Laudes Corp. v. United States

86 Fed. Cl. 152, 2009 U.S. Claims LEXIS 64, 2009 WL 711826
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedMarch 16, 2009
DocketNo. 08-121C
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 86 Fed. Cl. 152 (Laudes Corp. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Laudes Corp. v. United States, 86 Fed. Cl. 152, 2009 U.S. Claims LEXIS 64, 2009 WL 711826 (uscfc 2009).

Opinion

[154]*154 OPINION AND ORDER ON DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS

WHEELER, Judge.

Plaintiff Laudes Corporation (“Laudes”) commenced this action on February 29, 2008 to recover contract payments due on a military base camp project it performed near Fallujah, Iraq in 2004. Laudes alleges that, at the urging of the United States, it entered into an express written contract with the Iraqi Government so that Iraqi Ministry of Defense funds could be used to pay for contract performance. When Laudes balked at this proposed arrangement, the United States Government allegedly promised to facilitate payment to Laudes if any problems with the Iraqi Government were encountered. Based upon the assurances of the United States, Laudes agreed to go forward with the work.

The contract called for Laudes to operate and maintain two base support camps in support of Iraqi Security Forces engaged in high priority military operations in and around Fallujah. The agreed contract price was $15,542,179.60, of which Laudes asserts it has only been paid $8,003,346. In addition, due to the hostile military environment in which the work was performed, Laudes retained a security subcontractor, EODT, to protect the work force. Laudes alleges that the United States recommended the use of this subcontractor and again promised that Laudes would be paid if any problems arose with the Iraqi Government. Laudes paid the subcontractor for its security services, but Laudes has not been reimbursed by the Iraqi Government or the United States for this work. Laudes’ total claim is for $10,460,607.60, representing the unpaid balance of the contract price and the amount it paid to the security subcontractor.

The documents before the Court reflect that the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, Dr. Ziad Cattan, signed the Laudes contract, but that in all other respects the United States exercised complete control over the drafting, performance and administration of the contract. The United States appointed its own Contracting Officer, as well as a Contracting Officer’s representative, and a State Department representative allegedly invoked an $8,000,000 cost ceiling on the work. The use of a contract with the Iraqi Government appears to have been motivated solely to assure that Iraqi funds would be used to pay for the project.

In a four-count amended complaint, Laudes claims that the United States is liable for: (a) breach of implied-in-fact contracts to facilitate and obtain payment from the Iraqi Government for Laudes’ performance of the express contract, and for the cost of hiring the security contractor (Counts 1 and 4); and (b) breach of the underlying contract and recovery of the cost of the security contractor based on the United States Government’s extensive involvement and control in the drafting, performance and administration of the contract (Counts 2 and 3).

Defendant has moved to dismiss the amended complaint, or in the alternative, for summary judgment, arguing that implied-in-fact contracts cannot exist where an express written contract is in place between the same parties covering the same subject matter. Defendant also asserts that Laudes failed to comply with the jurisdictional prerequisites of the Contract Disputes Act, 41 U.S.C. § 601 et seq. (2006) (“CDA”), requiring the contractor to submit a certified claim to the Contracting Officer before filing suit.

For the reasons explained below, the Court GRANTS Defendant’s motion as to counts 2 and 3 of Plaintiff’s amended complaint, but DENIES Defendant’s motion as to counts 1 and 4. In brief summary, the implied-in-fact contracts alleged by Laudes do not involve the same parties or the same subject matter as the express written contract. The implied-in-fact contracts, if ultimately established, are between Laudes and the United States, whereas the express written contract is between Laudes and the Iraqi Government. The subject matter of the implied-in-fact contracts is a promise to facilitate payment, whereas the subject matter of the express written contract is to operate and maintain the base support camps. The CDA is not applicable to the implied-in-fact contracts because they do not involve the procurement of property or services, or the [155]*155construction, alteration, repair or maintenance of real property, or the disposal of real property. 41 U.S.C. § 602(a). While Laudes will be required at trial to establish the existence of binding implied-in-fact contracts entered into by authorized representatives of the United States, the Court cannot say at this stage that no set of facts exists upon which Plaintiff would be able to recover.

Background

A. United States Contracting Activity in Iraq in Late 2001

On May 11, 2004, President George W. Bush issued National Security Policy Directive 36 (“NSPD”) setting forth a plan to transfer power in Iraq from the Coalition Provisional Authority (“CPA”), a United States entity, to the Iraqi Interim Government (“IIG”). (Am.Compl.l 9, Oct. 8, 2008). In order to implement NSPD 36, the United States Department of Defense created the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq (“MNSTC-I”) under the direction of the Commander of Multinational Force-Iraq (“MNF-I”). Id. ¶ 10. By separate letters to the United Nations Security Council (“Security Council”) on June 5, 2004, United States Secretary of State Colin Powell and Iraqi Prime Minister Dr. Ayad Allawi determined that Iraqi security forces would continue to fall under the operational command of the MNF-I during military operations in order to achieve unity of the command. Id. ¶¶ 11-12. The MNF-I, under United States command and control, also agreed to undertake a broad range of tasks to contribute to the maintenance of security, ensure force protection, and train and equip Iraqi security forces. Id. ¶ 12. The Security Council approved Resolution 1646 on June 8, 2004 affirming the MNF-I’s authority to take all necessary measures to contribute to the maintenance of security and stability in Iraq. Id. ¶ 13. On June 28, 2004, the United States dissolved the CPA and transferred much of its power to the IIG. Id. ¶ 11.

In furtherance of the MNF-I’s core mission, President Bush, through NSPD 36, established the Project and Contracting Office (“PCO”), a temporary organization within the United States Department of Defense to provide acquisition and project management support for activities in Iraq. Id. ¶ 14. Beginning in September 2004, the PCO, which became the Joint Contracting Command for Afghanistan and Iraq (“JCC”) on December 4, 2006, served as the contracting authority for the MNF-I. (Pl.’s Proposed Findings of Uncontroverted Facts 3-4 ¶ 1, Dec. 8, 2008). The PCO was, and the JCC is, staffed by both military and civilian personnel from the United States. Id. 4 ¶ 1.

B. The East Fallujah Iraqi Camp Contract

In October 2004, the restive city of Fallu-jah had become a haven for terrorists staging attacks on MNF-I forces. (Am.Compl^ 16). The United States military began the final preparations for “Operation Phantom Fury,” an operation to extricate terrorists from Fal-lujah. Id. ¶ 17. For political and operational reasons, the United States Government wanted Iraqi Security Forces (“ISF”) to play a role in the battle to retake Fallujah.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
86 Fed. Cl. 152, 2009 U.S. Claims LEXIS 64, 2009 WL 711826, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/laudes-corp-v-united-states-uscfc-2009.