EP 1180-1-1
1 Aug 01
predecessor contractor must pay at least the same rates as the predecessor contractor was obligated to
pay under his CBA. Under these conditions, therefore, the DOL will issue "Collectively Bargained Rate"
wage determinations. In every recurring procurement of services, the contracting officer must determine
whether some or all of the incumbent contractor's employees have their wages and fringe benefits set in a
CBA (see FAR 22.1008-3). If a CBA applies to the incumbent contractor's workforce, the CBA sets
the minimum rates for the successor contract period by operation of law (41 USC 353(c); 29 CFR
4.163(b)). The CO must obtain a copy of the applicable CBA and submit it to the DOL as an
attachment to the SF 98/98a for the successor procurement. Further the contracting officer must give the
union and the contractor written notice of the relevant procurement dates (see FAR 22.1010).
4-5. Content of the SF 98a.
a. Occupational Classes and Number of Employees (SF 98a, Blocks 12 and 13). The SF 98a must
list the classes of service employees expected to perform the services called for by the proposed
SCA-covered contract, and where applicable, any subcontracts. The listing of all occupational classes of
service employees to be employed under the proposed contract must utilize job titles and corresponding
code numbers found in the Directory of Service Contract Act Occupations, a U.S. Department of Labor,
Employment Standards Administration publication. (This publication is available from the Superintendent
of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.) Since payroll titles and
work assignments vary among contractors and geographic areas, the directory serves as a standard
means of communication among contractors, contracting agencies, and DOL wage determination staff.
For any occupation not contained in the directory, an appropriate job title shall be given in Block 12 and
a job description must be attached to the SF 98. The WD issued by the DOL will include the minimum
wage rates and fringe benefits to be paid by the contractor for occupational classes listed in the SF 98a to
be used in the performance of the SCA-covered contract. An occupational class is classified according
to duties, skills, knowledge required to perform it. Such factors affect the job's relative rate of pay.
Occupational classes vary considerably with regard to these factors. Wage rates therefore vary
considerably by class. Thus, job descriptions are evaluated by DOL staff to determine appropriate
classifications (and respective relative pay rates) for evaluation against survey or other related data used
to develop the WD. The number of service employees expected to be employed in each occupational
class or a statement that the total number for all classes will exceed five must also be included in the SF
98a.
b. Comparable Federal Rates (SF 98a, Block 14). The hourly wage rates or grade levels that would
4-5
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