U.S. Department of Labor 
Employment Standards Administration
Wage and Hour Division
Washington, D.C. 20210
FEB 23 1984
MEMORANDUM NO. 138
TO: ALL CONTRACTING AGENCIES OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FROM: WILLIAM M. OTTER 
Administrator
SUBJECT: Revision of the Service Contract Act (SCA)
Regulations, 29 CFR Part 4 -
Reference: All Agency Memoranda Nos. 136
(November 18, 1983) and 137 (December 20, 1983)
On January 27, 1984, the U.S. District Court for the District
of Columbia issued a ruling upholding the Department's revised
SCA regulations which had been challenged in American Federation
of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, et al. v.
Raymond J. Donovan, et al., Civil Action No. 83-3608. These
regulations, which were published in the Federal Register on
October 27, 1983 (48 FR 49736) with an originally scheduled
effective date of December 27, were deferred until January 27,
1984, in order to facilitate a prompt resolution of the litiga-
tion (see 48 FR 56577; December 22, 1983).
Accordingly, implementation of the instructions contained in
All Agency Memorandum No. 136, dated November 18, 1983, should
begin as soon as is administratively feasible. Because existing
contracts contain SCA provisions and wage determinations issued
according to the regulations and policies in existence when the
contracts were awarded, the substantive changes affecting such
matters are prospective only. Therefore, the new contract
clauses set forth in revised 29 CFR 4.6, as published in the
Federal Register on October 27, 1983, should be included in
all contracts entered into pursuant to invitations for bids
issued or negotiations concluded on or after January 27, 1984.
In addition, for the reasons stated above, the revisions to
the following sections are also applicable only to contracts
entered into pursuant to invitations for bids issued or
negotiations concluded on or after January 27, 1984: sections
4.1b, 4.4, and 4.5 of Subpart A; sections 4.116, 4.117, 4.123
(e), 4.132, and 4.133 of Subpart C; and sections 4.163(g),
4.163(i), and 4.168(b) of Subpart D. None of the revisions














2
to the specific sections noted above are applicable to any
contract entered into prior to January 27, 1984. The remaining
portions of the regulations, which do not affect contractual
provisions, are effective as of January 27, 1984.
It is essential to the Administration's regulatory reform
effort that these revised SCA regulations be implemented as
soon as possible. It is, therefore, expected that every
contracting agency will take immediate action to prepare and
disseminate to its procurement offices the necessary changes
required in its contract documents and procurement regulations
in accordance with the instructions provided herein and in
Memorandum No. 136. Your cooperation is appreciated.