U.S. Department of Labor Employment Standards Administration Wage and Hour Division Washington, D.C. 20210 MEMORANDUM NO. 175 MEMORANDUM FOR ALL CONTRACTING AGENCIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FROM: MARIA ECHAVESTE Administrator SUBJECT: New Format for SCA Wage Determinations The Wage and Hour Division will soon begin to issue SCA wage determinations in a new format that will include nearly all standard occupations on a single wage determination rather than the current practice of issuing several different wage determinations broken down by various occupational groupings. This should reduce the need for Service Contract Act (SCA) conformance actions, and improve service to SCA wage determination customers. For several years, SCA prevailing wage determinations were issued individually in eight occupational groupings, generally by occupational category of the "SCA Directory of occupations." For example, if a Federal procurement agency noticed the Department of Labor that it was going to issue a solicitation that would require computer programmers and systems analysts, the Wage and Hour Division would issue the Automatic Data Processing (ADP) Occupations wage determination for the area where the work was to take place. This wage determination included about 20 ADP occupations. If, on the other hand, the solicitation only required secretaries, Wage and Hour would issue the Administrative Support and Clerical Occupations wage determination, which provides prevailing rates for over 45 related clerical occupations. Recent discussions with various contractors, Federal agency representatives, and union representatives have indicated that this process often leads to unnecessary work. Because Federal agencies may not be fully aware of all the occupations required for a given solicitation, the wage determination issued for a particular contract may not contain all of the occupations needed to complete performance of the contract. As a result, a - 2 - conformance action is needed to add the unlisted classification even though the Wage and Hour Division has issued a separate wage determination that includes .the additional classification. Research into this issue indicates that as many as 90 percent of all conformance actions could be eliminated if rates for all standard occupations were routinely issued and incorporated in relevant service contracts. Redesign of the wage determination format allows the inclusion of most standard occupations in no more than ten pages. Classifications will continue to be grouped within major occupational category. However, considering the large number of occupations that will now be included on most SCA wage determinations, it is extremely important that contractors carefully match the work which employees actually perform to corresponding occupational titles and definitions in the SCA Directory. If the work of an employee is not encompassed by a Directory title/definition listed, the conformance process should be utilized to establish a new classification and wage. When evaluating the need for conformance, contractors must consider the principles outlined in section 4.152 of Regulations 29 CFR, Part 4, i.e., conformance may not be used to artificially split, combine, or subdivide classifications listed in the wage determination. Questions concerning the new wage determination format should be directed to Dr. Alan Moss, Director, Division of Wage Determinations, at 202-219-7531. Attachment A NOTE TO CONTRACTORS FROM THE WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION This McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) wage determina- tion is being provided to you in a new and hopefully improved format. Rather than limiting the occupations listed to one group of associated classes, the prevailing wage and benefit rates are included for over 200 standard occupations. This should reduce your need for SCA conformance actions (adding occupations to established wage determinations), and improve service to our customers. Redesign of the wage determination layout allows for inclusion of most standard occupations in about ten pages. Classifications will, however, continue to be listed within major occupational categories, as provided in the "Service Contract Act Directory of Occupations." Copies of that publication, which provides all standard titles and definitions, may be obtained from the U.S. Superintendent of Documents at (202) 783-3238. Alternatively , copies of standard job titles and definitions for those occupations to be used on the contract may be obtained from the appropriate agency Contracting Officer. Considering the large number of occupations that are now included on most SCA wage determinations, it is extremely important that you match the work actually performed with the corresponding occupational titles and definitions in the SCA Directory. If the work of an employee is not encompassed by a Directory definition for a class listed on the wage determination, the conformance process should be utilized to establish a new classification and wage. When evaluating the need for conformance, remember that you may not artificially split, combine, or subdivide classifi- cations listed in the wage determination. Questions concerning the new wage determination format, or any ideas for improved customer service, should be directed by mail to Dr. Alan Moss, Director, Division of Wage Determinations, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210 or by phone to Dr. Moss at (202) 219-7531. GRAPHIC – “REGISTER OF WAGE DETERMINATIONS UNDER U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR THE SERVICE CONTRACT ACT EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION”