Evesham Township is once again taking steps to ensure the highest standards of safety and quality are in place when contracting labor for the township’s public construction projects.
Moving forward, all contractors and subcontractors shall be required to certify their participation in apprenticeship training programs as part of submitting public bids for Evesham’s municipal construction projects.
With these new requirements, Evesham officials are reinforcing their steadfast belief that skilled construction labor has a critical impact on the success of any public works project.
By requiring contractors and subcontractors to participate in recognized apprenticeship training programs, officials also hope to encourage contractors and subcontractors to address quality issues that can arise from a limited availability of skilled construction labor, as well as encouraging safer worksites by ensuring properly trained workers are used on local public works projects.
To certify the validity of these apprenticeship programs, all contractors and subcontractors must participate in programs registered and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Apprenticeship & Training and provide documentation establishing their compliance with related apprenticeship program requirements promulgated by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
These new requirements were outlined in a “Responsible Bidder” resolution formally adopted by Evesham Township Council at this week’s township council meeting.
“Every step we can take to improve the safety and quality of our public works projects will benefit our residents and our greater community,” Mayor Jaclyn Veasy said. “Quality public works projects begin with a well-trained workforce, so we believe Evesham has both a financial and moral obligation to do what we can to help lay the foundation for the next generation of skilled tradesman, laborers and craftsman in the construction sector.”
These new requirements also complement changes to state law that went into effect earlier this year that require contractors and subcontractors to participate in registered apprenticeship programs when seeking or renewing a Public Works Contractor Registration (PWCR) certificate.
Evesham’s new requirements fall within the township’s discretion to specify the terms of contracts when soliciting public bids, as well as the criteria that bidders must meet in order to be considered a “responsible” bidder and will complement the township’s evaluation and award of contracts for construction services and public works projects to the “lowest responsible bidder,” as outlined in New Jersey’s Local Public Contracts Law.
Evesham’s new policy also outlines that all contractors and subcontractors submitting bids on public construction projects will agree to continue to participate in applicable apprenticeship programs for the full duration of any contracted work, and they will provide a list of all trades or classifications of craft employees they will employ on any projects.
