The goal of The Work Preservation is to uphold public contracts to encourage fair competition. By conducting an active program of monitoring and investigating to ensure that the relevant public agencies are enforcing the laws governing public works construction, the WPF serves as a watchdog on public agency contracts. Specifically, the WPF:
- Examines how well the agency complies with the regulations governing public contracts, which control the awarding, bidding and execution of public works projects
- Initiates legal action against public awarding agencies in cases where administrative remedies are unavailable/ineffective.
- Oversees contractors adherence to regulations governing apprenticeships, licenses, and prevailing wages in public works contracts
- Requests contract documents, obtains and examines Certified Payroll Records, collects evidence, and speaks with witnesses to investigate possible infractions of public works laws.
- Submits complaints to the relevant government agencies to remedy violations.
- Ensures work is awarded to qualified signatory contractors by reviewing contract documents and specifications, analyzing bid results, and verifying that the apparent low bidder meets all requirements. This includes checking references, licenses and bonding, and identifying any signs of non-responsiveness to contract terms or a history of violations or poor performance that may indicate non-responsibility.
- Provides general contractors bidding on public works projects with information regarding prospective subcontractors who have a record of past violations, substandard work, or other performance issues, with the goal of increasing opportunities for qualified signatory contractors to be selected as subcontractors.
- Supports legislation to enhance public works contracting laws.
- Participates in the exchange of information with other public contract compliance organizations.