Davis-Bacon vs state prevailing wage
Know which wage wins before your public-work bid goes out.
Enter funding source, county, and trades. WhichWageWins compares the federal Davis-Bacon determination against the state schedule and writes a plain-English memo for the bid file.
Rate that governs
Federal Davis-Bacon appears triggered, but California is higher for every selected craft in this LA County sample.
| Craft | Federal total | CA total | Winner | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarpenterCarpenter and related trades, journeyperson | $78.42 | $81.32 | California | $2.90 |
| Inside electricianElectrician, inside wireman / radio monitor technician | $92.39 | $103.12 | California | $10.73 |
| Construction laborerLaborer and related classifications, group 1 | $67.01 | $75.09 | California | $8.08 |
| Operating engineerOperating engineer, group 1 | $96.60 | $98.75 | California | $2.15 |
| Cement masonCement mason, curb and gutter machine operator, screed operator | $74.77 | $77.53 | California | $2.76 |
Project: LA pump station upgrade. Location: Los Angeles County, California. Funding: IIJA / Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Trades checked: Carpenter, Inside electrician, Construction laborer, Operating engineer, Cement mason. IIJA / Bipartisan Infrastructure Law likely brings Davis-Bacon labor standards into the project because the work involves construction, alteration, or repair with federal funding or assistance. Where both federal and California obligations are in play, price the higher total hourly obligation for each craft unless the contract or agency guidance says otherwise. This memo is an estimate for bid review only. Attach the actual contract wage determination before award and verify classifications, footnotes, overtime, travel, subsistence, and apprentice rules.
Stripe sandbox
Turn this estimate into a paid determination report.
The API creates Stripe Checkout sessions server-side when `STRIPE_SECRET_KEY` is configured. No Stripe secret is present in client code.
Estimate only. Verify against the wage determination incorporated into the contract. Not legal advice, not an official determination, and not a guarantee of compliance.
Official-source posture
Narrow now, source-first forever.
The MVP covers Los Angeles County, California and five common construction classifications. Expansion should happen state by state only where paid demand appears.
Official federal Davis-Bacon wage determination search.
CA20260022SAM.gov WD CA20260022, Los Angeles CountyFederal Los Angeles County sample used for the MVP comparison.
CA DIRCalifornia DIR 2026-1 prevailing wage determinationsOfficial state prevailing wage source for California public works.
DOE IIJADOE IIJA Davis-Bacon requirementsDOE guidance on IIJA-funded construction and Davis-Bacon standards.
DOL DBRADOL Davis-Bacon and Related ActsCoverage and enforcement overview for Davis-Bacon and Related Acts.
DOL IRADOL Inflation Reduction Act prevailing wage guidanceIRA prevailing wage and apprenticeship guidance, including DBRA distinction.
DOL FY2025DOL FY2025 back wage recoveriesDOL release reporting more than $259M in back wages recovered in FY2025.
Federal-only wedge
Federal-only states become the next low-friction catalog.
Several states do not maintain a separate statewide prevailing wage law. In those states the first product surface can be a federal determination finder plus contract memo, without normalizing a fragmented state schedule. Initial shortlist: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi.