if someone is working for a company who is doing a job for a federal project (and bid on that job) do the employees for the company who won the bid have to pay federal rates?
I'm told that in other states the employer (who won the job bid) has to pay employees the federal wage rate for the job that is being performed.

The phrase you are looking for is "prevailing wage". Unfortunately that is about all that know on the subject.

http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/regs/compliance/web/SCA_FAQ.htm