Wage Rates With Task Order

[ohmbru]

Is it necessary to include updated wage determination when issuing a task order? I believe the wage rates should be checked and updated in necessary when a modification to the IDIQ contract is executed. Some of my colleauges include the wage rates with the task order, but this seems redundant and, in my mind, clutters the award document unnecessarily.

[joel hoffman]

Is it necessary to include updated wage determination when issuing a task order? I believe the wage rates should be checked and updated in necessary when a modification to the IDIQ contract is executed. Some of my colleauges include the wage rates with the task order, but this seems redundant and, in my mind, clutters the award document unnecessarily.

Are you asking whether each task order requires a new Wage Decision?

Can you provide more detail, such as:

What type of wage determination (DBA or SCA) applies to the contract?

Are the individual task orders to be performed at the original location that the Decision covers for the original scope of work in the base contract and will the work be performed within the period of the base contract or specific option period in effect?

Stated another way, is there anything in the task order that would extend performance beyond the period of the base contract award or current option year or does the place or work vary from the basis of the Decision or does the work vary from the basis of the Decision?

If yes, then I think that you need a new Decision. If no, it would seem that you are covered by the Decision in the Base contract. Why reissue it with each task order?

I may be wrong but I couldn't find anything specifically addressing task orders that mirror the conditions within a basic wage decision. Task orders are considered "contracts" per the definition in Part 2, but if you have a Decision that covers certain work for a certain period at a specific location, it would get quite messy mixing up wage rates for various concurrent task orders...

[baierle]

I have an inquiry somewhat related to this thread and it concerns Davis Bacon wage rates.

I used the current wages during the RFP process, but it took 5 months to get to award --in September finally.

Upon award, I incorporated the most recent DB wages and issued the award.

Weeks later, contractor came back to inform that said action has changed his proposal price significantly.

The POP extends about 300 calendar days and includes about 7 months lead time for the boiler and other equipment manufacturing.

So, the actual ' trades ' will be on and off the site for various work over the course of this period.

Q: Did I goof up by incorporating the latest DB wages without giving it an extra thought or heads up to anyone?

At the time, it seemed like the RFP process took so long; the POP is lengthy, and the wages stay with the life of the construction project.....

Any suggestions on how I handle this?

[joel hoffman]

I'm hunting this week and don't intend to try to read FAR on my I-phone but the FAR labor regulations and the ciontract clauses tell you what to do now. You changed the contract at award when you issued a revised wage decision. Now you have to determine the impacts, if the contractor can substantiate them and adjust the price. Note that sometimes contractors pay more than the DB minimums anyway and there may be little or no impact when some minimums are affected by a revised Decision.

[joel hoffman]

Comment: pls see FAR 22.404-5 ( c ) discussing expiration of project wage decisions for negotiated acquisitions.

[TAP]

"Q: Did I goof up by incorporating the latest DB wages without giving it an extra thought or heads up to anyone?"

Yes, you probably should have issued an amendment with the latest wage determination and gave the contractor a chance to update their pricing accordingly.