U.S. Department of Labor 
Employment Standards Administration
Wage and Hour Division
Washington, D.C. 20210
OCT 16 1992
MEMORANDUM NO. 167
MEMORANDUM FOR ALL CONTRACTING AGENCIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FROM: KAREN R. KEESLING
Acting Administrator
SUBJECT: Suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act and the Related
Acts in Florida, Hawaii, and Louisiana
On October 14, 1992, President Bush signed a proclamation, copy
attached, suspending the Davis-Bacon Act in those areas seriously
affected by the devastation resulting from Hurricanes Andrew and
Iniki. The suspension proclamation was issued pursuant to
section 6 of the Davis-Bacon Act, 40 U.S.C. 276a-5, and also
applies to various related acts as well as any Executive order,
proclamation, rule, regulation, or other directive requiring
Davis-Bacon wage determinations.
This suspension covers the counties of Broward, Collier, Dade,
and Monroe in the State of Florida; the parishes of Terrebonne,
Lafourche, St. Martin, Assumption, Iberia, St. John the Baptist,
Iberville, St. Mary, Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, St.
Charles, St. Tammany, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana, East
Feliciana, Point Coupee, Jefferson, Acadia, Avoyelles, Cameron,
Jefferson Davis, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. James, St. Bernard,
Vermillion, Allen, Calcasieu, Evangeline, Livingston, Rapides,
St. Helena, St. Landry, Tangipahoa, and Washington in the State
of Louisiana; and the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai,
Lanai, and Kahoolawe in the State of Hawaii. In the event that a
single contract/project requires construction work in areas
covered by the suspension, as well as in areas not covered by the
suspension, the Davis-Bacon provisions must be applied to the
work performed outside of the suspended area(s).
The suspension will remain in force until otherwise provided
and applies to all contracts entered into on or after October 14,
1992. Therefore, as of October 14, 1992, agencies should not
request wage determinations for contracts to be awarded in the
designated areas.

















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In the case of projects assisted under the National Housing Act,
the applicable date is the beginning of construction or the
initial endorsement of the mortgage, whichever occurs first.
Thus, if either construction began or initial endorsement
occurred prior to October 14, the Davis-Bacon provisions would be
applicable to the project: In the case of projects to receive
housing assistance payments under section 8 of the U. S. Housing
Act, the applicable date is the beginning of construction or the
execution of the agreement to enter into a housing assistance
payments contract. Thus, if either of these two events occurred
prior to October 14, the Davis-Bacon provisions would be
applicable to the project.
Contracts awarded prior to October 14 are not impacted by this
suspension, and the determined rates apply to all covered work
performed on such contracts. Thus, subcontracts to such prime
contracts are subject to Davis-Bacon provisions irrespective of
the date of subcontract. The provisions of the Act and
regulations for enforcement of the contract requirements,
including the conformance provisions for adding classifications
and wage rates, continue to apply to such contracts.
Questions regarding implementation of the suspension proclamation
should be directed to Philip Gloss at (202) 219-7455.
Attachment

































GRAPHIC – “TO SUSPEND TH DAVIS-BACON ACT OF MARCH 3, 1931 WITHIN A LIMITED GEOGRAPHICAL AREA IN RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY CAUSED BY ANDREW AND INIKI”