JGB Enterprises, Inc. v. Beta Fluid Systems, Inc.

135 F. Supp. 3d 18, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 130918, 2015 WL 5709088
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedSeptember 29, 2015
DocketNo. 5:14-cv-1439 (LEK/ATB)
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 135 F. Supp. 3d 18 (JGB Enterprises, Inc. v. Beta Fluid Systems, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
JGB Enterprises, Inc. v. Beta Fluid Systems, Inc., 135 F. Supp. 3d 18, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 130918, 2015 WL 5709088 (N.D.N.Y. 2015).

Opinion

[22]*22 MEMORANDUM-DECISION and ORDER

LAWRENCE E. KAHN, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff JGB Enterprises, Inc. (“Plaintiff’) commenced this action on November 26, 2014, asserting a claim for fraud based on alleged misrepresentations by its subcontractor, Beta Fluid Systems, Inc. (“Beta Fluid”), which led to the' cancellation of Plaintiffs contract with the Marine Corps (the “Corps”). Dkt. Nos. 1; 9 (“Amended Complaint”). Presently before the Court is a Motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) filed by Defendants Beta Fluid, BFSNC, Inc. (“BFSNC”), and Beta Fueling Systems, Inc. (“Beta Fueling”) (together, the “Beta Defendants”). Dkt. Nos. 15 (“Beta Motion”); 15-2 (“Beta Memorandum”). Defendant McAleese, Ltd. (“McAleese”) (together with the Beta Defendants, “Defendants”) filed its own Motion to dismiss under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2) and'12(b)(6), and further adopting the arguments- of the Beta Defendants. Dkt. Nos. 21 (“McAleese Motion”); 21-2 (“McAleese Memorandum”). Plaintiff has filed a Cross-Motion opposing the McA-leese Motion and requesting jurisdictional discovery. Dkt. No. 26 (“Cross-Motion”). For the following reasons,' the Court grants McAleese’s Motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction, and denies the Beta Defendants’ Motion to dismiss and Plaintiffs Cross-Motion for jurisdictional discovery.

II. BACKGROUND1

A. Parties

Plaintiff is a corporation organized under New York law. Am. Compl. ¶1. Defendants, Plaintiff alleges, are related entities. Id. ¶¶ 9-10. Beta Fluid is a corporation organized under the laws of and with its principal. place of business in North Carolina. Id. ¶ 2. On or about October 30, 2014, Beta Fluid amended its articles of incorporation to change its name to BFSNC. Id. ¶3. Beta Fueling is a limited liability company organized under Delaware law and doing business in North Carolina. Id. ¶4. McAleese is an Australian corporation, which does business in the United States, including in New York. Id. ¶ 5. At the time of the events giving rise to this action, McA-leese, together with a subsidiary named Liquip International, “owned and controlled” Beta Fluid. Id. ¶ 6. In or about October 2014, McAleese transferred the assets of Beta Fluid to Beta Fueling. Id. ¶ 7.

B. Marine Corps Solicitation

This action arises from a solicitation issued by the Corps in February 2011, seeking proposals for a contractor to provide “logistics support for the procurement, packaging and shipping of specific systems and components” for water and fuel systems. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 13-14. The selected bidder would be awarded a fixed-price contract for one base year and four option years, with ■ a $99 million ceding. Id. ¶ 15. The contract would be awarded based on an evaluation of past performance, technical capabilities, and price. Id. [23]*23¶ 32. Bidders were instructed to provide past performance information on “at least 2 programs underway or completed during the past 3 years as a prime or subcontractor, and 2 programs underway or completed during the past 3 years by your subcontractors similar in content and scope to that proposed.” Id. ¶34. The solicitation was 100% small business set-aside, and any business listed by a bidder in the past performance part of their proposal was required to be a small business. Id. ¶ 28. All bidders were required to be registered with the Central Contractor Registration (“CCR”) and On-line Representations and Certifications Application (“ORCA”), two government databases for contractors. Id. ¶¶ 19, 65. Plaintiff was at all times a qualified small business and was registered with the CCR and ORCA. Id. ¶¶ 38-39.

C. Communications Between Plaintiff and Beta Fluid

When it became aware of the solicitation, Plaintiff contacted Beta Fluid as a potential subcontractor in its bid. Am. Compl. ¶ 41. Between February 2011 and April 15, 2011, when Plaintiff submitted its proposal, Plaintiff had numerous communications with Beta Fluid. Id. Plaintiff alleges that at all times during these discussions, Beta Fluid was aware of the solicitation and its requirement that all subcontractors be qualified small businesses. Id. ¶ 42. Plaintiff recounts numerous conversations and e-mails between Plaintiffs employee, Marty, and Beta Fluid’s employee, Ray. See id. ¶¶ 43-61.

On or about February 10, 2011, Marty spoke to Ray regarding the solicitation and Beta Fluid’s proposed role as a subcontractor. Id. ¶ 43. Marty asked about the pricing and availability of various Beta Fluid products. Id. On February 14, 2011, Ray emailed Marty a quoted price and terms for a part.. Id. ¶ 44.

■ On March 5, 2011, Marty emailed Ray seeking pricing- for various parts, and asked for information regarding Beta’s Fluid’s warranty'policy and quality inspections. Id. ¶ 45. Marty informed Ray that this information would be used in the technical part of Plaintiffs proposal. Id. Marty also asked Ray to identify any other product manufactured by Beta Fluid that was part of the solicitation, because Plaintiff “would like to use [Beta Fluid’s] product as much as possible.” Id. Marty and Ray continued to have exchanges regarding quotes for various parts. Id. ¶¶ 46-54.

. Oh April 7, 2011, Marty emailed Ray seeking an update on past performance information that he had requested. Id. ¶55. He attached “the detail” for what each proposal was required to contain. Id. That same day, Ray responded that Beta Fluid had been awarded many contracts on one of the parts, and identified several contracts. Id. One of the- contracts, which Plaintiff included in the past performance section of its proposal, was dated April 5, 2011. Id. ¶63. The other Beta Fluid contract Plaintiff included was dated March 22, 2011. Id. ¶ 64. Ray referred Marty, to the National Stock Number (“NSN”) website to “pull up older. contracts.” Id. ¶ 56. In both the April 5, 2011 .and March 22, 2011 contracts, Beta Fluid represented itself as a small business and had been awarded the contracts as such. Id. ¶¶ 63-64., On April 8, 2011, Ray indicated his awareness that Beta Fluid’s past performance information was being included in Plaintiffs bid. Id. ¶ 58.

Beta Fluid was also" registered as a small business in the CCR and OCRA databases. Id. ¶ 65. ■ Under the governing regulations, these registrations are required to be updated at least annually. Id. (citing 48 C.F.R. § 4.1201).

[24]*24Plaintiff asserts that Beta Fluid, at all times, knew that its representations, including size status were being relied upon and used by Plaintiff in its bid. Id. ¶ 62.

D. Award and Cancellation of Contract

On July 6, 2011, the Corps awarded Plaintiff the contract, and immediately issued Plaintiff two delivery orders. Am. Compl. ¶ 67.

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135 F. Supp. 3d 18, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 130918, 2015 WL 5709088, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jgb-enterprises-inc-v-beta-fluid-systems-inc-nynd-2015.