In 2003-04 the US Department of Labor (USDOL) conducted wage surveys in Michigan for the purposes of updating the Davis-Bacon Act wage decisions for the Residential, Building and Heavy construction types. When the USDOL published the Michigan Heavy Wage Determinations (HWD) (also referred to as the "Underground Rates") in early 2011 that were based on those survey results, some stark and significant content differences were noted from the previously published HWD.