Indications are that the U.S. Labor Department will be stepping-up its investigative activity among employers who are subject to federal prevailing-wage and fringe-benefits requirements. Comments made at the agency's ongoing series of Prevailing Wage Conferences currently being held across the country suggest that its enforcement activity could rise by more than 80% in the near future.

The number of employers performing work subject to the Davis-Bacon Act and "Related" Acts, the Service Contract Act, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, and a variety of other provisions has grown steadily over the last several years. The proportion of companies taking on Davis-Bacon Act obligations in particular spiked dramatically beginning in 2009, as American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus measures began to fund or assist various projects or to facilitate the funding of projects through certain tax-favored bonds.