Corban Industries, Inc. v. United States

37 Cont. Cas. Fed. 76,180, 24 Cl. Ct. 284, 1991 U.S. Claims LEXIS 448, 1991 WL 194020
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedSeptember 30, 1991
DocketNo. 90-815C
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 37 Cont. Cas. Fed. 76,180 (Corban Industries, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Corban Industries, Inc. v. United States, 37 Cont. Cas. Fed. 76,180, 24 Cl. Ct. 284, 1991 U.S. Claims LEXIS 448, 1991 WL 194020 (cc 1991).

Opinion

ORDER

NETTESHEIM, Judge.

This case is before the court after argument on defendant’s motion for summary judgment. The issue is whether plaintiff has any proof of costs for work performed prior to the effective date of termination of its contract for the convenience of the Government.

FACTS

The following material facts are undisputed. The Veterans Administration Medical Center (the “VA”) in Tacoma, Washington, awarded Contract No. V505C-196, Project 505-80-115 to Corban Industries, Inc. (“plaintiff”) on August 16, 1983. The contract called for installation of new windows, screens, and reglazed windows in two buildings. On September 21, 1983, the VA issued plaintiff a notice to proceed. The notice informed plaintiff that all work must be completed within 270 days of receipt of the notice, or by June 18, 1984.

On June 19, 1984, the first of two modifications to the original contract was made. The first modification reduced the contract price by $10,000.00 and extended the completion date to September 16, 1984. The second modification occurred on September 17, 1984, and called for plaintiff to perform certain work by November 2, 1984. Plaintiff failed to complete the work by November 2, 1984, and the VA terminated the contract for default. On May 26, 1988, plaintiff appealed the decision to the Veterans Administration Board of Contract Appeals (the “VSBCA”). The VSBCA held that the termination was for the convenience of the Government. Corban Indus., Inc., 88-3 B.C.A. (CCH) H 20,843, 1988 WL 60281.

The contract price at the time of termination was $160,065.00. The VA had paid plaintiff $124,046.56 prior to termination. On May 16, 1989, plaintiff submitted a claim for $32,018.44, plus interest. However, plaintiff attached no records or documents to support its claim. By letter of July 5, 1989, the Contracting Officer advised plaintiff that documentation supporting its claim was needed in order to determine the actual costs to which plaintiff was entitled. On May 21, 1990, plaintiff responded, “[Tjhere are no records available other than those which have already been presented to and reviewed by your office____” Plaintiff then filed a complaint in the Claims Court.

Defendant submitted interrogatories to plaintiff. Interrogatory No. 7 asked plaintiff to identify the “total actual costs” incurred in performing the contract. Specifically, plaintiff was asked to identify: the number of labor hours worked by each individual who performed work under the contract; the direct labor costs; the direct costs for materials and supplies, specified item-by-item; all subcontractor costs, specified by amount paid to each subcontractor; all other costs; the total amount of costs incurred; and all documents upon which plaintiff relies to support its claim. Plaintiff replied “unknown” or “none” to each question. Although plaintiff attached documents to two of its responses, no cost information was included. In response to Interrogatory No. 8, plaintiff stated that it did not retain records of the total labor costs incurred for the work performed under the contract and that the contracting officer “should possess documents pertaining to labor costs” because he was “actively involved” in a wage claim handled by the Department of Labor.

Based on these interrogatory responses, defendant moved for summary judgment on the ground that because plaintiff cannot document its materials costs, plaintiff’s claim fails as a matter of law. Trial is scheduled to commence on November 21, 1991.

DISCUSSION

1. Summary judgment standards

Summary judgment is appropriate when there are no genuine issues of material fact in dispute and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. [286]*286RUSCC 56(c). Only disputes over material facts, or facts that might significantly affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law, preclude an entry of judgment. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A dispute about a material fact is genuine if the evidence would permit a reasonable jury to return a verdict in favor of the non-movant. Id. Defendant, as the moving party, has the burden of establishing that there are no genuine material issues in dispute and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Celotex Cory. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552-53, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). Plaintiff, as the opponent, has the burden of providing sufficient evidence, not necessarily admissible at trial, to show that a genuine issue of material fact indeed exists as to an essential element of its case with respect to which it has the burden of proof. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322-24, 106 S.Ct. at 2552-53. In resolving defendant’s motion, the court cannot weigh the evidence and determine the truth of the matter on summary judgment. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 249, 255, 106 S.Ct. at 2513. Any evidence presented by the opponent is to be believed, and all justifiable inferences are to be drawn in its favor. Id. at 255, 106 S.Ct. at 2513.

2. Proof of costs for termination for convenience of Government

General Provision 18 of the contract incorporates by reference the former Armed Services Procurement Regulations (“ASPR”), 41 C.F.R. § 1-8.703 (1983), describing the parties’ rights on termination for convenience of the Government. ASPR § l-8.703(e) “provides for reimbursement of the contractor for the cost and profit on work performed prior to the termination and any other reasonable cost incidental to termination of work under the contract and not otherwise recovered by or credited to the government.” Lisbon Contractors, Inc. v. United States, 828 F.2d 759, 767 (Fed.Cir.1987). The total sum payable “shall not exceed the total contract price as reduced by the amount of payments otherwise made.” ASPR § l-8.703(e)(2). A contractor is not entitled to unearned profits or common law speculative damages. William Green Constr. Co. v. United States, 201 Ct.Cl. 616, 624, 477 F.2d 930, 936 (1973). Therefore, termination costs must be proved to an acceptable degree of certainty. Specifically, “ ‘[t]he claimant bears the burden of proving the fact of loss with certainty, as well as the burden of proving the amount of loss with sufficient certainty so that the determination of the amount of damages will be more than mere speculation____’” Lisbon, 828 F.2d at 767 (quoting Willems Indus., Inc. v. United States, 295 F.2d 822, 831, 155 Ct.Cl. 360, 376 (1961), cert. denied, 370 U.S. 903, 82 S.Ct. 1249, 8 L.Ed.2d 400 (1962)).

Plaintiff calculates its claim for $32,-108.44, plus interest, based on the total contract price less the cost of uncompleted work and additional wages paid by the VA.1

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Bluebook (online)
37 Cont. Cas. Fed. 76,180, 24 Cl. Ct. 284, 1991 U.S. Claims LEXIS 448, 1991 WL 194020, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/corban-industries-inc-v-united-states-cc-1991.