United States Public Works
Certified payroll operations for public works contractors.
Certified Payroll Bureau provides independent certified-payroll administration for contractors performing public works and prevailing-wage projects.
The Bureau works with the contractor's existing payroll process to review required payroll information, identify exceptions, prepare certified payroll records and support required filing workflows.
- Federal Davis-Bacon
- Supported
- New York Article 8
- Supported
- Additional jurisdictions
- In development
Certified payroll administration for federal Davis-Bacon and New York Article 8 public works projects.
- Public Works
- Certified payroll administration
- Payroll System
- Keep your existing provider
- Review
- Payroll and compliance exceptions
- Records
- Structured filing and audit records
Scope of Service
Certified payroll administration
Public-works payroll creates a separate compliance workflow beyond ordinary payroll processing. Certified Payroll Bureau operates that workflow without requiring contractors to replace their existing payroll system.
Pre-Payroll Review
Review payroll information against applicable project requirements and identify items requiring correction or confirmation before the payroll record is finalized.
Certified Payroll Preparation
Prepare required certified payroll records from approved payroll and project information.
Exception Management
Identify incomplete, inconsistent or potentially non-compliant records and obtain the specific factual information required to resolve them.
Filing Support
Prepare records for applicable electronic filing workflows and maintain submission documentation.
Corrections and Amendments
Maintain structured correction and amendment workflows when payroll records require revision.
Record Retention
Preserve project-level certified payroll records, supporting documentation and filing history.
How It Works
Operating procedure
Certified payroll administration follows a fixed sequence for every covered project and payroll period.
- 01Bureau and Contractor
Project Establishment
The project record is established, including contracting agency, contract identifiers, applicable jurisdiction, prevailing-wage schedule information and required reporting parameters.
- 02Contractor
Payroll Data
The contractor provides payroll, time and relevant project records for each payroll period through the approved intake process. Existing payroll system exports are accepted.
- 03Bureau
Compliance Review
The payroll record is processed through applicable validation and reconciliation procedures, including classification, wage, supplement and hour review against the project schedule.
- 04Bureau and Contractor
Exceptions
The contractor is contacted only when a factual confirmation, missing record or authorized decision is required. Each request identifies the specific worker, period and record involved.
- 05Bureau
Certified Payroll
The certified payroll record is prepared and presented for contractor review. Certification authority remains with the contractor.
- 06Bureau
Filing and Record
Applicable filing documentation is prepared and submitted through the required workflow. The project payroll record is retained as part of the compliance file.
First Operating Market
New York public works
Article 8 certified payroll operations
Contractors performing public work in New York State operate under prevailing wage and supplement requirements established under Article 8 of the New York State Labor Law, and under certified payroll reporting requirements administered by the New York State Department of Labor.
The Bureau administers the certified payroll workflow for New York public works projects: project and wage-schedule setup, classification and supplement review, payroll reconciliation, preparation of certified payroll records for electronic submission, corrections and record retention.
- Project setup
- Payroll data preparation
- Prevailing wage schedules
- Worker classifications
- Supplements
- Payroll review
- Electronic certified payroll
- Corrections and records
Operating Note
New York is the Bureau's first operating market. Federal Davis-Bacon certified payroll is supported nationally. Additional state jurisdictions are confirmed in writing before engagement.
Payroll Systems
No payroll replacement required
Certified Payroll Bureau operates alongside the contractor's existing payroll and timekeeping processes. Payroll continues to be processed where it is processed today.
Initial operations use standard payroll, time and project exports. Direct integrations will be introduced where operationally appropriate.
Payroll Systems Worked With
- ADP
- Paychex
- QuickBooks Payroll
- Paycor
- UKG
- Gusto
- Viewpoint
- Foundation
- Sage 100 Contractor
Payroll system names are listed for identification only. Their use does not indicate any partnership, endorsement or affiliation. Other payroll systems producing standard exports are accepted.
Exception Handling
Your team handles facts. The Bureau handles the process.
Most certified-payroll administration should not require repeated contractor involvement.
When additional information is required, the Bureau identifies the specific worker, payroll period, record and factual question requiring confirmation. The contractor answers a defined question rather than reviewing an entire payroll register.
Confirmations are recorded against the payroll period they resolve and retained as part of the project compliance file.
Requires Confirmation
Exception 04-118
- Worker
- James Turner
- Payroll period
- Week ending September 6, 2026
- Record
- Tuesday time entry
- Issue
- Time record references equipment operation while the payroll classification is recorded as Laborer.
- Required confirmation
- Confirm the work performed during the referenced period.
Illustration of an exception record. Worker name, project and details shown are fictitious.
Methodology
Structured compliance review
Payroll records are processed through a defined review sequence. Each stage is recorded so that a prepared certified payroll record can be traced back to its inputs.
Governing Source Requirements
Applicable published requirements and the wage schedule issued for the project are maintained within the compliance workflow and applied to the periods they govern.
Project-Specific Information
Contract, agency, location, classification and reporting parameters are recorded at project establishment and applied to every subsequent payroll period.
Payroll Reconciliation
Payroll, time and project records are reconciled against one another. Deterministic calculations are used where applicable.
Structured Validation
Records are processed through multiple validation and review stages covering classification, rate, hour, supplement and deduction consistency.
Exception Review
Records that do not pass validation are isolated for additional review rather than being carried forward.
Source-Linked Records
Prepared records retain a link to the payroll information, project data and schedule version used to produce them.
Contractor Confirmation
Factual matters are resolved by contractor confirmation and recorded against the payroll period they resolve.
Contractor Certification
Final certification is executed by the contractor where legally required. The Bureau does not certify on a contractor's behalf.
Information published by Certified Payroll Bureau is general and administrative in nature. It is not legal advice and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Contractors remain responsible for their own compliance determinations and for the certification of their payroll records.
Division of Responsibility
Operational scope
Engaging the Bureau moves the administrative operation, not the contractor's authority over its own payroll.
Without a certified payroll desk
Internal payroll staff manage the compliance workflow alongside ordinary payroll processing:
- Project wage schedules
- Reporting requirements by agency
- Classification records
- Supplements
- Filing preparation
- Corrections
- Deadline tracking
- Documentation and retention
With Certified Payroll Bureau
The contractor retains
- Payroll approval
- Factual project information
- Required certification authority
The Bureau operates
- Certified payroll administration
- Payroll and compliance review
- Record preparation
- Exception workflow
- Filing support
- Records and retention
Engagement
Service Plans
Service is provided as an ongoing operational engagement, priced on active projects and payroll volume rather than software seats.
Certified Payroll Operations
Beginning at $995 per month
- No implementation fee
- No payroll software migration
- Standard certified-payroll administration included
- Scope based on active projects and payroll volume
Service scope is confirmed in writing before engagement. Contact Payroll Operations for current service availability.
Controls
Operational standards
The standards below govern how payroll records are handled through the compliance workflow.
Source-Based Review
Compliance procedures are maintained against applicable published requirements, including the wage schedules and reporting instructions issued for each project.
Record Traceability
Project records retain source and processing history. Each prepared certified payroll record can be traced to the payroll information and project data used to produce it.
Controlled Exceptions
Unresolved material exceptions prevent a payroll record from proceeding as ready for certification. Exceptions are closed by contractor confirmation, not by assumption.
Customer Authority
The contractor retains required factual confirmation and legal certification authority. The Bureau does not certify payroll records on a contractor's behalf.
Data Handling
Payroll records are processed through controlled access systems. Access is limited to personnel and processes assigned to the contractor's account.
Defined Scope
Engagement scope is documented in writing, including covered projects, jurisdictions, reporting periods and the division of responsibility between the contractor and the Bureau.
Reference
Frequent questions
- What does Certified Payroll Bureau do?
- Certified Payroll Bureau is an independent private service that administers certified payroll for contractors performing public works and prevailing-wage projects. The Bureau reviews payroll information against project requirements, prepares certified payroll records, manages exceptions, supports required filing workflows and retains the project compliance record.
- Do contractors have to change payroll providers?
- No. The Bureau operates alongside the contractor's existing payroll and timekeeping systems, including ADP, Paychex, QuickBooks Payroll, Paycor and UKG. Standard payroll, time and project exports are accepted. No payroll migration is required.
- Which jurisdictions are supported?
- Federal Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, and New York State Labor Law Article 8. Additional jurisdictions are in development and availability is confirmed in writing before engagement.
- Who certifies the payroll record?
- The contractor. Certified Payroll Bureau prepares the certified payroll record and supporting documentation. Factual confirmation and legal certification authority remain with the contractor.
- Is Certified Payroll Bureau a government agency?
- Certified Payroll Bureau is an independent private compliance service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the United States Department of Labor, the New York State Department of Labor, the State of New York, or any other government agency.
Inquiries
Payroll operations contact
Inquiries are reviewed by Payroll Operations. Provide project and payroll details so service availability can be confirmed accurately.
- Telephone
- (000) 000-0000
- Operating Hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Client Access
- Existing clients sign in here
Service inquiry
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