§329. Contracts subject to this subchapter; workers covered; exceptions

(a) Contracts involving employment of laborers or mechanics

The provisions of this subchapter shall apply, except as otherwise provided, to any contract which may require or involve the employment of laborers or mechanics upon a public work of the United States, of any territory, or of the District of Columbia, and to any other contract which may require or involve the employment of laborers or mechanics if such contract is one (1) to which the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof, any territory, or the District of Columbia is a party, or (2) which is made for or on behalf of the United States, any agency or instrumentality thereof, any territory, or the District of Columbia, or (3) which is a contract for work financed in whole or in part by loans or grants from, or loans insured or guaranteed by, the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof under any statute of the United States providing wage standards for such work: Provided, That the provisions of section 328 of this title, shall not apply to work where the assistance from the United States or any agency or instrumentality as set forth above is only in that nature of a loan guarantee, or insurance. Except as otherwise expressly provided, the provisions of this subchapter shall apply to all laborers and mechanics, including watchmen and guards, employed by any contractor or subcontractor in the performance of any part of the work contemplated by any such contract, and for purposes of this subchapter, laborers and mechanics shall include workmen performing services in connection with dredging or rock excavation in any river or harbor of the United States or of any territory or of the District of Columbia, but shall not include any employee employed as a seaman.

(b) Exceptions

This subchapter shall not apply to contracts for transportation by land, air, or water, or for the transmission of intelligence, or for the purchase of supplies or materials or articles ordinarily available in the open market. This subchapter shall not apply with respect to any work required to be done in accordance with the provisions of the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act.

(c) Inapplicability to small contracts

This subchapter does not apply to a contract in an amount that is not greater than $100,000.

( Pub. L. 87–581, title I, §103, Aug. 13, 1962, 76 Stat. 358 ; Pub. L. 103–355, title IV, §4104(c)(1), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3342 .)

References in Text

The Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act, referred to in subsec. (b), probably means act June 30, 1936, ch. 881, 49 Stat. 2036 , as amended, known as the Walsh-Healey Act, which is classified generally to sections 35 to 45 of Title 41, Public Contracts. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 35 of Title 41 and Tables. See also section 262 of Title 29, Labor.

Amendments

1994-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–355 added subsec. (c).

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

For effective date and applicability of amendment by Pub. L. 103–355, see section 10001 of Pub. L. 103–355, set out as a note under section 251 of Title 41, Public Contracts.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 328, 330, 333 of this title.