2019-25457. Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Information Collections: Report of Construction Contractor's Wage Rates

AGENCY:

Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95). This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Wage and Hour Division is soliciting comments concerning its proposed extension of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved information collection request (ICR) titled, “Report of Construction Contractor's Wage Rates.” A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this Notice.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the ADDRESSES section below on or before January 24, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by Control Number 1235-0015, by either one of the following methods: Email: [e-mail]; Mail, Hand Delivery, Courier: Division of Regulations, Legislation, and Interpretation, Wage and Hour, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-3502, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210.

Instructions: Please submit one copy of your comments by only one method. All submissions received must include the agency name and Control Number identified above for this information collection. Because we continue to experience delays in receiving mail in the Washington, DC area, commenters are strongly encouraged to transmit their comments electronically via email or to submit them by mail early. Comments, including any personal information provided, become a matter of public record. They will also be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy DeBisschop, Director, Division of Regulations, Legislation, and Interpretations, Wage and Hour, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-3502, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210; telephone: [phone] (this is not a toll-free number). Copies of this notice must be obtained in alternative formats (Large Print, Braille, Audio Tape or Disc), upon request, by calling [phone] (not a toll-free number). TTY/TDD callers may dial toll-free [phone] to obtain information or request materials in alternative formats.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background: The Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141, et seq.) provides, in part, that every contract in excess of $2,000 to which the United States or the District of Columbia is a party for construction, alteration, and/or repair, which requires or involves the employment of mechanics and/or laborers, shall contain a provision stating the minimum wages to be paid various classes of laborers and mechanics that were determined by the Secretary of Labor to be prevailing for the corresponding classes of laborers and mechanics employed on projects of a character similar to the contract work in the city, town, village or other civil subdivision of the State where the work is to be performed. The Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, through a delegation of authority, is responsible for issuing these wage determinations (WDs). Section 1.3 of Regulations 29 CFR part 1, Procedures for Predetermination of Wage Rates, provides, in part, that for the purpose of making WDs, the Administrator will conduct a continuing program for obtaining and compiling wage rate information. Form WD-10 (Davis-Bacon Wage Survey Report of Construction Contractor's Wage Rates) is used to determine locally prevailing wages under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts. The wage data collection is a primary source of information and is essential to the determination of prevailing wages. This information collection is currently approved for use through June, 2020.

II. Review Focus: The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments which:

• Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions: The Department of Labor seeks approval for the extension of this information collection in order to ensure effective administration of the government contract programs.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Wage and Hour Division.

Title: Report of Construction Contractor's Wage Rates.

OMB Numbers: 1235-0015.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits, Federal Government, State, Local, or Tribal Government.

Respondents: 2,731.

Total Annual Responses: 21,029.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 7,009.

Estimated Time per Response: DOL estimates that respondents spend an average of approximately 20 minutes completing each response.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Burden Costs: $321,923.

Total Burden Costs (operation/maintenance): $0.

Dated: November 18, 2019.

Amy DeBisschop,

Director, Division of Regulations, Legislation, and Interpretations.