May 2007

Final Far Rule Makes WDOL.gov Official

Wage Determinations Online.gov (www.wdol.gov) is one of the IAE systems most appreciated by Contracting Officers (COs). Back in "the day" COs used to have to write to the Department of Labor (DOL) to obtain a wage determination. After typing up the Standard Form (SF) 98, and sometimes an SF 98a, the CO had to mail in the forms, sometimes waiting six months or longer to receive the wage determination. Many times contracts had to be amended AFTER award to include the correct wage determination. But thank goodness those days are over! Since 2005, under authorization by a DOL memo, COs have been using the WDOL.gov website, which makes Service Contract Act (SCA) and Davis Bacon Act (DBA) wage determinations and contractor labor standards information issued by DOL available online, easily accessible to the contracting community. An interim FAR rule making WDOL.gov the source for SCA and DBA wage determinations issued by the DOL, was published in the Federal Acquisition Circular June 28, 2006. As of March 22, 2007, FAC 2005-16 amends the FAR to make the interim rule final. The WDOL.gov and e98 processes replace the paper SF 98 and 98a. In addition, SF 98, 98a, and 99 are deleted from FAR Part 53. This final rule also incorporates new geographical jurisdictions for DOL's Wage and Hour Regional Offices and eliminates FAR references to the Government Printing Office publication of general wage determinations.

As with other IAE systems, the government is taking advantage of current electronic communication and information sharing technologies to streamline the federal procurement process. Rather than waiting for a response from a paper request, contracting officers, as well as the public, can now go directly to WDOL.gov and access the appropriate wage determination for a contract action. WDOL also provides guidance on how to select the correct wage determination. View the Final Rule. Go to www.wdol.gov for more information.