B-197903, JUL 26, 1985
Highlights
THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL VIOLATION OF THE ACT IN THAT THE UNDERPAYMENT OF EMPLOYEES AND FALSIFICATION OF RECORDS WAS INTENTIONAL. THE SUBCONTRACTOR WILL BE DEBARRED UNDER THE ACT. THE CONTRACT WAS SUBJECT TO THE DAVIS-BACON ACT REQUIREMENTS THAT CERTAIN MINIMUM WAGES BE PAID. THE FIRM WAS TO SUBMIT PAYROLL RECORDS CERTIFIED AS TO CORRECTNESS AND COMPLETENESS. THE DOL FOUND AS A RESULT OF AN INVESTIGATION THAT EMPLOYEE WERE NOT PAID THE MINIMUM WAS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THE DAVIS-BACON ACT. DOL FOUND THAT FMC FAILED TO MAINTAIN A COMPLETE AND ACCURATE RECORD OF THE DAILY AND WEEKLY HOURS WORKED AND THAT CERTIFIED PAYROLLS WERE FALSIFIED TO CONCEAL THE MINIMUM WAGE VIOLATIONS. WAS SENT TO FMC ADVISING IN DETAIL OF THE VIOLATIONS WITH WHICH IT WAS CHARGED.
B-197903, JUL 26, 1985
BIDDERS - DEBARMENT - LABOR STIPULATION VIOLATIONS - DAVIS-BACON ACT WAGE UNDERPAYMENTS - DEBARMENT REQUIRED DIGEST: THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR RECOMMENDED DEBARMENT OF A SUBCONTRACTOR UNDER THE DAVIS-BACON ACT BECAUSE THE SUBCONTRACTOR HAD FAILED TO PAY THE MINIMUM WAGES REQUIRED BY THE ACT AND HAD FALSIFIED CERTIFIED PAYROLL RECORDS. BASED ON OUR INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE RECORD IN THIS MATTER, WE CONCLUDED THAT THE SUBCONTRACTOR DISREGARDED ITS OBLIGATIONS TO ITS EMPLOYEES UNDER THE ACT. THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL VIOLATION OF THE ACT IN THAT THE UNDERPAYMENT OF EMPLOYEES AND FALSIFICATION OF RECORDS WAS INTENTIONAL. THEREFORE, THE SUBCONTRACTOR WILL BE DEBARRED UNDER THE ACT.
FMC PAINTING - DAVIS-BACON ACT - DEBARMENT:
THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL), BY A LETTER DATED AUGUST 7, 1984, RECOMMENDED THAT FMC PAINTING (FMC), AND CHARLES MOSKOWITZ, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS OWNER, BE PLACED ON THE INELIGIBLE BIDDERS LIST FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE DAVIS-BACON ACT, 40 U.S.C. SECS. 276A TO 276A-5 (1982), WHICH CONSTITUTED A DISREGARD OF OBLIGATIONS TO EMPLOYEES UNDER THE ACT. CONCUR IN DOL'S RECOMMENDATION.
FMC PERFORMED WORK UNDER CONTRACT DACA51-80-C-0059, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, DOING PAINTING AND OTHER RELATED WORK. THE CONTRACT WAS SUBJECT TO THE DAVIS-BACON ACT REQUIREMENTS THAT CERTAIN MINIMUM WAGES BE PAID. FURTHER, PURSUANT TO 29 C.F.R. SEC. 5.5(A) (1984), THE FIRM WAS TO SUBMIT PAYROLL RECORDS CERTIFIED AS TO CORRECTNESS AND COMPLETENESS.
THE DOL FOUND AS A RESULT OF AN INVESTIGATION THAT EMPLOYEE WERE NOT PAID THE MINIMUM WAS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THE DAVIS-BACON ACT. FURTHER, DOL FOUND THAT FMC FAILED TO MAINTAIN A COMPLETE AND ACCURATE RECORD OF THE DAILY AND WEEKLY HOURS WORKED AND THAT CERTIFIED PAYROLLS WERE FALSIFIED TO CONCEAL THE MINIMUM WAGE VIOLATIONS. THE DOL INFORMED US THAT A CERTIFIED LETTER DATED APRIL 27, 1984, WAS SENT TO FMC ADVISING IN DETAIL OF THE VIOLATIONS WITH WHICH IT WAS CHARGED, AND THAT DEBARMENT WAS POSSIBLE. FURTHER, FMC WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEARING ON THE MATTER BEFORE AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH 29 C.F.R. SECS. 5.11(B) AND 5.12(B) (1984). THE DOL REPORTED TO US THAT THE LETTER TO FMC WAS RECEIVED, BUT THE FIRM HAS NOT REQUESTED A HEARING. AFTER REEXAMINING THE RECORD, DOL FOUND THAT FMC VIOLATED THE DAVIS-BACON ACT WITHOUT ANY FACTS MILITATING AGAINST DEBARMENT. THEREFORE, DOL RECOMMENDED THAT FMC PAINTING, AND CHARLES MOSKOWITZ, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS OWNER, BE PLACED ON THE INELIGIBLE BIDDERS LIST FOR VIOLATION OF THE DAVIS -BACON ACT WHICH CONSTITUTED A DISREGARD OF OBLIGATIONS TO EMPLOYEES UNDER THE ACT.
THE DAVIS-BACON ACT PROVIDES THAT THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL IS TO DEBAR PERSONS OR FIRMS WHOM HE HAS FOUND TO HAVE DISREGARDED THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO EMPLOYEES UNDER THE ACT. 40 U.S.C. SEC. 276A-2. IN CIRCULAR LETTER B-3368, MARCH 19, 1957, WE DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN "TECHNICAL VIOLATIONS" WHICH RESULTS FROM INADVERTENCE OR LEGITIMATE DISAGREEMENT CONCERNING CLASSIFICATION, AND "SUBSTANTIAL VIOLATIONS" WHICH ARE INTENTIONAL A DEMONSTRATED BY BAD FAITH OR GROSS CARELESSNESS IS OBSERVING OBLIGATIONS TO EMPLOYEES WITH RESPECT TO THE MINIMUM WAGE PROVISIONS OF THE DAVIS- BACON ACT. FALSIFICATION OF PAYROLL IS A BASIS FOR DEBARMENT UNDER THE DAVIS-BACON ACT. BRYANT PAINT CONTRACTING, INC., B-217337, MAY 23, 1985.
BASED ON OUR INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE RECORD IN THIS MATTER, WE CONCLUDE THAT FMC DISREGARDED ITS OBLIGATIONS TO ITS EMPLOYEE UNDER THE DAVIS-BACON ACT. THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL VIOLATION OF THE DAVIS-BACON ACT IN THAT THE UNDERPAYMENT OF EMPLOYEES WAS INTENTIONAL AS DEMONSTRATED BY FMC'S BAD FAITH IN THE FALSIFICATION OF CERTIFIED PAYROLL RECORDS. THESE RECORDS WERE SIGNED BY CHARLES MOSKOWITZ TO BE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE.
THEREFORE, FMC PAINTING, AND CHARLES MOSKOWITZ, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS OWNER, WILL BE INCLUDED ON A DEBARRED BIDDER'S LIST TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL DEPARTMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT. PURSUANT TO STATUTORY DIRECTION (40 U.S.C. SEC. 276A-2), NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED TO THEM OR TO ANY FIRM, CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP OR ASSOCIATION IN WHICH THEY, OR ANY OF THEM, HAVE AN INTEREST UNTIL 3 YEARS HAVE ELAPSED FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION OF SUCH LIST.