12 Tips for Getting Paid On Time

If you have questions about what must be included in a payment package, please review the document checklist. If you're still in doubt, your Resident Engineer or Project Manager should be consulted. If you have further questions, please call our Engineering Audit Office, at (718) 391-1680.

1. Always write or type neatly.
Make sure all contractor documents are legible.

2. Double check that your payment costs conform to contract or prevailing wage regulations.
We can't approve costs that are not allowed in the contract.

3. Sign everything!
The contractor's certificate signature is often missing. Make sure you sign every place where a signature is required.

4. Make sure you aren’t missing forms and/or documentation.
Your payment package must include all the items on the document checklist that the contractor is responsible for submitting.

5. Also ensure that you don’t have missing and/or incomplete time and materials (T & M) records.
Include all the documents detailed on the document checklist for T & M payments.

6. Always include a copy of registered change order and/or overrun forms.
Payment requisitions for change order/overrun work must these items, stamped "registered."

7. Always include a copy of registered task or work orders for requirement contracts payments.
Payment cannot be processed without these documents.

8. Never submit a payment request when a time extension is required but has not yet been requested and/or approved for the period during which the work was done.
If the time extension hasn't been approved, we can’t make the payment.

9. Check that you have included all certified payroll reports (contractor payments), timesheets and payroll registers (consultant payments).
Payments cannot be processed without these items.

10. Include all documents for reimbursable expense payments, including, paid invoices, etc.
Payments cannot be processed without these items.

11. Never submit unbound, loose, unorganized payment packages.
If we have to figure out what you've included, where it is, and if anything's missing, it will take us longer to process your payment.

12. Always remember to renew insurance in time to submit payment requisition.
We cannot make a payment if insurance has lapsed.