UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Presidential Search
Proposed terms and Conditions
Professional fees
Our standard professional fee is one-third of the first year’s total cash compensation, which includes
base salary plus any signing or performance bonus for which the individual is eligible, with a minimum
fee of $60,000. Based on the published salary of the current UW President ($622,000) this would yield
of professional fee of $207,333.
Because of Witt/Kieffer’s keen interest in developing a close partnership with the University of
Washington, we would be willing to undertake this engagement for a fixed professional fee of
$160,000. This represents a discount of over $47,000 from the standard fee, and provides the
University of Washington with budget predictability no matter what the ultimate compensation is for
the appointed candidate.
Expenses
Our professional fee does not cover internal office expenses, such as administrative support,
verifications, media checks, database access, communications, and research services that are
not easily identifiable by project. To cover the costs of these office expenses, Witt/Kieffer
charges 10 percent of the fixed professional fee per search, with a minimum of $6,000 but not
to exceed $10,000. Again, in the interest of our partnership we would be willing to charge the
minimum fee of $6,000. This appears on the initial invoice as a one-time charge. Finally,
Witt/Kieffer agrees to apply its leadership competency assessment to finalist candidates (those
presented to the Board of Regents) and will waive our professional fee for these services.
Other out-of-pocket expenses for candidate or consultant travel and accommodations, video
conferences and other consultant-candidate interview costs, advertising, overnight delivery,
professional printing, education verification, publication costs, and any other external expenses
directly related to your search are billed to you on a monthly basis. It is assumed that you will
directly reimburse candidates for expenses related to their visits to your organization. It is our
policy to keep all expenses to a minimum without jeopardizing the quality of the search.
Billing arrangements
We will issue invoices based on achievement of the key milestones of the search process. Based
on the fixed fee of $160,000 three invoices for $53,333 will be submitted according to the
following progress points in the search process (with approximate timelines):

 •
•
•

Search Committee and Board of Regents approval of the formal leadership profile
(estimated June 20, 2015)
Presentation to the Search Committee of initial slate of candidates for review and
consideration (estimated September 20, 2015)
Fulfillment of the Search Committee’s charge of three to five candidates recommended
to the Board of Regents (estimated October 15, 2015)

The achievement of these milestones will be verified by Dr. Kenyon Chan, Chair of the
Presidential Search Committee. The fixed one-time office-related expense charge of $6,000 will
be submitted at the start of the search and invoices for remaining expenses will be submitted
monthly thereafter. Invoices are due within 30 days. A late penalty of 1.5 percent per month
will be charged for past-due invoices. All bills must be paid within 60 days of the final invoice to
activate the placement guarantee.
Cancellation and other related policies
If an additional candidate is hired as a result of this search assignment, there is a professional
fee add-on of 20 percent of the first year’s total compensation including base salary and
projected bonus. In addition, if the search is delayed by more than 30 days or the
specifications for this search assignment are substantively changed, an additional fee for either
event may result. If, for any reason, the search is canceled by a client prior to successful
completion, the client will be responsible only for the professional fees billed to date, plus actual
expenses.
A search that is suspended or placed on hold may be re-started within six months of this
agreement if the search is for the same position stipulated in this agreement. A search placed on
hold for more than six months will be considered cancelled; any search that is re-started may be
subject to additional search fees.
We will assume permission to post and/or feature this position on the Witt/Kieffer external website
unless notified otherwise.
Unless otherwise required by the State of Washington’s public records laws, materials prepared by
Witt/Kieffer are for the sole and exclusive use of our clients and are to be kept strictly confidential.
Under no circumstances will Witt/Kieffer be held liable for breaches in confidentiality by members of a
Search Committee or institutional leadership once this information has been submitted.
Witt/Kieffer’s guarantee
Recognizing the importance that you place in Witt/Kieffer conducting the University of
Washington presidential search, we are pleased to extend our quality guarantee. If the
executive that Witt/Kieffer places at your organization ceases to be employed by the
University of Washington in any capacity (except for reasons of personal health) within
three years of his/her commencement of employment, Witt/Kieffer will search for a
replacement to fill the original position at no additional professional fee.
Witt/Kieffer shall receive notice of the need for a replacement search promptly from the
client and no later than 30 days after departure of the placement. Activation of the

 guarantee is based upon the client’s notification to Witt/Kieffer of the departure. Based
upon discussion between the client and Witt/Kieffer, a mutually agreed upon start date
for the replacement search should occur within a reasonable period, but no later than
90 days from the departure date of the placement.
The guarantee applies to the presidential search only and there should be no material change in
the job specification for the replacement search. Additional out of pocket expenses associated
with the replacement search will be charged in the same manner as the original search.
WITT/KEIFFER

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Signature

Signature

John K. Thornburgh

Dawn Lake
Print Name

Print Name

Senior Partner
Title

6/5/15
Date

Senior Contract Manager
Title

6/8/15
Date