Accontink Pump Station
Virginia
Fairfax County’s First PLA Backfires
In September 2021, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a government-mandated Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the Accotink Wastewater Pump Station, claiming it would ensure “labor peace.” Instead, it delivered the predictable result: fewer bidders, higher costs, and fewer opportunities for Virginia-based firms and workers.
The project drew just two bids, and the winning contractor was based in New Jersey, highlighting how PLAs shut out in-state companies unable to assume unfunded union pension liabilities. By 2024, the project’s estimated cost had climbed by more than $10 million, confirming that the PLA inflated costs and stuck taxpayers with the bill.
How it failed
Fairfax County imposed a government-mandated PLA, limiting competition and discouraging Virginia-based contractors from bidding.
The project received only two bids, a textbook example of how PLAs suppress competition.
The winning contractor was based in New Jersey, highlighting how PLAs discriminate against in-state firms and workers.
By 2024, the project’s estimated cost had risen by more than $10 million, confirming that the PLA drove up costs for taxpayers.
Despite promises of efficiency and “labor peace,” the PLA delivered higher costs, fewer bidders, and lost opportunities for local workers.
