Under California's Subletting and Subcontracting Fair Practices Act, a prime bidder on public works must list in its bid each subcontractor who will perform work exceeding a threshold percentage. The main purpose is to prevent:
Explanation
The Subletting and Subcontracting Fair Practices Act makes the prime name, in its bid, every subcontractor whose work exceeds one-half of one percent of the total bid, so the prime cannot shop those prices down after award or let rivals peddle lower ones in. Prevailing wage duties come from Labor Code §1771 and apply whether or not a sub is listed. Self-performance is not restricted by the Act; listing is required only for work actually subcontracted. Licensing is policed by the CSLB and by §4104's licence-number requirement, which is a detail of listing rather than its purpose.
Law Reference: Public Contract Code §4104; §4107This topic, taught in full in the CSLB Law & Business guide. CSLB Law & Business — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $24.99 · 14-day refund →
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