7Tips

SELECTING AN AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION PLAN CONSULTANT
7 TIPS TO MAKE THE PROCESS EASIER
TIP 1: CONDUCT A SELF ASSESSMENT.
A WELL-ROUNDED ASSESSMENT SHOULD REVIEW:
HR/Legal staﬀ
HR Systems &
Reporting Capabilities
Budget
Value of government
contracts/
subcontracts
Size of company
> Number of locations
> Number of employees
OFCCP Audits
Adapting to regulatory
changes
Conﬁdence in data
utilized in plan
ASK YOURSELF:
Will outsourcing my AAP improve our
compliance program and free me to
complete other critical tasks?
CURRENT
RESOURCES
CONTRACTOR
CONSIDERATIONS
PAST
CHALLENGES
Value of government OFCCP Audits

TIP 2: CONDUCT AN INDUSTRY ASSESSMENT
There are a lot of reputable AAP practitioners out there, but an equal amount
of general consultants claiming to be experts, who may not have the necessary
experience they claim, shuffled in the mix.
Within the industry there are different types of AAP Consultants with varying
degrees of service offerings. The most common players are:
As a contractor, your company may have some resources already available
(in-house counsel, software, etc.), but may lack in other areas (subject matter
experts, reporting capabilities, etc.). Through your self-assessment in Tip One,
you should focus in on the portion of the industry that best fits your needs.
AAP
PROVIDERS
(SOLE
BUSINESS)
LAW
FIRMS
STAND-ALONE
PRIVATE
CONSULTANTS
AAP
SOFTWARE
PROVIDERS
COMPANIES THAT
PROVIDE A MIX
OF EACH

TIP 3: CHECK REPUTATION
For the consultants who make the short list, where do they rank in the contractor
community? Check their track record, the Internet is a powerful tool. Ask for
referrals and have candid conversations with those they support. Under their
current list of clients, do you see similar companies that you can align yourself
with? While AAP regulations are somewhere industry neutral, your organization's
challenges may be similar to others in a similar business line.
May I speak with some of your
current clients?
May I see your current client list?
Do you support all regions of the
country?
Who do you support in our
industry?
Do you participate in any local
industry liaison groups? Do you
present at these meetings?
Are you published in the industry?
Do you partner with other related
organizations? Who?
Potentially ask these questions:
May I speak with some of your
current clients?
May I see your current client list?
Do you support all regions of the
country?
Who do you support in our
industry?
Do you participate in any local
industry liaison groups? Do you
present at these meetings?
Are you published in the industry?
Do you partner with other related
organizations? Who?

TIP 4: CHECK EXPERIENCE
The AAP industry has become ripe with opportunity. Reputation (Tip three) can
be further dissected to determine the level of experience of the consultant. Time
in the field is a major indicator of experience. Most of the topics shaping our
industry today are many years in the works. Partnering with someone who has
been along for the ride will allow for more refined approaches to handling OFCCP
expectations.
How long has your company
been in service?
Does customer support have
sufficient experience working
directly with the OFCCP?
How many audits per year do
you support?
How experienced are your
consultants?
How do you adapt to industry
changes? Can you provide
examples?
What tools do you use for plan
development?
Do you have internal programming
staff or do you work with third
party applications?
Do you have IT security
protocols?
How long has your company
been in service?
Does customer support have
sufficient experience working
How many audits per year do
you support?
How experienced are your
consultants?
How do you adapt to industry
changes? Can you provide
examples?
What tools do you use for plan
development?
Do you have internal programming
staff or do you work with third
party applications?
Do you have IT security
protocols?

TIP 5: REVIEW SUPPORT STRUCTURE
Because your consultant is in the outsourcing business, you will not be their only
client. This doesn't mean that your service level should reflect this. Dig deep to
see the makeup of his/her company and staff.
Technology has evolved at record speeds and the ability to produce compliance
documents should have kept up with the pace. Some consultants have embraced
the tools of the trade and have done a really good job of updating their business
model. These updates allow for better delivery of information and better tools
for enhancing your program.
How many consultants will work
on my account? Do I have a
dedicated contact?
Who will be my day-to-day
contact?
Will a consultant be available to
answer my questions in a timely
manner as they arise?
Do you provide online support?
What kind of tactics and best
practices do you offer clients to
help them stay up-to-date with
industry changes?
Do you offer training (via
webinars, courses, etc.)?
How do you price services?
What resources beyond plan
development do I have access
to?
How many consultants will work
on my account? Do I have a
dedicated contact?
Who will be my day-to-day
contact?
Will a consultant be available to
answer my questions in a timely
Do you provide online support?
What kind of tactics and best
practices do you offer clients to
Do you offer training (via
webinars, courses, etc.)?
How do you price services?
What resources beyond plan
development do I have access
to?

TIP 6: REVIEW AFFILIATIONS
Find a consultant that is active in the industry. With tools like LinkedIn and
other social media avenues, you can get a sense of the Consultant's level of
involvement. Since you are partnering with this person to be that subject matter
expert for your company, you want someone that is in the know. Industry
changes occur frequently, and those with proper connections learn things faster
than others. This allows them to digest the materials sooner and properly guide
your company on how to react.

TIP 7: CONSIDER PRICING STRUCTURE
Finally, everything in the business world will include a cost/benefit analysis. The
old saying, "you get what you pay for" should resonate with any procurement
process. After your thorough review of Tip One - Tip Six, you should be left with
the providers that meet your needs and provide a good business fit for your
organization. Within the proposals that you have sought out, make sure you are
clear on their pricing model and that your cost isn't a never ending series of
add-on costs or "upgrades."
What is your pricing model?
Are there any additional costs?
How does audit support work both
desk audit and onsite audit?
What training is included at the
base price and what training is
additional costs? What is your
onsite rate?
How do you charge for custom
reports outside of the standard
reports?
What are the limits for
consultation?
Do you offer EEO-1/VETS-4212
support?
Do you offer advanced
compensation and adverse
impact reporting?
Do you offer executive summary
reporting?
What is your pricing model?
Are there any additional costs?
How does audit support work both
desk audit and onsite audit?
What training is included at theWhat training is included at the
base price and what training is
additional costs? What is your
What are the limits for
consultation?
Do you offer EEO-1/VETS-4212
support?
Do you offer advanced
compensation and adverse
Do you offer executive summary
reporting?
How do you charge for custom
reports outside of the standard
reports?
We understand the issues you may be faced with – including lack of internal
resources, tight budgets, and more – and our experienced consultants are ready to
help. With Affirmative Action plan preparation, OFCCP audit support and compliance
support and training, OutSolve is ready to take the burden of affirmative action
planning and compliance off your shoulders.
Learn more about OutSolve at www.outsolve.com or
contact us at 888-414-2410.

7Tips

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (10)

Similar to 7Tips

Similar to 7Tips (20)

More from Ashley Pogue

More from Ashley Pogue (6)

7Tips