Cumberland Casualty & Surety Co. v. United States

82 Fed. Cl. 500, 2008 U.S. Claims LEXIS 241, 2008 WL 2628433
United States Court of Federal Claims·Decided July 3, 2008·No. No. 94-366 C·Published

Opinion

ORDER ON MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT

JAMES F. MEROW, Senior Judge.

This matter concerns a May 1989 Small Business Administration contract between the Navy and AEC Corporation (“AEC”) for the construction of a Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Training Center in Miami, Florida for a fixed-price of $4,361,631.1 Work was to commence on June 22, 1989, and be completed by October 14, 1990, later extended to March 3, 1991. The Navy complained about slow performance; AEC claimed defective specifications, poor workmanship by the pri- or contractor and delays and interference by [501]*501the government. The Navy terminated the contract for default on April 22, 1991. On May 9, 1991, AEC appealed the default termination to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (“ASBCA”). Cumberland completed the contract pursuant to its performance bond and a Takeover Agreement with the Navy executed on May 2, 1991.

In September of 1992, Cumberland filed claims with the Navy for equitable adjustments, time extensions and approximately $419,068 [$416,477.42] in contract funds retained for liquidated damages assessed for delays both prior and subsequent to AEC’s termination and Cumberland’s takeover. The contracting officer denied the majority of the claims.

Cumberland filed this action on June 3, 1994. The parties requested, and the court granted, numerous stays pending the resolution of AEC’s appeal to the ASBCA. The stay was subsequently lifted by order of February 23, 2004. Numerous extensions of discovery were granted following the appointment of a receiver for Cumberland in state court proceedings in Florida.

Meanwhile, on January 29, 1993, the ASBCA denied Cumberland’s motion to intervene in AEC’s appeal. Appeal of AEC Corp., ASBCA No. 42920, 93-2 B.C.A. (CCH) 1125,793, 1993 WL 34561 (Jan. 29, 1993). A twelve-day hearing on AEC’s appeal was held in June of 1995; post-trial briefs were filed in December of 1995. On August 14, 1998,2 in a forty-eight page decision, the ASBCA found the Navy’s default termination was improper and converted the termination to one for convenience. Appeal of AEC Corp., ASBCA No. 42920, 98-2 B.C.A. (CCH) 1129,952, 1998 WL 525796 (Aug. 14, 1998). The Board noted that “[i]n attacking the propriety of the default termination, [AEC], among other things, contends that it was entitled to time extensions due to Navy actions and omissions regarding certain construction items under the contract.” 98-2 B.C.A. 1129,952, at 41. The Board concluded that because of government delays, AEC was entitled to an extension of the contract completion date to May 16, 1991. Id. at 43. Construing the contract’s default clause, the Board concluded: “[t]he Navy has presented no evidence that AEC could not complete contract performance by the extended contract completion date produced by an appropriate analysis of the time extensions to which AEC is entitled. We conclude that the Navy’s default termination for failure to make progress was improper.” Id. at 44. The Board rejected the Navy’s claims of anticipatory repudiation and abandonment, concluding:

We have determined that [AEC] was entitled to contract time extensions to 16 May 1991. The Navy terminated the contract for default on 22 April 1991, and the evidence includes no analysis that [AEC] would not have been able to complete performance by 16 May 1991. The default termination was, therefore, erroneous.
The termination for default was improper and is converted into a termination for convenience.

Id. at 47.

In denying the government’s motion for reconsideration, the ASBCA summarized its prior determination. “[W]e decided that the termination for default was improper and converted it into a termination for convenience. In reaching that decision, we concluded that, as a result of Navy actions or omissions, [AEC] was entitled to contract time extensions beyond the date upon which the Navy terminated the contract.” Appeal of AEC Corp., ASBCA No. 42920, 99-1 B.C.A. (CCH) ¶30,181, 1998 WL 883200 (Dec. 11, 1998). Among arguments made in support of reconsideration, the government had claimed error in rejecting its position that AEC had anticipatorily repudiated the contract.

The government appealed to the Federal Circuit, arguing that the Board erred in analyzing the Navy’s termination decision based on extensions of time not then granted. Rather, the government argued, the decision to terminate for lack of progress must be measured against the contract completion [502]*502date, at that time March 3,1991, not May 16, 1991, a date determined by the ASBCA much later. The government’s opening brief framed the issue:

STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE

Whether the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals incorrectly vacated the United States Navy’s default termination of a fixed-price construction contract by fading to assess the reasonableness of the Navy’s decision in the context of the appropriate time period.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

I. Nature Of The Case

Appellant, the United States Navy, appeals from a decision of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals that overturned the default termination of appellee, AEC Corporation. The board determined AEC was entitled to time extensions beyond the date of termination. The board held that because the Navy had not analyzed whether AEC could complete the project by the extended completion date, its termination of AEC for failure to make progress was improper. However, the board improperly required the Navy to analyze a completion date that did not exist prior to the board’s decision, instead of the completion date to which both parties agreed. The board failed to consider that, due to financial constraints imposed by its surety it was clear AEC could not complete the project by the date promised, and that AEC admitted at the time of default it was doubtful it would ever be able to complete it.

Br. of Appellant, Danzig v. AEC Corp., No. 99-1343 (Fed.Cir. Sept. 13, 1999), 1999 WL 33612488, at *1-2.

The government focused on AEC’s slow pace, reduction in work force, removal of contract files and office equipment and AEC’s statement that due to financial strin-gencies imposed on AEC by Cumberland, “we cannot give you any assurance as to when the project will be completed.” Id. at *7. Also cited was testimony of a critical path methodology expert that in April of 1991, based on then-current staffing levels, substantial completion would take at least four months and with no money to pay subcontractors, “I can’t imagine how anybody would concede that the project is going to go anywhere from there. I mean, there’s no cash.” Id. at *12.

The government also contended that default termination was justified because, when asked, AEC failed to give adequate assurances it could complete the contract and the Board’s time-extension findings were not supported by substantial evidence. Id. at *17 n. 6.

In its brief to the Federal Circuit, AEC countered that the ASBCA properly determined time extensions due the contractor prior to terminating for default, citing FAR 52.249-10,3 and pointing out that the government did not appeal from the Board’s finding of entitlement to those time extensions, findings that were supported by substantial evidence. Brief of Appellee, Danzig v.

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Cumberland Casualty & Surety Co. v. United States, 82 Fed. Cl. 500, 2008 U.S. Claims LEXIS 241, 2008 WL 2628433 (uscfc 2008).

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