of misconduct brought against the management of the firm or associates  within the firm who might provide services to the Institute, currently pending or concluded within the past three years.

  1.   Conflicts of Interest.

a. Identify any conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the firm’s selection to serve as compensation specialist to the Institute. 

b. Describe any representation in which the firm is engaged (whether compensated or pro bono) that is adverse to the State of Florida in matters directly or indirectly related to the purposes and activities of the Institute.

  1. Fees:   Describe the billing structure for the requested services and the hourly billing rates of associates and other staff to be assigned to the Institute.