AASHTOWare Project Civil Rights and Labor™ (CRL) Management System

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Civil Rights Division have implemented new software that will require remote access to import and track certified payroll and DBE payments.

Important Announcement:  As of Dec. 21, 2020, VDOT is implementing CRL Version 4.2 and no longer using CRL Version 3.01. VDOT CRL also migrates to the cloud as of that date.  Individual payroll import specifications will change from 3.01, and system access steps will change.  Don’t hesitate to email us with any questions you have about the upgrade and migration.

The system manages the Agency’s Labor, EEO, and DBE regulation requirements and provides contractors electronic access to submit certified payrolls and subcontractor/subconsultant payment information. It provides a faster, easier, and more accurate way for contractors and consultants to meet government reporting requirements.

If you have questions after reviewing the information below, send an e-mail inquiry to CRLMS@vdot.virginia.gov. You will receive a response within 48 hours.

When will I have to start using the system?

All contracts advertised after March 1, 2020.  Please see the contract specification at Special Provision 107-000120-00. The Civil Rights Division will contact the low bidders to begin the process for access to the system for them and their subcontractors. If contractors are unable to attend one of the regional training sessions, training will be provided on an a- needed basis.

Who will be required to use the system?

All prime contractors and subcontractors working on VDOT projects with federal funding will be required to use the system to submit certified payrolls. Prime contractors will also be required to submit payments to their DBE subcontractors for prompt payment verification. The subcontractors will now have an opportunity to confirm the payment information submitted by their prime contractors.

What do I need to know about the system?

The system is web-based and can be accessed from anywhere. There are specifications listed below to ensure you can access the system once it is a requirement.

• No cost to access the system or receive a Login-ID
• Web based
• Internet Explorer 9, 10, 11 or Google Chrome
• Microsoft Excel 2007 or newer

Why do I have to use the system?

The system provides a faster, easier, and more accurate way for contractors and consultants to meet government reporting requirements. Once the system is in full production, prime contractors and subcontractors will NOT have to submit the following forms separately:

• C-57 - Highway Construction Contractors Monthly EEO Report
• C-63 - DBE and SWaM Payment Compliance Report

Where is the system located?

The system is a web-based application and is accessible to anyone with an internet connection. All prime contractors/consultants and subcontractors/subconsultants will be granted access by request form. Only those firms with a required contract in the system should submit the Request Access form. Each firm will only see their specific contract information. 

Follow these steps to gain access:

1. Download and complete the CRL Access and IT Security Forms. 
2. Send your completed forms to CRLMS@vdot.virginia.gov.
3. Civil Rights will request a network account and CRL application access for each user through the Virginia IT Agency (VITA). Please allow several days for this to complete.
4. Civil Rights will establish user roles in CRL based on the submitted Access Request Form.
5. Click on the URL provided in an email, log on, and start using the system!

Getting Started?

To develop your knowledge and understanding of the CRL system, please click the links below to access the Computer Based Training modules (CBTs). The interactive exercises and reference materials will walk you through the step by step processes for Certified Electronic Payroll and DBE prompt pay reporting. There are separate modules for Navigation, Subcontractor Payments and Certified Payroll.

Training modules

Getting Started
Payrolls
Payrolls Entry By Prime Proxy
Payrolls Entry In CRL
Subcontract Payments

PDF help documents

Payrolls 1A Entry By Spreadsheet
Payrolls 1B Entry In CRL
Payrolls 1C Entry By Prime Proxy
Payrolls 2 Convert To XML
Payrolls 3 Import and Validate
Payrolls 4 Attachments
Payrolls 5 Sign
Payrolls 6 Prime Review
Payrolls 7 Modify Rejected
Subcontract Payments Prime Contractor
Subcontract Payments Subcontractor
Non-Agency Training Guide
Non-Agency Users Guide

There are three ways to submit certified payrolls electronically into the system:

• Manually enter data into CRL – see attached document for a quick reference guide
• Import payroll data by using CRL system payroll spreadsheet with XML converter tool (see details below)
• Convert payroll program data to an XML file to import into the system (see details below)

XML Resource Kit - For contractors with payroll systems that will be extracting data to produce an XML file for uploading into CRL.  

XML Validator - For any contractor to validate XML files prior to uploading into CRL. This can be used for either the template/spreadsheet created XML files or XML extracts from vendor payroll systems.

Excel Template - For contractors without in-house payroll systems, VDOT provides an Excel template to enter up to 50 employee payrolls. The spreadsheet/template needs to be downloaded from this site to get started. Users can keep payroll records by period and update the hours accordingly for subsequent pay periods.

Template Conversion Tool - Upon completion for a pay period users can convert the Virginia-provided template to XML for upload into CRL. The XML conversion utility is free to use and does not store any information. The site takes the Excel file, converts it and provides the correctly formatted XML file back to the contractor for upload into CRL.

The Civil Rights Division will continue to update this page with new information as it becomes available.

Payroll Software Vendors Successfully Creating XML Files For CRL