In compliance with California Assembly Bill AB 2031, Carlsbad Unified School District requires General Contractors and Subcontractors to be pre-qualified on all Bond Construction Contracts.

The requirement for pre-qualification also applies to all contracts under the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCAA).

Steps in the Prequalification Process

In order to bid on projects that are subject to the pre-qualification requirement, prospective bidders must first register with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) before submitting a completed qualification package with the District online. Please follow the two steps instructions below.

The prequalification package must be received no less than ten (10) business days prior to the bid advertised deadline.

STEP 1: Registration with DIR

• All contractors and subcontractors intending to bid or perform work on public works projects are required by law to register with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) for an annual fee of $400.
• Registration options are for one, two, or three fiscal years.

STEP 2: Online Application with the District for Prequalification

• Prequalification under CUPCCAA (For projects up to $200,000)
• Prequalification under AB2031 (For projects over $200,000)
• Prequalification packages must be received no less than ten (10) business days prior to a bid advertised deadline.

Definition of Public Works Projects

Public Works projects are defined by California Labor Code, section 1720(a) as “construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work (including maintenance) done under contract and paid for in whole or in part out of public funds.”

Public Works Law Governing Contractor Requirements

• California Senate Bill 854 was signed into law on 20 June 2014 establishing a new public works contractor registration program governing prevailing wage and public works coverage.
• Senate Bill 96 became effective 27 June 2017 with several revisions to the California prevailing wage law.
• Public Works and Prevailing Wages: Public works law requires private construction contractors to pay prevailing wages to their workers as determined by DIR. Projects of $30,000 or more must meet DIR's apprenticeship requirements. More information on the prevailing wage rates.

California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (“CUPCCAA”)

CUPCCAA was enacted in 1983 under Public Contract Code section 22000 et seq. CUPCCAA allows public agencies to use “Force Account” labor to perform public projects, simplifies procedures for the authorization of emergency work, and provides alternate bid limits for public work projects.

CUPCCAA Bid Limitations

• Public Contracts Up to $60,000
  The Act allows local agencies to perform public project work of up to $60,000 with their own workforces (Force Account), if the agencies elect to follow the cost accounting procedures set forth in the Cost Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual of the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission. Public projects of $60,000 or less may be performed by negotiated contract, or by purchase order.(PCC 22032(a)).
• Public Contracts between $60,000 and $200,000 
  Public projects between $60,000 and $200,000 may be let to contract by informal procedures as set forth in the Act (PCC 22032(b)).
• Public projects of more than $200,000
  Public projects of more that $200,000 shall be let to contract by formal bidding procedures (PCC 22032(c)) and are categorized as AB2031 projects.

Under CUPCCAA

1. Contractors are required to:
   • Pay Prevailing Wages (Ed. Code §17424)
   • File a Payment Bond (Civil Code § 3247)
   • File a Performance Bond
   • Comply with Fingerprinting (Ed. Code §45125, et seq.)
   • Comply with the Field Act. Construction is subject to all State approvals, as set forth in Education Code sections 17280 through 17313. (Ed. Code §17421)
2. Change orders are only permitted to a maximum contract total of $60,000.
3. Non-emergency work done force account in excess of $60,000 is a violation of the act.