The California Legislature imposed a new registration requirement for contractors and subcontractors involved in public works projects. Senate Bill 854, passed in June, created a registration program, which went into effect on July 1, to fund the Department of Industrial Relations’ monitoring and enforcement of prevailing wage laws.
The registration period is open now, and contractors and subcontractors wishing to work on a public works project must be registered by March 1, 2015. For public agencies/awarding bodies, the new law requires that all public works projects with bids submitted after March 1, 2015, or awarded on or after April 1, 2015, use only registered contractors and subcontractors. The bill also requires public agencies to include notice of the registration requirement in their bid invitations and bid documents.
Public agencies must additionally file notice of their public works projects with DIR using DIR form PWC-100 (contract award notice) for all public works projects. This requirement previously applied to about 90 percent of all projects.
Contractor and subcontractor registration is completed through an online application and requires a non-refundable $300 fee to be paid by the contractors and subcontractors. Contractors must pay an annual renewal fee by July 1 of each year. The registration form is located on the DIR’s website.