Analysis Review of Davis-Bacon Act
Frederick Hoffman
American Military University
, 2
Introduction
With the current administration's focus on infrastructure projects across the U.S. and the
potential for trillions of dollars in federal contracts, the Davis-Bacon Act has become a common
topic of discussion on the possible impacts on federal construction projects. The Davis-Bacon
Act was passed in 1931 and requires that contractors awarded federal contracts pay their labor
the "prevailing wage" established by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The Davis-Bacon
Act applies to any contract that includes the construction or alteration of public structures and
works costing $2000 or more, and like any government policy, it was meant to fulfill a need.
However, the Act has taken on criticism over the years in its actual effectiveness. The following
examines multiple analyses of the program from differing perspectives.
Program Analysis Basics
An idea of policy programs is to bring forth a positive change or to limit the negative
impact on society. Public policymaking addresses a situation by promising a solution that will
take on a burden and benefit to produce an outcome (Briggs & Helms, 2006). Program analysis
involves looking into the process and results of a policy program. The process involves program
implementation and quality. Process evaluation answers if the program was implemented as
planned, how well the program was implemented, and to what quality was the program
implementation (Briggs & Helms, 2006). Outcome evaluation involves looking at the results of
the program. In outcome evaluation, the questions of did the program meet desired outcomes and
was it successful in making positive change (Briggs & Helms, 2006).
When evaluating policy programs, one thing to keep in mind is that process and outcome
can be independent of each other. For example, the program could have been executed exactly
as it was planned, but the outcomes may have a negative impact (Briggs & Helms, 2006).
Inversely
Frederick Hoffman
American Military University
, 2
Introduction
With the current administration's focus on infrastructure projects across the U.S. and the
potential for trillions of dollars in federal contracts, the Davis-Bacon Act has become a common
topic of discussion on the possible impacts on federal construction projects. The Davis-Bacon
Act was passed in 1931 and requires that contractors awarded federal contracts pay their labor
the "prevailing wage" established by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The Davis-Bacon
Act applies to any contract that includes the construction or alteration of public structures and
works costing $2000 or more, and like any government policy, it was meant to fulfill a need.
However, the Act has taken on criticism over the years in its actual effectiveness. The following
examines multiple analyses of the program from differing perspectives.
Program Analysis Basics
An idea of policy programs is to bring forth a positive change or to limit the negative
impact on society. Public policymaking addresses a situation by promising a solution that will
take on a burden and benefit to produce an outcome (Briggs & Helms, 2006). Program analysis
involves looking into the process and results of a policy program. The process involves program
implementation and quality. Process evaluation answers if the program was implemented as
planned, how well the program was implemented, and to what quality was the program
implementation (Briggs & Helms, 2006). Outcome evaluation involves looking at the results of
the program. In outcome evaluation, the questions of did the program meet desired outcomes and
was it successful in making positive change (Briggs & Helms, 2006).
When evaluating policy programs, one thing to keep in mind is that process and outcome
can be independent of each other. For example, the program could have been executed exactly
as it was planned, but the outcomes may have a negative impact (Briggs & Helms, 2006).
Inversely
