(a) Application, validity, and expiration of wage determinations—(1) Application of incorporated wage determinations. Once a wage determination is incorporated into a contract (or once construction has started when there is no contract award), the wage determination generally applies for the duration of the contract or project, except as specified in this section.

(2) General wage determinations. (i) “General wage determinations” published on the DOL-approved website contain no expiration date. Once issued, a general wage determination remains valid until revised, superseded, or canceled.

(ii) If there is a current general wage determination applicable to a project, an agency may use it without notifying the Administrator, Provided that questions concerning its use are referred to the Administrator in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.

(iii) When a wage determination is revised, superseded, or canceled, it becomes inactive. Inactive wage determinations may be accessed on the DOL-approved website for informational purposes only. Contracting officers may not use such an inactive wage determination in a contract action unless the inactive wage determination is the appropriate wage determination that must be incorporated to give retroactive effect to the post-award incorporation of a contract clause under § 5.6(a)(1)(ii) of this subtitle or a wage determination under paragraph (f) of this section. Under such circumstances, the agency must provide prior notice to the Administrator of its intent to incorporate an inactive wage determination and may not incorporate it if the Administrator instructs otherwise.

(3) Project wage determinations. (i) “Project wage determinations” initially issued will be effective for 180 calendar days from the date of such determinations. If a project wage determination is not incorporated into a contract (or, if there is no contract award, if construction has not started) in the period of its effectiveness it is void.

(ii) Accordingly, if it appears that a project wage determination may expire between bid opening and contract award (or between initial endorsement under the National Housing Act or the execution of an agreement to enter into a housing assistance payments contract under section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, and the start of construction) the agency must request a new project wage determination sufficiently in advance of the bid opening to assure receipt prior thereto.

(iii) However, when due to unavoidable circumstances a project wage determination expires before award but after bid opening (or before the start of construction, but after initial endorsement under the National Housing Act, or before the start of construction but after the execution of an agreement to enter into a housing assistance payments contract under section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937), the head of the agency or the agency head's designee may request the Administrator to extend the expiration date of the project wage determination in the bid specifications instead of issuing a new project wage determination. Such request must be supported by a written finding, which must include a brief statement of factual support, that the extension of the expiration date of the project wage determination is necessary and proper in the public interest to prevent injustice or undue hardship or to avoid serious impairment in the conduct of Government business. The Administrator will either grant or deny the request for an extension after consideration of all of the circumstances, including an examination to determine if the previously issued rates remain prevailing. If the request for extension is denied, the Administrator will proceed to issue a new wage determination for the project.

(b) Identifying and incorporating appropriate wage determinations. (1) Contracting agencies are responsible for making the initial determination of the appropriate wage determination(s) for a project and for ensuring that the appropriate wage determination(s) are incorporated in bid solicitations and contract specifications and that inapplicable wage determinations are not incorporated. When a contract involves construction in more than one area, and no multi-county project wage determination has been obtained, the solicitation and contract must incorporate the applicable wage determination for each area. When a contract involves more than one type of construction, the solicitation and contract must incorporate the applicable wage determination for each type of construction involved that is anticipated to be substantial. The contracting agency is responsible for designating the specific work to which each incorporated wage determination applies.

(2) The contractor or subcontractor has an affirmative obligation to ensure that its pay practices are in compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act labor standards.

(3) Any question regarding application of wage rate schedules or wage determinations must be referred to the Administrator for resolution. The Administrator should consider any relevant factors when resolving such questions, including, but not limited to, relevant area practice information.

(c) Revisions to wage determinations. (1) General and project wage determinations may be revised from time to time to keep them current. A revised wage determination replaces the previous wage determination. “Revisions,” as used in this section, refers both to modifications of some or all of the rates in a wage determination, such as periodic updates to reflect current rates, and to instances where a wage determination is re-issued entirely, such as after a new wage survey is conducted. Revisions include adjustments to non-collectively bargained prevailing wage and fringe benefit rates on general wage determinations, with the adjustments based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Cost Index (ECI) data or its successor data. Such rates may be adjusted based on ECI data no more frequently than once every 3 years, and no sooner than 3 years after the date of the rate's publication. Such periodic revisions to wage determinations are distinguished from the circumstances described in paragraphs (d), (e), and (f) of this section.

(2)(i) Whether a revised wage determination is effective with respect to a particular contract or project generally depends on the date on which the revised wage determination is issued. The date on which a revised wage determination is “issued,” as used in this section, means the date that a revised general wage determination is published on the DOL-approved website or the date that the contracting agency receives actual written notice of a revised project wage determination.

(ii) If a revised wage determination is issued before contract award (or the start of construction when there is no award), it is effective with respect to the project, except as follows:

(A) For contracts entered into pursuant to sealed bidding procedures, a revised wage determination issued at least 10 calendar days before the opening of bids is effective with respect to the solicitation and contract. If a revised wage determination is issued less than 10 calendar days before the opening of bids, it is effective with respect to the solicitation and contract unless the agency finds that there is not a reasonable time still available before bid opening to notify bidders of the revision and a report of the finding is inserted in the contract file. A copy of such report must be made available to the Administrator upon request. No such report is required if the revision is issued after bid opening.

(B) In the case of projects assisted under the National Housing Act, a revised wage determination is effective with respect to the project if it is issued prior to the beginning of construction or the date the mortgage is initially endorsed, whichever occurs first.

(C) In the case of projects to receive housing assistance payments under section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, a revised wage determination is effective with respect to the project if it is issued prior to the beginning of construction or the date the agreement to enter into a housing assistance payments contract is signed, whichever occurs first.

(D) If, in the case of a contract entered into pursuant to sealed bidding procedures under paragraph (c)(2)(ii)(A) of this section the contract has not been awarded within 90 days after bid opening, or if, in the case of projects assisted under the National Housing Act or receiving housing assistance payments section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 under paragraph (c)(2)(ii)(B) or (C) of this section, construction has not begun within 90 days after initial endorsement or the signing of the agreement to enter into a housing assistance payments contract, any revised general wage determination issued prior to award of the contract or the beginning of construction, as appropriate, is effective with respect to that contract unless the head of the agency or the agency head's designee requests and obtains an extension of the 90-day period from the Administrator. Such request must be supported by a written finding, which includes a brief statement of the factual support, that the extension is necessary and proper in the public interest to prevent injustice or undue hardship or to avoid serious impairment in the conduct of Government business. The Administrator will either grant or deny the request for an extension after consideration of all the circumstances.

(iii) If a revised wage determination is issued after contract award (or after the beginning of construction where there is no contract award), it is not effective with respect to that project, except under the following circumstances:

(A) Where a contract or order is changed to include additional, substantial construction, alteration, and/or repair work not within the scope of work of the original contract or order, or to require the contractor to perform work for an additional time period not originally obligated, including where an option to extend the term of a contract is exercised, the contracting agency must include the most recent revision of any wage determination(s) at the time the contract is changed or the option is exercised. This does not apply where the contractor is simply given additional time to complete its original commitment or where the additional construction, alteration, and/or repair work in the modification is merely incidental.

(B) Some contracts call for construction, alteration, and/or repair work over a period of time that is not tied to the completion of any particular project. Examples of such contracts include, but are not limited to, indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity construction contracts to perform any necessary repairs to a Federal facility over a period of time; long-term operations-and-maintenance contracts that may include construction, alteration, and/or repair work covered by Davis-Bacon labor standards; or schedule contracts or blanket purchase agreements in which a contractor agrees to provide certain construction work at agreed-upon prices to Federal agencies. These types of contracts often involve a general commitment to perform necessary construction as the need arises, but do not necessarily specify the exact construction to be performed. For the types of contracts described here, the contracting agency must incorporate into the contract the most recent revision(s) of any applicable wage determination(s) on each anniversary date of the contract's award (or each anniversary date of the beginning of construction when there is no award) unless the agency has sought and received prior written approval from the Department for an alternative process. The Department may grant such an exception when it is necessary and proper in the public interest or to prevent injustice and undue hardship. Such revised wage determination(s) will apply to any construction work that begins or is obligated under such a contract during the 12 months following that anniversary date until such construction work is completed, even if the completion of that work extends beyond the twelve-month period. Where such contracts have task orders, purchase orders, or other similar contract instruments awarded under the master contract, the master contract must specify that the applicable updated wage determination must be included in such task orders, purchase orders, or other similar contract instrument, and the ordering agency must so incorporate the applicable updated wage determinations into their orders. Once the applicable updated wage determination revision has been incorporated into such task orders, purchase orders, or other similar contract instruments, that wage determination revision remains applicable for the duration of such order, unless the order is changed to include additional, substantial construction, alteration, and/or repair work not within the scope of work, when the wage determination must be updated as set forth in paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(A) of this section, or the order itself includes the exercise of options. Where such orders do include the exercise of options, updated applicable wage determination revision, as incorporated into the master contract must be included when an option is exercised on such an order.

(C) For contracts to which both paragraphs (c)(2)(iii)(A) and (B) of this section apply, updated wage determinations must be incorporated pursuant to the requirements of both paragraphs. For example, if a contract calls for construction, alteration, and/or repair work over a period of time that is not tied to the completion of any particular project and also has an option provision to extend the contract's term, the most recent revision(s) of any applicable wage determination(s) must be incorporated any time an option is exercised, as described in paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(A) of this section, and on the contract anniversary date, as described in paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(B) of this section. However, when a contract has been changed as described in paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(A) of this section, including by the exercise of an option, the date of that modification will be considered the contract anniversary date for the purpose of annually updating the wage determination(s) in accordance with paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(B) of this section for that year and any subsequent years of contract performance.

(d) Corrections for clerical errors. Upon the Administrator's own initiative or at the request of an agency, the Administrator may correct any wage determination, without regard to paragraph (a) or (c) of this section, whenever the Administrator finds that it contains clerical errors. Such corrections must be included in any solicitations, bidding documents, or ongoing contracts containing the wage determination in question, and such inclusion, and application of the correction(s), must be retroactive to the start of construction if construction has begun.

(e) Pre-award determinations that a wage determination may not be used. A wage determination may not be used for a contract, without regard to whether bid opening (or initial endorsement or the signing of a housing assistance payments contract) has occurred, if, prior to the award of a contract (or the start of construction under the National Housing Act, under section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, or where there is no contract award), the Administrator provides written notice that:

(1) The wrong wage determination or the wrong schedule was included in the bidding documents or solicitation; or

(2) A wage determination included in the bidding documents or solicitation was withdrawn by the Department of Labor as a result of a decision by the Administrative Review Board.

(f) Post-award determinations and procedures. (1) If a contract subject to the labor standards provisions of the laws referenced by § 5.1 of this subtitle is entered into without the correct wage determination(s), the agency must, upon the request of the Administrator or upon its own initiative, incorporate the correct wage determination into the contract or require its incorporation. Where the agency is not entering directly into such a contract but instead is providing Federal financial assistance, the agency must ensure that the recipient or sub-recipient of the Federal assistance similarly incorporates the correct wage determination(s) into its contracts.

(2) The Administrator may require the agency to incorporate a wage determination after contract award or after the beginning of construction if the agency has failed to incorporate a wage determination in a contract required to contain prevailing wage rates determined in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act or has used a wage determination which by its terms or the provisions of this part clearly does not apply to the contract. Further, the Administrator may require the application of the correct wage determination to a contract after contract award or after the beginning of construction when it is found that the wrong wage determination has been incorporated in the contract because of an inaccurate description of the project or its location in the agency's request for the wage determination.

(3) Under any of the circumstances described in paragraphs (f)(1) and (2) of this section, the agency must either terminate and resolicit the contract with the correct wage determination or incorporate the correct wage determination into the contract (or ensure it is so incorporated) through supplemental agreement, change order, or any other authority that may be needed. The method of incorporation of the correct wage determination, and adjustment in contract price, where appropriate, should be in accordance with applicable law. Additionally, the following requirements apply:

(i) Unless the Administrator directs otherwise, the incorporation of the correct wage determination(s) must be retroactive to the date of contract award or start of construction if there is no award.

(ii) If incorporation occurs as the result of a request from the Administrator, the incorporation must take place within 30 days of the date of that request, unless the agency has obtained an extension from the Administrator.

(iii) Before the agency requires incorporation upon its own initiative, it must provide notice to the Administrator of the proposed action.

(iv) The contractor must be compensated for any increases in wages resulting from incorporation of a missing wage determination.

(v) If a recipient or sub-recipient of Federal assistance under any of the applicable laws referenced by § 5.1 of this subtitle refuses to incorporate the wage determination as required, the agency must make no further payment, advance, grant, loan, or guarantee of funds in connection with the contract until the recipient incorporates the required wage determination into its contract, and must promptly refer the dispute to the Administrator for further proceedings under § 5.13 of this subtitle.

(vi) Before terminating a contract pursuant to this section, the agency must withhold or cross-withhold sufficient funds to remedy any back-wage liability resulting from the failure to incorporate the correct wage determination or otherwise identify and obligate sufficient funds through a termination settlement agreement, bond, or other satisfactory mechanism.

(4) Under any of the above circumstances, notwithstanding the requirement to incorporate the correct wage determination(s) within 30 days, the correct wage determination(s) will be effective by operation of law, retroactive to the date of award or the beginning of construction (under the National Housing Act, under section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, or where there is no contract award), in accordance with § 5.5(e) of this subtitle.

(g) Approval of Davis-Bacon Related Act Federal funding or assistance after contract award. If Federal funding or assistance under a statute requiring payment of wages determined in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act is not approved prior to contract award (or the beginning of construction where there is no contract award), the applicable wage determination must be incorporated based upon the wages and fringe benefits found to be prevailing on the date of award or the beginning of construction (under the National Housing Act, under section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, or where there is no contract award), as appropriate, and must be incorporated in the contract specifications retroactively to that date, Provided that upon the request of the head of the Federal agency providing the Federal funding or assistance, in individual cases the Administrator may direct incorporation of the wage determination to be effective on the date of approval of Federal funds or assistance whenever the Administrator finds that it is necessary and proper in the public interest to prevent injustice or undue hardship, Provided further that the Administrator finds no evidence of intent to apply for Federal funding or assistance prior to contract award or the start of construction, as appropriate.

[88 FR 57725, Aug. 23, 2023]