Welcome to the Prevailing wage Rate page!

Take our survey from June 16 – July 10, 2020

El Paso County is conducting a wage rate survey for 2020 and we need your help. If you are a construction company, or a subcontractor your input is needed. If you have received a survey from us, we encourage you to send us your completed survey by July 10, 2020!

About the El Paso County Prevailing Wage Rate Survey

The Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) requires that all laborers and mechanics employed on the site of the project be paid not less than the wages and fringe benefits determined by the Department of Labor (DOL) to be prevailing in the area. The Davis-Bacon Act, the first Federal wage law protecting non-government wage rates, was passed in March 1931. A 1964 amendment added a requirement to pay fringe benefits if they prevail in the area for the craft.

According to Section 2258 of the Texas Government Code, any public entity that uses state dollars to fund a state procurement contract must include a wage rate requirement for workers in the contract.

The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, apply to contractors and subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works. Davis-Bacon Act and Related Act contractors and subcontractors must pay their laborers and mechanics employed under the contract no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area. The Davis-Bacon Act directs the Department of Labor to determine such locally prevailing wage rates. The Davis-Bacon Act applies to contractors and subcontractors performing work on federal or District of Columbia contracts.

In lieu of the Davis Bacon Act, the County of El Paso is conducting their own wage determinations.

About the Survey

The Prevailing Wage Rate committee has been working very hard to reevaluate the 2016 definitions for Heavy/Highway and Building Definitions.

The data and information compiled from the survey will be used in determining the prevailing wage rate for public works projects within the County of El Paso. The compiled data is based on the wages actually received by classes of laborers who have been employed on projects of a character similar to the contract work done with the County and based on projects with the County limits. If the rates are adopted by the El Paso County Commissioners, then the new rate will be adopted in 2020 and be in effect for four years.

The survey is divided into two categories: Building Construction and Heavy/Highway Construction. Please complete the survey(s) which is/are relevant to your business. You are invited to fill-out the survey in two ways: paper and online.

For Paper Survey	For Online Survey
Check what Survey pertains to your business: Building Construction and Heavy/Highway Construction, or both.	Check what Survey pertains to your business: Building Construction and Heavy/Highway Construction, or both.
Complete the paper survey relevant to your business: Building Construction and Heavy/Highway Construction, or both.	Complete the online survey relevant to your business: Building Construction and Heavy/Highway Construction, or both.
Sign the Certification Pages	Visit the online survey page. For Building Construction: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PVW-Building For Heavy/Highway Construction: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Heavy-Highway
Attach the Payroll Reports to the packet	Electronically sign the Certification Pages
5. Mail the completed survey with certification pages and payroll reports in the enclosed return envelope to: County of El Paso, Texas Human Resources Department Attn: Prevailing Wage Rate Study 500 E. Overland El Paso, Texas 79901	Email the Payroll Reports to the following: Lorena Rodriguez lorodrigez@epcounty.com.

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Communication to Contractors and Subcontractors
EL PASO COUNTY 2020 WAGE SURVEY
MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL

Dear Employer

El Paso County has worked together with several governmental entities, including the City of El Paso, Ysleta ISD, and University Medical Center Hospital District, to prepare documents for a combined, multi-jurisdictional wage survey of Building and Heavy/Highway Construction projects.

The enclosed survey documents ask for wage information on projects that were active and ongoing between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019.

If your company has workers who fall into one of the labor classifications listed in the surveys, we request that you participate by completing and returning the enclosed wage rate survey. The information you provide will be used to determine the minimum wage and fringe benefit rates that must be paid to workers employed on public-work construction projects

The information you provide will be shared among participating governmental entities in order to make the survey process more efficient and to preclude sending you multiple surveys to complete. The survey is divided into two categories: Building Construction and Heavy/Highway Construction. Please complete the survey(s) which is/are relevant to your business.

Those forms delivered via US Postal Service must be POSTMARKED by Friday, July10, 2020. All other original documents must be RECEIVED in the County’s Administration department by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 13, 2020.

When returning your completed paper survey, be sure to sign the Certification Pages and to attach payroll reports.

When submitting your completed online survey, printing your name serves as a signature on the Certification Page and remember to email payroll reports to lorodrigez@epcounty.com

Questions should be directed to Lorena Rodriguez in the El Paso County Human Resources Department who may be reached at (915) 546-2218 ext. 4329. Written questions may be sent by email lorodrigez@epcounty.com by regular mail to 500 E. Overland, El Paso, Texas 79901. The information provided by you will be kept confidential to the maximum extent possible under existing law.

Information regarding the El Paso County Wage Survey and blank survey packets are available at the web site: http://www.epcounty.com/publicworks/wages.htm

Thank you,

Prevailing Wage Rate Committee
County of El Paso