A Practice Note providing an overview of the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA), which requires federal contractors and subcontractors to pay the prevailing wage rate to all laborers and mechanics working on construction sites for public buildings and public works. This Note explains when the DBA applies to a project, briefly describes related acts that supplement the DBA and apply DBA labor standards to other federal projects, and summarizes requirements for compliance with the DBA and related acts.
The Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) (40 U.S.C. §§ 3141 to 3148) requires federal contractors and subcontractors to pay construction workers the prevailing local wage rate at the work site. The DBA’s purpose is to protect local workers from outside contractors who may underbid the local wage level when competing for federal projects. Under Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950, the US Department of Labor (DOL) and federal contracting agencies share responsibility for implementation and enforcement of the DBA.
