Federal glossary · Regulation
The Davis-Bacon Act (1931) requires contractors on federally funded construction projects over $2,000 to pay workers prevailing wages determined by the Department of Labor for the locality. Applies to construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings/works. Contractors must submit certified weekly payrolls. Violations can result in contract termination, debarment, and withholding of payments.
Example: FAR Part 15, DFARS, or a statute such as the NDAA.
Reference record · Sources: Federal acquisition and regulatory source · Verified Jul 2, 2026 · Covers definition, governing source
Also known as
The Davis-Bacon Act (1931) requires contractors on federally funded construction projects over $2,000 to pay workers prevailing wages determined by the Department of Labor for the locality. Applies to construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings/works. Contractors must submit certified weekly payrolls. Violations can result in contract termination, debarment, and withholding of payments.
is a regulation concept federal contractors and grant writers run into across solicitations, regulations, and award filings
Davis-Bacon is part of the federal regulatory framework that governs procurement, performance, or compliance. For example: Example: FAR Part 15, DFARS, or a statute such as the NDAA. For contractors, Davis-Bacon is not just background — it shapes solicitation language, evaluation criteria, source-selection authority, and what counts as compliant performance. Understanding when Davis-Bacon applies and (more importantly) when it doesn't apply is the difference between a proposal that's competitive within its actual constraint set and one that over-engineers compliance. Contracting officers use Davis-Bacon as common vocabulary, so reading their decisions, modifications, and source-selection memoranda gets easier when the regulation is in your working memory. Pair Davis-Bacon with the related terms above to see how it interacts with adjacent regulatory mechanisms.
Example: FAR Part 15, DFARS, or a statute such as the NDAA.
Meaning in practice
Davis-Bacon is part of the federal rule set that governs procurement, compliance, or program administration.
Where you’ll see it
You will see it in the FAR, DFARS, the Federal Register, clauses, and compliance checklists. Example: Example: FAR Part 15, DFARS, or a statute such as the NDAA..
Common confusion
People often confuse a regulation with agency guidance or with a checklist that merely references the rule.
What to do next
Find the exact citation and confirm whether the page links to a part, clause, or agency interpretation.
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