Key Government Finance, Inc. v. E3 Enterprises Inc.

923 F. Supp. 2d 733, 2013 WL 500817, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21711
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maryland
DecidedFebruary 8, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. DKC 11-3489
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 923 F. Supp. 2d 733 (Key Government Finance, Inc. v. E3 Enterprises Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Key Government Finance, Inc. v. E3 Enterprises Inc., 923 F. Supp. 2d 733, 2013 WL 500817, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21711 (D. Md. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

DEBORAH K. CHASANOW, District Judge.

Presently pending and ready for review in this breach of contract case is the motion for summary judgment filed by Plaintiff Key Government Finance, Inc. (“KGF”). (ECF No. 17).1 The issues' have been fully briefed, and the court now rules, no hearing being deemed necessary. Local Rule 105.6. For the following reasons, the motion for summary judgment will be granted in part and denied in part.

I. Background

• Unless otherwise noted, the facts outlined here are construed in the light most favorable to the non-moving parties, Defendants E3 Enterprises, Inc. (“E3”) and Meridian Imaging Solutions, Inc. (“Meridian”).

Given the numerous contracts at issue in this action, a brief overview of the parties and their relationships is instructive. KGF is a Colorado corporation that provides financing to government contractors who lease equipment to federal agencies. Under these financing arrangements, KGF purchases the equipment to be leased to the federal government. In exchange, the contractor assigns the lease payments owed by the federal government to KGF, often less somé amount the contractor retains for servicing the contract on a regular basis. E3 is a Maryland corporation that sells and leases copier equipment and software to the federal government. Meridian is a Virginia corporation that is in the copier services industry. This dispute arises out of a financing arrangement among KGF, E3, and Meridian in connection with a prime contract to provide copier equipment and services to the United States Army (“the Army”).

On November 26, 2007, KGF and E3 éntered into a Master Purchase Agreement, which established a blanket financing arrangement between the two entities. (See ECF No. 17-2). In other words, the Master Purchase Agreement established the general parameters of an ongoing financing relationship between E3 and KGF, which could be modified via “Assignment Schedules” as E3 actually received [735]*735contracts from the federal government. KGF agreed that, when E3 received a contract from the government (“the Prime Contract”), KGF would fund the purchase price of the equipment and software to be leased to the government agency in question (“the User”) in exchange for an assignment of the lease payments due to E3.

The Master Purchase Agreement imposes a number of responsibilities on KGF, as the “Buyer,” and E3, as the “Seller.” Relevant here, E3 is required to “use its best efforts, to obtain annual renewals for the Prime Contract by the renewal date applicable to the Prime Contract ... and shall use its best efforts to obtain the exercise of any end of term purchase options by the User under a Prime Contract prior to the end of the term of such Prime Contract.” (Id. at 7).2

The Master Purchase Agreement also allocated certain risks associated with the User’s non-payment or termination of a Prime Contract. E3 agreed to assume “all risks related to User’s nonpayment or abatement of any one or more Lease Payments for any reason other than Non-renewal, Non-appropriation, Termination for Convenience, or a User Default.” (ECF No. 17-2, at 6). KGF, in turn, agreed to assume “all risks related to nonpayment of the Lease Payments due to termination of the Prime Contract by User due to Non-renewal, Non-appropriation, Termination for Convenience, or a User Default.” (Id. at 8).

Article I of the Master Purchase Agreement includes the following definitions: “Cancellation” — Cancellation of the

Prime Contract by the User pursuant to a Prime Contract clause which permits the User to terminate, cancel, or discontinue the Prime Contract without Liability to Seller for reasons other than Non-renewal, Non-appropriation, Termination for Convenience, dr Termination for Default.
“Non-appropriation” — Failure of the User to exercise any annual renewal of the Prime Contract due to the insufficiency of appropriated funds from Congress, provided that the User’s determination is in no way related to any fault or performance deficiency by Seller. “Non-renewal” — Failure of User to exercise any annual renewal of the Prime Contract due to a determination by the User that such renewal is not in the best interests of the Government, provided that the User’s determination is in no way related to any fault or performance deficiency by Seller.
“Termination for Convenience” — Termination of the Prime Contract pursuant to a FAR-standard, Termination for Convenience clause set forth in FAR 52.249 or FAR 52.212-4(0, provided that the termination is in no way related to any fault or performance deficiency by Seller. •
“Termination for Default” — Termination, cancellation or invalidation of the Prime Contract for any reason related to any fault or performance deficiency by Seller.

(Id. at 2-4). In section 10.07, the Master Purchase Agreement provides that “[t]his Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York; and the exclusive venue for all litigation arising, between the parties related to this Agreement, or any Assignment Schedule issued hereunder, shall be in the state or federal courts sitting in the State of New York.” (Id. at 14).

[736]*736On July 18, 2008', the Army .awarded E3 a contract to provide copier services at Fort Belvoir, Virginia (“the Prime Army Contract”). (ECF No. 17-4). The initial period of performance for the Prime Army Contract ran from July 14, 2008 to July 13, 2009. The Prime Army-Contract also included four one-year option periods that could be unilaterally exercised by the Army.

On or about September 17, 2008, KGF and E3 executed “Assignment Schedule No. 2” to supplement the Master Purchase Agreement with the specific details of the Prime Army Contract. (ECF No. 17-2, at 35-37). Assignment Schedule No. 2 established that KGF would purchase the equipment to be provided under the Prime Army Contract at a price of $343,047.14, in exchange for assignment of sixty (60) monthly lease payments of $10,223.52, less $3,019.54 to be paid each month to E3 and Meridian. Assignment Schedule No. 2 expressly stated that E3, the Seller, did not “assume[] the risk” of' “Non-renewal,” “Non-Appropriation,” or “Termination for Convenience,” as those terms are defined by the Master Purchase Agreement.

On September 22, 2008, KGF, E3, and Meridian entered into a “Servicing Rider” to Assignment Schedule No. 2, whereby KGF appointed E3 and Meridian to function as KGF’s agents for servicing all lease payments under the Prime Army Contract. (ECF No. 17-5). The Servicing Rider expressly incorporated the terms, conditions, and definitions of the Master Purchase Agreement, except as specifically amended. {Id. at 2). Paragraph 3, titled “Limitations of Agency,” prohibits E3 and Meridian from “[t]ak[ing] any other action or omit[ting] to táke any action which may have a material adverse impact on the Serviced Payments.” {Id.).

Paragraph 15 of the Servicing Rider includes an indemnification clause as follows:

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Related

Key Government Finance, Inc. v. E3 Enterprises Inc.
2 F. Supp. 3d 741 (D. Maryland, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
923 F. Supp. 2d 733, 2013 WL 500817, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21711, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/key-government-finance-inc-v-e3-enterprises-inc-mdd-2013.