District of Columbia public works bidding requirements
Summary of record
- Competitive bidding threshold (public work)
- Competitive sealed bidding (PPRA)
- Governing statute
- Procurement Practices Reform Act (D.C. Code Title 2, Ch. 3A)
- Award standard
- Lowest responsive and responsible bidder
- Multiple-prime required?
- No statewide mandate
- Prevailing wage
- Davis-Bacon (over $2,000)
- Addenda distribution
- To all document recipients
Competitive bidding threshold
District public contracts are procured under the Procurement Practices Reform Act (D.C. Code Title 2, Chapter 3A), which uses competitive sealed bidding; the Office of Contracting and Procurement sets the small-purchase limits below which simplified procedures apply.
Award standard
Contracts go to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Multiple-prime contracts
The District has no multiple-prime mandate. Unlike New York's Wicks Law or Pennsylvania's Separations Act, a single general contract is permitted.
Prevailing wage
The Davis-Bacon Act applies directly to District of Columbia construction contracts over $2,000 — the District is named in the federal statute — requiring locally prevailing wages and fringes.1
Document distribution & addenda
In the District of Columbia, DC Water's Instructions to Bidders §3.3 require addenda to be transmitted to all recipients of the bidding documents and issued no later than five calendar days before bid receipt unless the addendum postpones the bid date.3
Addenda must be issued no later than five calendar days before bid receipt, except an addendum that postpones the bid date.
Record of change
The District procures public work under the Procurement Practices Reform Act, and the federal Davis-Bacon Act applies directly to District construction contracts over $2,000.
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Verified
Added document-distribution source: Instructions to Bidders §3.3 (addenda transmitted to all who received the bidding documents).
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Verified
Page created and verified against the Procurement Practices Reform Act and the Davis-Bacon Act's DC coverage.
Sources
- 1. US Department of Labor — Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (construction). dol.gov
- 2. Council of the District of Columbia — Procurement Practices Reform Act (D.C. Code Title 2, Ch. 3A). code.dccouncil.gov
- 3. DC Water — Instructions to Bidders §3.3 (addenda transmitted to all who received the bidding documents). www.dcwater.com
Frequently asked
- Does the District of Columbia require prevailing wages on public works?
- Yes. The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies directly to District construction contracts over $2,000 — the District is named in the statute.
- How is public works construction procured in the District of Columbia?
- By competitive sealed bidding under the Procurement Practices Reform Act (D.C. Code Title 2, Chapter 3A), administered by the Office of Contracting and Procurement.
- Does the District of Columbia require multiple-prime contracts?
- No. The District has no multiple-prime mandate, unlike New York (Wicks Law) or Pennsylvania (Separations Act).
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