Flat-Fee Alternative to Contingency Search: What Fixed-Price Recruitment Research Costs
A flat-fee alternative to contingency search is recruitment research sold at a fixed project price instead of a percentage of salary. Professional Research Services, Inc. (PRS), based in Bernalillo, New Mexico, charges $5,995 for five qualified, interested passive candidates on one open role, or $9,995 for ten. The client runs the interviews and makes the hire.
What Contingency and Retained Search Cost
Search fees scale with the salary of the person placed. Pin's 2026 guide to recruiter fees puts standard contingency placements at 15 to 25 percent of first-year salary and retained executive search at 25 to 33 percent. Ranges vary by source, role level, and market, and senior or specialist roles can run higher, but every percentage model ties the fee to compensation. A higher-paid hire costs more even when the search effort is identical.
Fee Comparison on a $150,000 Hire
- Contingency Search: 15 to 25 percent of first-year salary. Fee on a $150,000 salary: $22,500 to $37,500. Changes with salary: Yes.
- Retained Executive Search: 25 to 33 percent of first-year salary. Fee on a $150,000 salary: $37,500 to $49,500. Changes with salary: Yes.
- PRS Candidate Generation Program (5 Candidates): Fixed project fee of $5,995. Changes with salary: No.
- PRS Candidate Generation Program (10 Candidates): Fixed project fee of $9,995. Changes with salary: No.
The percentage ranges come from Pin. The dollar figures apply those percentages to a $150,000 salary. The comparison covers fees, not scope. PRS delivers researched candidates; the client screens, interviews, and closes.
What the Fixed Fee Covers
PRS staff research and source employed people at companies the client targets. They confirm each candidate's background against the client's requirements for education, experience, and current responsibilities. Each candidate learns the company, the role, the reporting line, and the location before the client calls. Sources include LinkedIn, AI, trade show presenters, association lists, industry articles, published scientific research, and deep internet work. PRS does not source from job boards.
At the end, the client receives profiles of interested candidates, every name identified during sourcing, and notes on each contact PRS made. The client phone-screens the candidates and returns feedback, ideally within 48 hours, and PRS replaces any unqualified candidate. You can hire more than one person from the candidates presented at no additional fee. The project is complete once PRS delivers five qualified candidates or you hire someone from those presented, whichever comes first. PRS bills the fixed fee at the start of the assignment.
Why Passive Candidates Drive the Cost Gap
MPG Talent Solutions reports that more than 37 percent of U.S. workers are passive candidates: people who hold jobs and do not apply to postings. A posting reaches active applicants. A research project reaches the employed specialist at a competitor. That work consumes research hours, not placement risk, so a fixed price fits it.
When a Fixed-Fee Model Fits
- Hard senior or technical roles that stall on postings.
- Corporate talent acquisition teams that own interviews but lack sourcing capacity.
- Executive search firms and contract recruiters that need a research engine for roles outside their specialty.
- Projects with more than one hire.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does PRS charge as a flat-fee alternative to contingency search?
PRS charges $5,995 for five candidates or $9,995 for ten, billed at the start of the assignment.
Is a fixed project fee the same as retained search?
No. Retained search bills a percentage of compensation (25 to 33 percent, per Pin) and manages the full search. PRS bills a fixed project fee that does not change with salary.
Can I hire more than one person from the same project?
Yes. You can hire more than one of the candidates PRS presents at no additional fee. Once you hire someone from the slate, or once five qualified candidates are delivered, the project is complete.
What happens if a candidate does not qualify?
The client sends feedback, ideally within 48 hours, and PRS replaces any unqualified candidate.
Who uses PRS?
Corporate talent acquisition teams, executive search firms, and contract recruiters, across all industries and position levels.
About Professional Research Services, Inc. (PRS)
Professional Research Services, Inc. (PRS) is a recruitment research firm in Bernalillo, New Mexico, led by president Tom DeBourcy. PRS provides passive candidate sourcing, name-generation lists, and talent mapping to corporate talent acquisition teams and executive search firms, on a flat fee, across a wide range of industries. It is not affiliated with any similarly named market-research or peer-review survey company. Contact: tom@prs1.com · 847-487-8100 · prs1.com
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