(a) The contracting officer must incorporate only the appropriate wage determinations in solicitations and contracts and must designate the work to which each determination or part thereof applies. The contracting officer must not include project wage determinations in contracts or options other than those for which they are issued. When exercising an option to extend the term of a contract, the contracting officer must select the most current wage determination(s) from the same schedule(s) as the wage determination(s) incorporated into the contract.
(b) If the wage determination is a general wage determination or a project wage determination containing more than one rate schedule, the contracting officer shall either include only the rate schedules that apply to the particular types of construction (building, heavy, highway, etc.) or include the entire wage determination and clearly indicate the parts of the work to which each rate schedule shall be applied. Inclusion by reference is not permitted.
(c) The Wage and Hour Division has issued the following general guidelines for use in selecting the proper schedule(s) of wage rates:
(1) Building construction is generally the construction of sheltered enclosures with walk-in access, for housing persons, machinery, equipment, or supplies. It typically includes all construction of such structures, installation of utilities and equipment (both above and below grade level), as well as incidental grading, utilities and paving, unless there is an established area practice to the contrary.
(2) Residential construction is generally the construction, alteration, or repair of single family houses or apartment buildings of no more than four (4) stories in height, and typically includes incidental items such as site work, parking areas, utilities, streets and sidewalks, unless there is an established area practice to the contrary.
(3) Highway construction is generally the construction, alteration, or repair of roads, streets, highways, runways, taxiways, alleys, parking areas, and other similar projects that are not incidental to “building,” “residential,” or “heavy” construction.
(4) Heavy construction includes those projects that are not properly classified as either “building,” “residential,” or “highway,” and is of a catch-all nature. Such heavy projects may sometimes be distinguished on the basis of their individual characteristics, and separate schedules issued (e.g., “dredging,” “water and sewer line,” “dams,” “flood control,” etc.).
(5) When the nature of a project is not clear, it is necessary to look at additional factors, with primary consideration given to locally established area practices. If there is any doubt as to the proper application of wage rate schedules to the type or types of construction involved, guidance shall be sought before the opening of bids, or receipt of best and final offers, from the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division. Further examples are contained in Department of Labor All Agency Memoranda Numbers 130 and 131.
