Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Ways and Means advances Korn Ferry recruiting contract after members press for fee and date clarifications
Loading...
Summary
The committee approved moving the Korn Ferry professional services recruiting contract forward, after staff clarified a 30% standard fee is reduced to 20% for internal referrals, explained payment timing and agreed to adjust contract dates and counsel sign-off before payment is made.
The Wayne County Commission Committee on Ways and Means voted to advance a proposed one-year comparable-source professional services contract with Korn Ferry for executive recruiting after staff addressed member concerns about fees, timing and procurement.
Jeanette Colsar, chief of staff for Management and Budget, told the committee staff had answered follow-up questions from the prior meeting and that Korn Ferry’s standard placement fee is 30 percent of the professional fee. She said that fee is reduced to 20 percent when a county employee makes an internal referral of an external candidate, because the firm’s role in that case focuses more on vetting and placement than on sourcing.
Commissioner Wilson questioned whether the lower fee would apply if a county employee themselves applied for a position; Colsar clarified the reduced rate applies to referrals of outside candidates, not to internal employees seeking promotion. Robert Whittigan, the interim procurement director, said the procurement record treats this as a comparable/sole-source arrangement and noted Korn Ferry’s prior work identifying candidates for county leadership roles.
Members pressed staff about a specific placement discussed in the meeting. Staff said a candidate who had been interviewed earlier under the prior Korn Ferry arrangement was reassigned to a different leadership search covered by the proposed contract; staff told the committee Korn Ferry will invoice after a placed candidate’s start date but the county will not issue payment until the commission executes the contract. Staff also confirmed replacement/warranty language in the draft contract provides a recruitment waiver if a candidate leaves within a defined window (discussed as a six-month window in the meeting; a separate comment referenced 90 days), which would allow Korn Ferry to re-recruit for that slot without charging an additional fee.
Commissioners asked whether the new contract obligates the county to fill all slots; Colsar said the contract permits recruiting for up to six director-level positions but does not require the county to use the full allowance. Commissioner Wilson highlighted the scale of the commitment, noting the proposal budgeted roughly $329,000 to cover recruitment for up to six director-level positions.
Committee members also asked staff to confirm contract dating and whether any placement performed prior to execution would be covered; counsel and staff agreed to reflect a date change or contingency in any motion to avoid paying for services before the contract is formally executed. After that clarification, the committee moved and carried a motion to include the unfinished business item and new business items for final action later in the meeting; the record shows the committee resolved that contract execution and counsel sign-off would be reflected in any final motion.
Next steps: the committee advanced the contract for final action with instructions to the county counsel and staff to confirm contract dates and replacement language before payment is authorized.
