§4.115. Exemptions and exceptions, generally. — Inbound Citations

The Act covers service contracts of the Federal agencies described in §§ 4.107-4.108. Except as otherwise specifically provided (see §§ 4.115 et seq.), all such contracts, the principal purpose of which is to furnish services in the United States through the use of service employees, are subject to its terms. This is true of contracts entered into by such agencies with States or their political subdivisions, as well as such contracts entered into with private employers. Contracts between a Federal or District of Columbia agency and another such agency are not within the purview of the Act; however, “subcontracts” awarded under “prime contracts” between the Small Business Administration and another Federal agency pursuant to various preferential set-aside programs, such as the 8(a) program, are covered by the Act. It makes no difference in the coverage of a contract whether the contract services are procured through negotiation or through advertising for bids. Also, the mere fact that an agreement is not reduced to writing does not mean that the contract is not within the coverage of the Act. The amount of the contract is not determinative of the Act's coverage, although the requirements are different for contracts in excess of $2,500 and for contracts of a lesser amount. The Act is applicable to the contract if the principal purpose of the contract is to furnish services, if such services are to be furnished in the United States, and if service employees will be used in providing such services. These elements of coverage will be discussed separately in the following sections.

The Act, in section 2(b), makes it clear that its provisions apply generally to all service employees engaged in performing work on a covered contract entered into by the contractor with the Federal Government, regardless of whether they are the contractor's employees or those of any subcontractor under such contract. All service employees who, on or after the date of award, are engaged in working on or in connection with the contract, either in performing the specific services called for by its terms or in performing other duties necessary to the performance of the contract, are thus subject to the Act unless a specific exemption (see §§ 4.115 et seq.) is applicable. All such employees must be paid wages at a rate not less than the minimum wage specified under section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)), as amended. Payment of a higher minimum monetary wage and the furnishing of fringe benefits may be required under the contract, pursuant to the provisions of sections 2 (a)(1), (2), and 4(c) of the Act.

(d) Service contracts, except for those expressly covered by § 10.3(a)(1)(iii) or (iv), that are exempt from coverage of the Service Contract Act pursuant to its statutory language at 41 U.S.C. 6702(b) or its implementing regulations, including those at 29 CFR 4.115 through 4.122 and 29 CFR 4.123(d) and(e), are not subject to this part.

(d) Service contracts, except for those expressly covered by § 13.3(a)(1)(iii) or (iv), that are exempt from coverage of the Service Contract Act pursuant to its statutory language at 41 U.S.C. 6702(b) or its implementing regulations, including those at § 4.115 through 4.122 and § 4.123(d) and (e), are not subject to this part.

(d) Service contracts, except for those expressly covered by § 23.30(a)(1)(iii) or (iv), that are exempt from coverage of the Service Contract Act pursuant to its statutory language at 41 U.S.C. 6702(b) or its implementing regulations, including those at 29 CFR 4.115 through 4.122 and 29 CFR 4.123(d) and (e), are not subject to this part.

(d) In addition to the statutory exemptions in section 7 of the Act (see § 4.115(b)), the following types of contracts have been exempted from all the provisions of the Service Contract Act of 1965, pursuant to section 4(b) of the Act, prior to its amendment by Public Law 92-473, which exemptions the Secretary of Labor found to be necessary and proper in the public interest or to avoid serious impairment of the conduct of Government business:

(1) Contracts entered into by the United States with common carriers for the carriage of mail by rail, air (except air star routes), bus, and ocean vessel, where such carriage is performed on regularly scheduled runs of the trains, airplanes, buses, and vessels over regularly established routes and accounts for an insubstantial portion of the revenue therefrom;

(2) Any contract entered into by the U.S. Postal Service with an individual owner-operator for mail service where it is not contemplated at the time the contract is made that such owner-operator will hire any service employee to perform the services under the contract except for short periods of vacation time or for unexpected contingencies or emergency situations such as illness, or accident; and

(3) Contracts for the carriage of freight or personnel where such carriage is subject to rates covered by section 10721 of the Interstate Commerce Act.