Gerstco Services

Solutions Services

Gerstco offers a variety of EEO AAP products, services, and tailored solutions to help you plan your Affirmative Action Program (AAP), centered around Consulting, Outsourcing, and our AAPBase Software.
Every company's affirmative action needs are different. Perhaps you have little to no experience with AAP's, in which case you can completely outsource plan preparation to Gerstco. Our AAP consulting services may be the best fit if you have AAP expertise, but lack the personnel to prepare a complete AAP. Alternatively, your HR group may have both extensive expertise in AAP's and the resources necessary, in which case our AAPBase Software is an efficient and flexible AAP development system.

The Building Blocks of Affirmative Action Compliance:

• Establishing Expertise
• AAP Program Development and Implementation
• AAP Reporting

Establishing Expertise

AAP's may seem like data collection and gathering, but the ins-and-outs of report creation, plan acceptance, and plan administration require at least a basic understanding of the legal aspects of affirmative action. Knowledge of your company culture can help with plan implementation. Best practices experience is important, as well. Expertise can be provided by Gerstco if you choose Outsourcing or Consulting as your solution; we also offer workshops that can help you build your in-house expertise.

If you have EEO AAP expertise you may wish to buy AAPBase Software. This is not a substitute however for HR expertise or the level of experience and knowledge a seasoned professional can bring to a situation. Software can greatly reduce the amount of time required for plan maintenance and report production. Gerstco's AAPBase Software is the best AAP software tool available.

AAP Program Development and Implementation

It's important to be aware of each step in the affirmative action process, particularly if your company is actively bidding on federal contracts.

For successful AAP implementation, a good relationship with your IT department will be important. All the AAP reports you will need to produce, require setting up and accessing databases. Some HR departments have specially-designated IT personnel. Should you choose to outsource your affirmative action planning or purchase an AAP software tool, your IT person will need to know the technical requirements.

AAP Reporting

A most important aspect of Affirmative Action Planning is the quality and integrity of data. Creating accurate, easy to use reports will make the compliance process go faster and help you avoid common auditing pitfalls.

Steps to AAP Program Implementation

There are several choices for AAP reporting: You can outsource, develop your own in-house solution, or purchase AAPBase Software

Should you Outsource AAP Development or buy software?

1. Are you looking for a long-term solution to AAP reporting?
2. Do you have IT support?
3. Do you have in-house EEO AAP Expertise
4. Do you have sufficient Internal Resources to create Plans?

If you answered "yes" to all of the questions above, AAPBase Software is likely to be the best solution for you.

If you answered "no" to any of the above questions then Consulting and Outsourcing Services may be the right solution.

Contact Us for information tailored specifically to your needs.

Consulting Services

Gerstco offers an array of Affirmative Action Program consulting services, from plan assistance and maintenance to education and regulatory updates. All of these services begin with an initial meeting so that we can learn what is unique about your company situation. Following our initial conversations, we can prepare a suggested suite of solutions, tailored to match your company's needs.

First-Time AAP Development

Gerstco AAP consultants are available to work with your internal team to develop an initial, customized affirmative action plan. Beyond just AAP Outsourcing, Gerstco has the expertise to guide the implementation of a first-time Plan.

OFCCP Compliance Evaluations & Regulatory Guidance

Gerstco can assist with an internal audit of your Affirmative Action Program, and offer guidance should the Company be the focus of an OFCCP compliance review. When a notice of review is received, Gerstco will brief Human Resources personnel and managers regarding the Compliance Evaluation process to ensure they are prepared.

Continuing EEO AAP Education

We believe that individuals are more effective when they understand EEO AAP principles and obligations their employer has incurred by providing goods and services to the federal government, either directly or indirectly. To this end, Gerstco provides full training for managers; holds public seminars; designs and delivers in-house company workshops on Sexual Harassment Prevention, Workforce Diversity, Compliance, Interview & Selection Practices; and consultation with Company Human Resources professionals.

Determining Pay Equity

Gerstco will conduct Pay Analyses to determine salary equity with regard to women versus men and minorities versus non-minorities, using standard statistical methodologies. In addition, Gerstco will use the Department of Labor's own methods to analyze employee pay situations. This analysis is confidential.

Gerstco Program Services at a Glance

• Preparing Initial AAP
• Setup AAP Process and Procedures
• Regulatory Audit Guidance
• Determining Pay Equity
• Workforce Diversity Analysis
• Affirmative Action Program Implementation
• Outreach Programs
• Customized Projects

Outsourcing – Affirmative Action Plan Development

Most Federal Contractors decide to fully outsource Affirmative Action Program reporting due to internal resource constraints. During an informational interview, Gerstco can help you determine whether outsourcing is the best solution.

If outsourcing is determined to be your solution, our team will work with you to establish technically-compliant, fully operational affirmative action plans and programs. Your assigned consultant will review required data file formats together with you and your HRIS contact. Once data integrity is verified, our developers will prepare technically-compliant AAP's. Support in implementing your Company's program is available through our Consulting Services.

Typical Outsourcing Process

Discovery

• Review current AAP processes (if any)
• Identify client issues and objectives
• Detail requirements
• Identify in-house resources.

Planning

• Recommend an AAP Program Structure
• Identify needs by Area
• Offer Gerstco products and services by area (Outsourcing, Consulting and Software)
• Timeline

Implementation

• EEO AAP Education
• Development of Affirmative Action Program Structure
• Software Training (if needed)
• Development of current year reporting
• Installation of software (if needed)
• Establish periodic update and program metrics