Certificate of Compliance

Any person desiring to bid on a construction contract with The University of Akron is required by Section 9.47 of the Ohio Revised Code to obtain a Certificate of Compliance, which certifies a company's compliance with various equal opportunity affirmative action requirements as set forth in the statute. The Certificate of Compliance is valid for 180 days, and it is the responsbility of the contractor to renew the Certificate prior to the expiration date while the project is still in the construction phase. Without a Certificate of Compliance, the contractor cannot enter into a contract with the University.

In order to obtain a Certificate of Compliance, please visit the Ohio Department of Administrative Services Site, which will allow you to submit an application electronically. Please note, after submitting your application, it will take approximately ten (10) business days for your Certificate of Compliance to be approved by the Ohio Department of Administrative Services.

Worker's Compensation

The construction contractor must show proof of coverage of a valid Certificate of Workers' Compensation, which meets the several requirements of Ohio law. A photocopy of your certificate will be sufficient to enable us to verify coverage.

Certificate of Insurance

The construction contractor entering into a contract with the University shall purchase General Liability Insurance and other insurance, which will protect the contractor from claims which may arise out of or result from the contractor's performance or obligations as set forth in the contract document requirements, which are outlined in the bid specifications.

Upon receipt of a pending award of a construction contract with the University, the Certificate of Insurance shall name The University of Akron as an additional insured, and evidence of coverage should be sent to the Office of Contract Compliance as soon as possible.

Prevailing Wage

Ohio's Prevailing Wage Law is applicable to construction projects whose value exceeds $17,687.00. Thus, those who are employed by a contractor to work on this project must be paid the current prevailing wage applicable to their classification. While this office receives current prevailing wage information, you should insure that you possess the most current wage scales for the various classifications of workers that you employ by contacting the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services, Wage & Hour Division, to receive the most current prevailing wage information. Such rates are subject to change from time to time and this office might not alwyas have available the most current prevailing wage data. Also, current prevailing wage rates for all 88 Ohio counties can be obtained by accessing the OBES Site, and then clicking on the Wage and Hour listing. Please be advised that from time to time, prevailing wage inspectors will visit the construction site to inquire about the payment of prevailing wages.

Statutory Agent

Assuming that your firm has been incorporated under the laws of any state, you were required to appoint a statutory agent upon whom service of papers could be made. Those entering into contracts with the University will be required to provide to this office the name and complete address of your company’s current statutory agent.

Input Form 29

The Ohio Construction Contract Information Report "Input Form 29" must be completed and sent to the Department of Administrative Services, Equal Opportunity Division by the tenth (10th) day for each month for the entire reporting period. This report must include the total work hours by trade name, gender and classification of all field employees. For your convenience, the "Input Form 29" may be transmitted electronically by visiting the Ohio Department of Administrative Services Site.

Subcontractor Declaration

The Subcontractor Declaration form is used for the purpose of reporting the name(s) of subcontractors being used on The University of Akron's projects. If you are planning to use subcontractors on a respective project and have not received a form, please contact our office at 330-972-5965, and one will be provided to you. Please complete the form in its entirety and return it to our office.

Statewide Licensing

Contractors in commercial construction are required to submit a copy of their State License when they are awarded a construction contract in the following area(s): Electrical, HVAC, Hydrodonics, Plumbing or Refrigeration. If you have been awarded a construction contract in one or more of the above areas, your company will be required to provide to our office a copy of your license per trade. You can obtain more information about this requirement by contacting Mrs. Shirley E. Feaster at 330-972-5965.

Drug-Free Workplace

The University maintains a policy that requires the University's buildings and grounds to be drug-free. This means that in order to bid on a state-administered construction contract or provide labor services on a state construction project, contractors and subcontractors will be required to enroll in either the Bureau of Worker's Compensation (BWC) Drug-Free Workplace Program (DFWP), or Drug-Free EZ Program, or have a comparable program approved by BWC, which will be administered by BWC, The Ohio Department of Administrative Services and the Ohio Department of Transportation jointly. The University of Akron also is required to insure that all contractors performing work on campus adhere to state and federal laws requiring a Drug-Free Workplace. Without a valid Drug-Free Work Place Certicate, contractors may not work a state-administered construction project. In order to obtain a Certificate, you must apply to BWC for approval of their Drug-Free Workplace Program. If you have additional questions, contact BWC at their website address.

I-9 Form (Employment Eligibility Verification)

All contractors are expected to comply with the Immigration and Reform Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). This Act, with certain limitations, requires the verification of the employment status of all individuals who are hired by a prime contractor as well as a subcontractor. The usual method of verification is through the Employment Verification (I-9) Form. When entering into a contract with The University of Akron, the contractor is certifying without exception that such contractor has complied with all laws relating to immigration and reform. Contractors will be requested to provide a copy of the I-9 Form for each employee who may or will be performing work or services on University grounds. This information is needed to allow the University to insure that those working on campus are eligible to do so, and to insure compliance with Immigration Laws.

THANK YOU FOR VISITING THE WEB SITE OF THE OFFICE OF CONTRACT COMPLIANCE. PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR WEB SITE IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.