New Mexico Bus Sales v. Michael

360 P.2d 639, 68 N.M. 223
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 15, 1961
Docket6743
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 360 P.2d 639 (New Mexico Bus Sales v. Michael) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
New Mexico Bus Sales v. Michael, 360 P.2d 639, 68 N.M. 223 (N.M. 1961).

Opinion

CHAVEZ, Justice.

Appellant, plaintiff below, filed petition for a writ of mandamus in the district court of Valencia County, against appellees, defendants below, the Board of Education of Grants Municipal Schools, and the superintendent of said schools.

The petition alleged that sometime prior to August 11, 1959, appellees invited bid proposals for furnishing appellees with one 48-passenger school bus and one 60-passenger school bus for the 1959-1960 school year, and sets out that the bids would be opened on August 11, 1959, at 2:00 P.M. Appellant further alleged that it submitted a bid which met and complied in all respects with all of the specifications, and that their bid was the lowest and best bid by a responsible bidder, within the meaning of the Public Purchases Act Statute. Appellant also alleged that appellees accepted the bid proposal of H & J Chevrolet Company of Grants, New Mexico, at a regular meeting of said municipal board of education; that the award to H & J Chevrolet Company was made, notwithstanding that appellant’s bid was lower by the sum of $716.47; and that H & J Chevrolet Company’s bid proposal failed to meet the specifications. Appellant further alleged that at the time of the bid it was able to make delivery within thirty days, and that appellees arbitrarily and capriciously abused their discretion in awarding the bid to H & J Chevrolet Company. Appellant then alleged that it had no adequate remedy at law and that their sole remedy is by mandamus to compel appellees to cancel, set aside and rescind the purported award to H & J Chevrolet Company; that unless the performance of said purported bid acceptance be stayed, that appellant will suffer great and irreparable injury, to wit loss of profits in the sum of $600 and other expenses in the total sum of $1,000 and attorney’s fees. Appellant then prayed that an alternative writ of mandamus issue, commanding appellees to set aside the purported acceptance of the H & J Chevrolet Company’s bid and commanding appellees to accept the bid of appellant.

The district court issued an alternative writ of mandamus on September 4, 1959.

Appellees filed answer to the alternative writ of mandamus, questioning the standing of appellant to bring mandamus, alleging that appellant had an adequate remedy at law, to wit, by injunction; denying that appellant’s bid met the specifications of the bid proposal; and that the appellees, at all times, acted in good faith in awarding the bid. Appellees also alleged that it was impossible to ascertain from appellant’s bid whether it met the specifications and that appellees, in their discretion, determined that appellant’s bid did not meet said specifications.

On the above issues, the case was tried by the court and on October 28, 1959, the trial court entered its judgment, denying the issuance of a peremptory writ of mandamus and dismissing the alternative writ. From this judgment, appellant, plaintiff below, filed this appeal.

The proposal for bids sets out that the busses were to be delivered as soon as possible and appellees reserved the right to reject any and all bids and to waive all technicalities. The specifications, which were part of the proposal bids, required that the busses be of the “latest current production model” and also provided that “The contractor shall guarantee all materials, equipment, and supplies for a period of one year from the time of delivery.” Appellant’s bid stipulated that: “Warranty on body will be for one year, Warranty on chassis will be for 90 days or 4000 miles, whichever comes soonest.” Appellant concedes that it did not comply with the bid requirement that the contractor shall guarantee all materials, equipment, and supplies for a period of one year from the time of delivery.

Appellant relies on two points for reversal: (I) That the substantial evidence of record requires issuance of a peremptory writ of mandamus and an award of damages to appellant; and (II) that the award of bid by appellees to II & J Chevrolet Company violated the Public Purchases Act.

Appellees, in their brief and by affidavit of M. B. McBride, the superintendent of the Grants Municipal Schools, set out that after the district court entered its judgment dismissing the alternative writ of mandamus, that actual delivery was made of the busses involved and payment made therefor; that the relief sought is to require appellees .to make a contract with appellant which has already been made and performed between appellees and another; and that to issue a writ at this stage of the proceedings would be futile. In short, that the question is moot. Appellant says that it may be argued that the issuance of a writ of mandamus at this stage has become impracticable and a vain and useless thing, but says further -that the very least that appellant is entitled to is the award of damages in the sum of $2,000.

It is unnecessary to discuss appellant’s point I, other than to say that the principle in this jurisdiction through a long line of decisions is settled that this court will not decide abstract, academic, hypothetical or moot questions, or grant a party unavailing relief. Costilla Land & Development Co. v. Allen, 17 N.M. 343, 128 P. 79; Valencia Water Co. v. Neilson, 27 N.M. 29, 192 P. 510; Yates v. Vail, 29 N.M. 185, 221 P. 563; Carman v. Bd. of Com’rs of McKinley County, 32 N.M. 517, 259 P. 821; State ex rel. Hughes v. McNabb, 38 N.M. 92, 28 P.2d 521; Hatch v. Keehan, 61 N.M. 1, 293 P.2d 314; Board of Com’rs of Bernalillo County v. Coors, 30 N.M. 482, 239 P. 524; Porter v. Robert Porter & Sons, Inc., N.M. 359 P.2d 134.

Upon the question of the damages sought by appellant, suffice it to say that § 22-12-12, N.M.S.A.1953 Comp., permits a damage award in conjunction with the grant-ting of a peremptory writ of mandamus. The trial court having denied the writ, appellant cannot recover damages.

Under point II, appellant relies on § 6-5-4, N.M.S'A.1953 Comp., which provides :

“The bid of the lowest responsible bidder * * * shall be accepted, except where the specifications of the goods offered do not meet the specifications of the purchaser, the lowest bid which does meet such specifications shall be accepted; Provided, however, a purchaser may reject all bids. * * * ”

It is undisputed that the bid proposals provided for a guarantee of all materials and equipment for a period of one year, and that appellant’s bid on the chassis contained a warranty “for 90 days or 4000 miles, whichever comes soonest.”

The trial court made the following findings of fact:

“III
“Plaintiff’s bid was for 1959 models and the other two bids were for 1960 models. Plaintiff’s bid provided a chassis warranty for 90 days or 4,000 miles whichever first occurred, whereas the requirements of the defendant Board, as outlined in the specifications, copies of which were, at all material times, in the hands of all bidders, required a one year guarantee of workmanship and materials.

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Bluebook (online)
360 P.2d 639, 68 N.M. 223, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/new-mexico-bus-sales-v-michael-nm-1961.