IRA · DBRA · NYSERDA · IL SHINES · CA SURGE · Oregon BOLI · NM ETA

Proactively Avoid PWA Fines with Real-Time Compliance.

DSPTCH is prevailing wage compliance software that calculates obligations down to the penny before payroll runs. We work directly with your team and your contractors so nothing slips through.

#1 clean energy field app
200+ payroll integrations
25%+ cost savings
DSPTCH compliance snapshot showing total penalties, apprentice penalties, PW underpayment, and outstanding backpay across contractors on the Helios Grid Initiative project
Same Day
Compliance results vs. 6 to 12 wk auditor lag
50%+
Less compliance paperwork
25%+
Compliance cost reduction
200+
Payroll integrations
#1
Clean energy field app

Trusted by leading renewable energy companies

Use Cases

PWA Compliance, Two Ways.

Whether you’re an asset owner overseeing contractors or a contractor running your own crews, DSPTCH covers PWA compliance end to end.

Asset Owners & Developers

Prevailing Wage Compliance, Handled for You

You don’t need to manage compliance. Just make an introduction, and we take it from there.

  • One intro email does it all. We onboard every contractor and sub directly.
  • Full visibility, anytime. Wages, ratios, and certifications for every contractor, 24/7.
  • Issues handled before they become costly. We resolve compliance gaps with the contractor before fines hit.
  • Real-time alerts, not surprises. Get notified the moment a contractor goes non-compliant.
DSPTCH Project Penalties dashboard summarizing total outstanding liability, apprentice penalties, backpay penalties, and outstanding backpay across contractors
DSPTCH PW Calculations dashboard showing prevailing wage obligation, actual paid, balance due, and per-worker hours, obligation, and balance breakdown
EPC & Self-Perform Contractors

PWA Compliance for Your Self-Perform Work

Know what you owe before payroll runs, not six weeks later.

  • Prevailing wage obligations calculated before payroll closes, not after
  • Hours flow into PW calculations with eligible and ineligible hours separated automatically
  • Apprenticeship ratios tracked in real time
  • 200+ payroll integrations move your data each period. No spreadsheets, no re-keying.
What is IRA Compliance?

The Three Pillars of IRA Compliance

The Inflation Reduction Act ties a 5x credit multiplier to two requirements: prevailing wage and apprenticeship. Failing either reduces the credit by 80% unless cured under the 26 CFR 1.45-7 and 1.45-8 correction framework. Here's how each piece works.

Pillar 01 · Prevailing Wage

Pay Davis-Bacon Rates to Every Laborer and Mechanic

All laborers and mechanics performing covered construction, alteration, or repair on an IRA-qualified project must be paid no less than the applicable federal prevailing wage and fringe rate published by the U.S. Department of Labor. The obligation flows to every contractor and subcontractor at every tier.

•Applies to covered work under IRC sections 30C, 45, 45Q, 45V, 45Y, 45Z, 48, 48C, 48E, and 179D

•Continues through the alteration and repair window (5 yrs for ITC, 10 yrs for PTC)

•Scope governed by Davis-Bacon classifications and DOL conformance under 29 CFR 5.5
$5,000
Per-worker IRS penalty per underpayment
Pillar 02 · Apprenticeship

Hit the Labor Hours, Ratio, and Participation Tests

IRA apprenticeship compliance has three components that operate independently. Each one must be satisfied, every day, for every contractor on covered work.

• Labor Hours: 15% of total construction labor hours from qualified apprentices (12.5% for 2023 BOC)

• Daily Ratio: apprentice-to-journeyworker ratio set by the registered program, tested every day on site

• Participation: any contractor with 4+ workers on covered work must employ at least one qualified apprentice
$50
Per deficient labor hour ($500 for intentional disregard)
Pillar 03 · Cure & Records

Cure Inside the Window. Keep Audit-Ready Records.

Treasury's correction framework (26 CFR 1.45-7 and 1.45-8) lets taxpayers preserve the 5x credit by paying backpay, interest at section 6621 plus 6 points, and per-worker penalties to the IRS. Records must hold up across the six-year statute of limitations and the 5-year recapture window for ITC-type credits.

•180-day cure window for PW failures after IRS final determination

•3x backpay multiplier and $10,000 per worker if intentional disregard applies

•Good Faith Effort exception under 26 CFR 1.45-8(f) requires 5-business-day denial documentation
180
Day cure window for prevailing wage corrections
Key Features

The Tools That Make PWA Compliance Effortless

Purpose-built prevailing wage compliance software. Designed for PWA compliance, not bolted onto a generic platform.

Live Penalties Dashboard

Stop waiting for an audit. See your full penalty exposure in real time so you can act before fines accrue.

  • Backpay, IRA Cure Obligation, and apprenticeship fines, all in one dashboard
  • Real-time visibility to reduce or eliminate fines before the grace period expires
  • Asset owners see which contractors are non-compliant in real time, so payment can be withheld before fines accrue
DSPTCH Live Penalty Exposure dashboard
DSPTCH Certified Payroll view with one-click WH-347 export

One-Click WH-347 Generation

Certified payroll reporting is one of the most tedious parts of PWA compliance. DSPTCH is certified payroll software that eliminates the manual work entirely.

  • 200+ payroll integrations let you and your contractors auto-generate, bulk-sign, and submit WH-347s in one click
  • DSPTCH accepts any payroll or timekeeping export. Provide the data, we’ll provide the WH-347s.
  • What used to take days takes minutes

Wage Determination Tracking

Wage determinations change, especially on long-running O&M or state-level projects. DSPTCH’s wage determination tracking software keeps you current automatically.

  • Add wage determinations to a job, reference the source, and assign them to workers
  • On O&M and state-level work, rate updates from the authority sync automatically
DSPTCH Wage Determination view with per-classification federal and state wage rates
DSPTCH Worker Timecard view showing real-time PW calculations and fringe breakdown

Real-Time PW Calculations

Know what you owe before payroll runs. Prevailing wage obligations calculated live.

  • Per-worker obligations calculated in real time as hours are logged, before payroll runs
  • Export PW data to drive payroll. No corrections, no back-pay surprises.
Compliance Programs

Every Major Clean Energy Compliance Program

Federal IRA to state-level programs, one platform handles the full prevailing wage compliance stack.

New York · NYSERDA / NY-SUN

NY-SUN Prevailing Wage Adder Compliance

Qualify for the PW Adder ($0.125 to $0.20/W). Automated quarterly CPA certifications and electronic payroll submissions to NYS DOL.

PW AdderArt. 8Quarterly Cert.
Illinois · IL SHINES

IL SHINES Prevailing Wage Compliance

Certified payroll reporting and apprenticeship documentation for IL SHINES Adjustable Block Program projects.

IL Adj. BlockCertified Payroll
California · CA SURGE

CA SURGE Prevailing Wage Compliance

DIR-compliant certified payroll and workforce tracking for California solar contractors on qualifying SURGE projects.

DIR ComplianceLabor Code
Oregon · BOLI

Oregon BOLI Prevailing Wage Compliance

Certified payroll and fringe benefit tracking for Oregon BOLI prevailing wage rules on renewable projects.

Oregon PWRFringe Benefits
New Mexico · ETA / NMAC 11.2.3.29

NM Energy Transition Act Prevailing Wage Compliance

Certified payroll and prevailing wage compliance for New Mexico Energy Transition Act projects under NMAC 11.2.3.29 and NMSA 1978.

NMAC 11.2.3.29NMSA 1978Certified Payroll
FAQ

Common Questions

Everything you need to know about DSPTCH, PWA compliance and the IRA 5x bonus credit.

Who is DSPTCH built for?
DSPTCH is built for renewable energy contractors (solar EPCs, wind contractors, and their subs) on IRA projects subject to prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. It’s also built for asset owners and developers who need full visibility into their contractor supply chain without managing compliance themselves.
Does DSPTCH replace our payroll system?
No. DSPTCH sits alongside your existing payroll system (ADP, Paychex, QuickBooks, Gusto, and 200+ others). We validate payroll data against prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, surface violations before payroll closes, and produce certified payroll outputs. Your payroll system keeps running. DSPTCH keeps it compliant.
What’s the difference between DSPTCH and an auditor?
Auditors find violations after the fact, sometimes 6 to 12 weeks after payroll has run. DSPTCH monitors compliance throughout the pay period so your team catches and resolves issues before payroll closes. Auditors record violations. DSPTCH prevents them.
How long does it take to get set up?
Most contractors are operational within one pay cycle. Onboarding connects your payroll source, configures wage determinations and classifications, and trains your field supervisors. No lengthy implementation project.
Can DSPTCH handle multiple contractors and subcontractors?
Yes. DSPTCH is built for multi-party projects (GCs, subs, and staffing vendors). Asset owners get a unified view of every sub-contractor’s compliance status. GCs see sub-tier compliance without chasing anyone.
Which compliance programs does DSPTCH support?
DSPTCH supports federal IRA/PWA, NYSERDA NY-SUN Prevailing Wage Adder, IL SHINES, CA SURGE, Oregon BOLI, and the New Mexico Energy Transition Act. Working under a program not listed? Contact us, we likely support it.
What does the $120/user/month pricing actually cover?
The $120/user/month covers field workers actively logging time and pay data for PWA compliance validation. All administrative licenses (PMs, payroll admins, compliance reviewers, executive viewers) are included at no charge. Volume discounts are available based on headcount, project count, and term length.
What is PWA compliance?
PWA compliance means meeting the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements introduced by the Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy tax credits. Contractors must pay federal prevailing wages to all laborers and mechanics, hit apprenticeship hour and ratio thresholds, and keep audit-ready records. Failure triggers backpay, $5,000-per-worker Cure Provision penalties, and risks tax credit eligibility.
What is prevailing wage compliance?
Prevailing wage compliance means paying every worker no less than the local wage and fringe rates for their classification on a covered project. Rates come from the U.S. Department of Labor for federal projects or state agencies like California DIR, Oregon BOLI, and NYS DOL. DSPTCH is prevailing wage compliance software that automates classification, calculation, and reporting in real time.
What is a wage determination?
A wage determination is an official document listing the minimum base wage and fringe rates for each labor classification on a covered project. Federal wage determinations come from the U.S. Department of Labor and apply to IRA-funded clean energy work. State wage determinations come from agencies like California DIR, Oregon BOLI, and NYS DOL. Rates change periodically, so contractors must monitor and adjust to stay compliant.
What is certified payroll?
Certified payroll is the weekly report contractors on prevailing-wage projects must submit to prove they paid workers correctly. The federal version, Form WH-347, lists each worker’s classification, daily hours, gross wages, deductions, fringe benefits, and a signed Statement of Compliance. It’s required for federal and state prevailing wage projects, including IRA-funded clean energy work. Late or inaccurate certified payroll triggers backpay liability, penalties, and risks tax credit eligibility.
What is a WH-347 form?
The WH-347 is the U.S. Department of Labor’s standard certified payroll report. Federal contractors and subs use it weekly to document each worker’s name, classification, hours, gross wages, fringe, deductions, and a signed Statement of Compliance. It’s required under federal prevailing wage rules and is the standard for IRA prevailing wage projects. DSPTCH auto-generates WH-347 forms from your payroll data in one click.
Do I need certified payroll software?
If your projects are subject to federal prevailing wage requirements (IRA-funded clean energy, federal infrastructure, NY-SUN, IL SHINES, Oregon BOLI), certified payroll software cuts the manual work and error risk in producing weekly WH-347s. Without it, payroll teams rebuild WH-347s by hand each week. DSPTCH is prevailing wage compliance software that integrates with 200+ payroll systems and generates certified payroll automatically.
What is IRA compliance for clean energy projects?
To qualify for full clean energy tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, projects must meet two requirements: all laborers and mechanics paid applicable federal prevailing wage rates, and qualified apprentices performing a minimum percentage of total labor hours (12.5% or 15% depending on construction start year) at the right journeyman-to-apprentice ratios. Missing either reduces the credit by 80% unless cured. Recordkeeping, certified payroll, and apprentice ratio tracking are the core IRA compliance obligations.
How is the IRA Cure Provision penalty calculated?
For each worker paid below the required prevailing wage, the contractor owes backpay plus interest, plus a $5,000-per-worker penalty. “Intentional disregard” violations rise to $10,000 per worker with a 3x multiplier on backpay. The cure window is time-limited. DSPTCH calculates exposure across backpay, Cure Provision fines, and apprenticeship penalties in real time, so contractors can act inside the cure window.
How does the NYSERDA NY-SUN Prevailing Wage Adder work?
The NY-SUN Prevailing Wage Adder is an incentive from NYSERDA for solar projects that meet NYS DOL prevailing wage requirements. Eligible projects earn $0.125 to $0.20 per watt on top of the base NY-SUN incentive. Compliance requires quarterly CPA-certified payroll, electronic filings with NYS DOL, and Article 8 wage determinations. DSPTCH automates the submissions and tracks rate updates from NYS DOL.
What’s the difference between IRA, NYSERDA, IL SHINES, CA SURGE, and Oregon BOLI compliance?
Each program has its own wage determination source, reporting cadence, and penalty structure. IRA/PWA is federal and ties to clean energy tax credits. NYSERDA NY-SUN is New York and offers a per-watt adder for solar. IL SHINES governs Illinois Adjustable Block solar projects. CA SURGE applies California DIR rules. Oregon BOLI enforces state prevailing wage on Oregon renewable projects. DSPTCH handles all five from one platform.
What is IRA compliance?
IRA compliance refers to meeting the prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA) requirements introduced by the Inflation Reduction Act for ten clean-energy tax credits and deductions (IRC sections 30C, 45, 45Q, 45V, 45Y, 45Z, 48, 48C, 48E, and 179D). Meeting both PWA requirements multiplies the base credit by 5x. Failing either reduces the credit by 80% unless cured through Treasury's correction framework in 26 CFR 1.45-7 and 26 CFR 1.45-8.
Which IRA tax credits require PWA compliance?
The PWA requirements apply to ten clean-energy credits and deductions: section 30C (alternative fuel refueling property), 45 (production tax credit), 45Q (carbon capture), 45V (clean hydrogen), 45Y (clean electricity PTC), 45Z (clean fuel production), 48 (investment tax credit), 48C (qualifying advanced energy), 48E (clean electricity ITC), and 179D (energy-efficient commercial buildings). Sections 45L and 45U have no apprenticeship requirement.
What is the IRA 5x bonus credit?
Most IRA clean-energy credits start at a base rate (often 6% for the investment tax credit) and are multiplied by 5 when the taxpayer satisfies both the prevailing wage requirement and the apprenticeship requirement during covered construction, alteration, or repair work. Missing PWA cuts the credit to the base rate, an 80% reduction in credit value.
What is the One Megawatt Exception?
Projects with a maximum net output of less than one megawatt (AC) are exempt from the IRA prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements and still qualify for the full 5x credit. The exception is project-by-project and does not apply to all credit sections. For 45V clean hydrogen, a different threshold applies.
What is the Beginning of Construction (BOC) exception?
Projects that began construction before January 29, 2023 are grandfathered out of the IRA PWA requirements entirely and still qualify for the 5x credit. Beginning of construction is established through the Physical Work Test or the Five Percent Safe Harbor, with continuity requirements that follow the same standards used for the prior PTC and ITC.
What are the IRA prevailing wage requirements?
All laborers and mechanics performing construction, alteration, or repair on a covered IRA project must be paid no less than the applicable Davis-Bacon prevailing wage and fringe rate published by the U.S. Department of Labor for the project's locality and classification. The obligation extends to contractors and subcontractors at any tier and continues through the alteration and repair period (5 years for ITC-type credits, 10 years for PTC-type credits).
What are the IRA apprenticeship requirements?
IRA apprenticeship compliance has three components. Labor Hours: qualified apprentices must perform at least 15% of total construction labor hours for projects starting construction in 2024 or later (12.5% for 2023 starts). Daily Ratio: the apprentice-to-journeyworker ratio set by the registered apprenticeship program must be met every day on site, in every occupation. Participation: any taxpayer, contractor, or subcontractor employing four or more individuals on covered work must employ at least one qualified apprentice.
What is the IRA Good Faith Effort exception?
Under 26 CFR 1.45-8(f)(1), a taxpayer is deemed to satisfy the IRA apprenticeship labor-hours and ratio requirements when qualified apprentices were properly requested from a registered apprenticeship program and the request was either denied or not substantively answered within 5 business days, so long as the denial was not caused by the taxpayer's refusal to comply with program standards. Requests must be renewed every 365 days while construction continues.
What records do contractors need to keep for IRA compliance?
Treasury requires audit-ready recordkeeping for the full statute of limitations period (generally six years). Required records include weekly certified payroll (WH-347), wage determinations by classification, daily apprenticeship ratio logs, apprentice registration documentation, good faith effort requests and responses, and worker classification support. Records must be retained for the taxpayer, every contractor, and every subcontractor at every tier.
What happens if work is outside the wage determination scope?
Work outside published Davis-Bacon scopes requires a conformance request to the U.S. Department of Labor under 29 CFR 5.5(a)(1)(ii). Until DOL approves a conformance, paying the wrong rate creates prevailing wage underpayments that must be cured. Site-of-work boundaries also matter: work at a secondary site dedicated to the IRA project is generally covered, while work at a commercial supply yard generally is not.
How does DSPTCH help with IRA compliance?
DSPTCH is IRA compliance software that calculates per-worker prevailing wage obligations before payroll closes, tracks daily apprentice-to-journeyworker ratios and the 15% labor-hours threshold in real time, auto-generates WH-347 certified payroll from 200+ payroll integrations, and shows live Cure Provision penalty exposure across every project. Asset owners get one view across every contractor; contractors catch issues inside the cure window instead of months later.
Who is responsible for IRA compliance, developer or contractor?
The taxpayer claiming the IRA credit is ultimately responsible to the IRS. That's typically the developer, asset owner, or tax-equity investor. But every contractor and subcontractor performing covered work at every tier must meet the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. In practice, most asset owners flow the compliance obligation down through EPC and subcontractor agreements, and rely on real-time visibility to confirm contractors are actually meeting the requirements.
When did the IRA prevailing wage and apprenticeship rules take effect?
The IRA prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements took effect for projects that began construction on or after January 29, 2023. Projects with a documented Beginning of Construction before that date are grandfathered out and still qualify for the 5x credit without meeting PWA. Treasury's final regulations (T.D. 9998) were issued on June 25, 2024.
Does IRA prevailing wage apply to O&M and maintenance work?
Yes, in many cases. The IRA prevailing wage requirement extends through the alteration and repair period after a facility is placed in service: 5 years for ITC-type credits under sections 48 and 48E, and 10 years for PTC-type credits under sections 45 and 45Y. Routine inspection and minor servicing are generally excluded, but substantive alteration or repair work performed during these windows is covered and requires Davis-Bacon wages.
What's the difference between Davis-Bacon and IRA prevailing wage?
Davis-Bacon is a federal contracting framework enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor on direct federal construction projects. IRA prevailing wage borrows the Davis-Bacon wage determinations, classifications, and scope-of-work concepts but is a tax-credit preservation regime, not a labor enforcement regime. Penalties under the IRA are paid to the IRS, not the DOL, and the goal is preserving the 5x bonus credit rather than satisfying a federal contract.
What is a qualified apprentice under the IRA?
A qualified apprentice is an individual enrolled in a registered apprenticeship program under the National Apprenticeship Act (29 USC 50), performing covered construction, alteration, or repair work on an IRA-qualified facility. The program must be registered with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship or a recognized State Apprenticeship Agency. Pre-apprentices and workers in unregistered training programs do not count toward the 15% labor-hours requirement or the daily ratio.
What's the difference between the IRA PTC and ITC?
The Production Tax Credit (PTC) under section 45 (legacy) and section 45Y (post-2024) pays a per-kWh credit over the first 10 years of operation. The Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under section 48 (legacy) and section 48E (post-2024) is a one-time credit calculated as a percentage of qualified project cost in the year placed in service. Both credits multiply by 5x when prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements are satisfied, and both can lose the multiplier if PWA fails without cure.
What is the IRA recapture period?
For investment-type credits under sections 48 and 48E, there is a 5-year recapture window after the facility is placed in service. If prevailing wage or apprenticeship compliance fails during the alteration and repair window and is not cured, the IRS can recapture the 5x bonus portion of the credit already claimed. Production tax credits under sections 45 and 45Y have a 10-year alteration and repair window but no equivalent recapture mechanism, since the credit is earned year by year.
Does IRA compliance apply to wind, battery storage, and EV charging?
Yes. The prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements apply to facilities claiming the 5x bonus credit under any of the covered sections: 30C (alternative fuel and EV refueling), 45 and 45Y (PTC for wind, solar, geothermal, and other generation), 45Q (carbon capture and sequestration), 45V (clean hydrogen), 45Z (clean fuel production), 48 and 48E (ITC for solar, wind, battery storage, and more), 48C (qualifying advanced energy manufacturing), and 179D (energy-efficient commercial buildings).
Are fringe benefits included in IRA prevailing wage?
Yes. Each DOL wage determination publishes both a base hourly rate and a fringe benefit rate per classification. The IRA prevailing wage obligation is the sum of the two. Contractors can satisfy the fringe portion by paying bona-fide benefits (health insurance, retirement contributions, paid leave) or by paying the fringe amount as additional cash wages. Mis-tracking the fringe component is one of the most common sources of IRA underpayments.
How do IRA tax credit transfers affect compliance?
Section 6418 allows clean energy tax credits to be sold or transferred to unrelated buyers. The compliance obligation, including prevailing wage and apprenticeship, stays with the project and the original taxpayer. Buyers inherit the risk that PWA failures could reduce or recapture the transferred credit, which is why credit buyers, lenders, and tax-equity investors increasingly require real-time PWA compliance evidence and software-backed recordkeeping as a closing condition.

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IRA · DBRA · NYSERDA · IL SHINES
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