Choosing an approach
Certified payroll software vs. a managed service.
Platforms like eBacon and LCPtracker are reporting systems — often required outright by a prime contractor or awarding agency. PrevailingShield is not a competing platform. It's a managed service for the preparation, review and correction work that happens around whichever reporting system your project uses.
The two aren't an either/or choice for most contractors — they solve different parts of the same weekly problem.
Doc /CP-VS · Rev 1.0 · Public page
Side by side
What each approach actually covers
| Reporting software (e.g. eBacon, LCPtracker) | PrevailingShield (managed service) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A platform (e.g. LCPtracker, eBacon) your team logs into and operates | A service where PrevailingShield prepares, reviews and reconciles the report |
| Who does the weekly work | Your office enters or imports data and works the platform each week | PrevailingShield handles preparation and review; your team approves and certifies |
| Classification & exception review | Generally self-service — the platform doesn't judge whether a classification fits | Reviewed each week, with exceptions flagged before submission |
| Learning curve | New software for your office to learn and maintain | No new system for your team to operate day to day |
| Agency/prime mandated reporting system | Often required if your GC or agency specifies it | Doesn't replace a mandated system — works alongside it |
| Certification & submission authority | Stays with your authorized representative | Stays with your authorized representative |
Most contractors need both
A mandated platform still needs someone to run the workflow behind it.
If your prime contractor or awarding agency requires a specific reporting system, entering data into it is only part of the job. Someone still has to identify the right classifications, reconcile field hours against payroll, catch exceptions before submission, and manage corrections when a report comes back with questions. That's the part PrevailingShield handles — whether or not a specific platform is in the picture.
A few things to know
Software, service, or both — common questions
Often, yes. If your prime contractor or awarding agency requires a specific reporting platform, that requirement doesn't go away. PrevailingShield handles the preparation, reconciliation and review work around that system — it's a service layer, not a replacement for a mandated platform.
The internal administrative burden: identifying the right classifications, reconciling field hours against payroll, catching exceptions before submission, and coordinating corrections when a report comes back questioned. That work happens whether or not you use a reporting platform.
No. PrevailingShield doesn't sell software. It's a managed service — a person-led workflow — for the preparation, review and correction work around certified payroll.
That's fine to start from. Project setup identifies what the awarding agency or prime contractor actually requires, including whether a specific platform is mandated for your project.
Not sure which setup fits your project?
A short readiness review can help identify what your project actually requires — including whether a specific reporting platform is mandated — before deciding what support makes sense.
No sensitive employee or payroll information is needed in the public review.
Usually 2–4 minutes. Start with what you know.