Virginia public works bidding requirements
Summary of record
- Competitive bidding threshold (public work)
- Competitive sealed bidding
- Governing statute
- Public Procurement Act §2.2-4303
- Award standard
- Lowest responsive and responsible bidder
- Multiple-prime required?
- No statewide mandate
- Prevailing wage
- Code §2.2-4321.3 (2021)
- Addenda distribution
- To each proposal recipient
Competitive bidding threshold
Under the Virginia Public Procurement Act, construction is procured by competitive sealed bidding — competitive negotiation is allowed only in defined cases such as design-build or construction management.1 Smaller construction may use small-purchase procedures set by each public body's policy.
Confirm the specific public body's small-purchase threshold — the VPPA sets the method; agencies set their own dollar limits within it.
Award standard
Contracts go to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.1
Multiple-prime contracts
Virginia has no statewide multiple-prime mandate. Unlike New York's Wicks Law or Pennsylvania's Separations Act, a single general contract is permitted.
Prevailing wage
Since 2021, Virginia requires prevailing wage on state public works contracts of $250,000 or more under Code §2.2-4321.3; localities may opt in by ordinance.2 Rates are set by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry from the federal Davis-Bacon determinations.
Document distribution & addenda
Virginia DOT §102.02 issues authorized interpretations and changes as addenda from the State Contract Engineer to each person who received a proposal, posted on VDOT's CABB system.4
Record of change
Virginia added a prevailing-wage requirement in 2020 (effective 2021) — a material change for a state that previously had none. It applies to state public works contracts of $250,000 or more, and to localities that opt in by ordinance.
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Verified
Added document-distribution source: Road and Bridge Specifications §102.02 (interpretations issued to each proposal recipient; CABB).
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Verified
Page created and verified against the Virginia Public Procurement Act and Code §2.2-4321.3.
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Law
Prevailing-wage requirement took effect for state public works $250,000+ (HB 833, 2020; Code §2.2-4321.3).
Sources
- 1. Virginia Law — Code §2.2-4303 (methods of procurement). law.lis.virginia.gov
- 2. Virginia Law — Code §2.2-4321.3 (prevailing wage on public works). law.lis.virginia.gov
- 3. Virginia Dept. of Labor and Industry — Prevailing Wage Law. doli.virginia.gov
- 4. Virginia DOT (VDOT) — Road and Bridge Specifications §102.02 (interpretations issued to each proposal recipient; CABB). www.virginiadot.org
Frequently asked
- How is public works construction procured in Virginia?
- By competitive sealed bidding under the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§2.2-4303); competitive negotiation is allowed only for defined cases like design-build or construction management.
- Does Virginia require prevailing wages on public works?
- Yes, since 2021 — on state public works contracts of $250,000 or more (Code §2.2-4321.3), and for localities that opt in by ordinance.
- Does Virginia require multiple-prime contracts?
- No. Virginia has no statewide multiple-prime mandate, unlike New York (Wicks Law) or Pennsylvania (Separations Act).
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