Pace Analytical Services, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Pace Analytical Retirement Savings Plan
Roseville, MNProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services4,610 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,011Employer $ per active participant
$4,592Employee $ saved per active participant
0.18%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$296.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$52,136Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity10.7 / 5021th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.5 / 2538th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.8 / 1525th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score31 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 21th |
| Lower admin cost | 38th |
| Employee saving | 25th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $62 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Pace Analytical Services put in about $1,011 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,951). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $4,659,681 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $21,167,809 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $4,343,727 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $471,391 |
| Contract administrator fees | $471,391 |
| Benefits paid out | $26,792,255 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $225.4M / $296.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,596 / 4,623 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,693 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $471,390 reported compensation |
| Sageview Advisory Group, LLC | $65,000 reported compensation |
| Morningstar Investment Management L | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015112720NAL0004711521001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 41-1821617, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.