Novid Co. v. United States

535 F.2d 5, 22 Cont. Cas. Fed. 80,286, 210 Ct. Cl. 1, 1976 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 2
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedMay 12, 1976
DocketNo. 205-74
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 535 F.2d 5 (Novid Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Novid Co. v. United States, 535 F.2d 5, 22 Cont. Cas. Fed. 80,286, 210 Ct. Cl. 1, 1976 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 2 (cc 1976).

Opinion

Bennett, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court :

This Government contract case comes before us on defendant’s motion for summary judgment filed September 26,1975, and the opposition thereto. Plaintiff on February 20, 1964, entered into a contract with defendant, acting through the Army Corps of Engineers. Contract No. DA-92-144-Eng-188 was executed on standard form 23 and provided that the contractor would construct certain 'housing in Iran for use by the Imperial Iranian Gendarmerie, at an agreed price payable in Iranian currency, equal to about $900,000. The contract contained a modified disputes clause providing for an appeal of a contracting officer’s finding of fact to a unit of the Iranian Government — “Head of Plan Organization, Government of Iran” (HPO).

This construction contract had been authorized by two “country-to-country” agreements between the United States and Iran dated April 11 and April 27,1963, which provided, inter alia, that funds supplied to the Iranian Government by the United States for construction 'financing would be deposited in a separate account of the Corps of Engineers in the Foreign Trade Bank of Iran. Article X of both country-to-country agreements specified that payments under the contract were to be limited to this special account:

* * * In no event will the Corps of Engineers take any action which will require funds exceeding those made available, which include contract price plus a con[3]*3tingency reserve * * *. The Corps of Engineers will ¡have no authority to otherwise change the plans and specifications.

The parties tell us that these funds were the proceeds of sales of American commodities in Iran, which proceeds were being loaned back to the Iranian Government under the terms of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, § 104(g), 68 Stat. 456. This statute specifically permits the use of foreign currency accounts “[t]o promote multilateral trade * * * and other economic development * * * by loans” to foreign countries. 7 U.S.C. § 1704(f) (1970).

Performance of the work was completed and accepted in due course, whereupon plaintiff through Iranian counsel asserted several claims for increase against the contracting officer. The contracting officer entered his decision on April 11, 1968, allowing a single upward price modification of $5,640. On May 5, 1968, plaintiff gave its notice of appeal to HPO, which entered its decision on August 10,1968, allowing some additional 1,890,000 rials of the 28,400,000 claimed. On November 12, 1971, the then contracting officer (a successor) wrote to plaintiff closing out the contract, stating that HPO had advised “that they have settled with you the claims on the subject contract.” A petition was filed in this court on June 11, 1974.

Defendant raises two questions for our consideration. First, we are asked whether this court has subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1491 (1970) where the funding source of the contract sued upon was money loaned to the Iranian Government by the United States but not directly out of appropriated funds. Alternatively, the Government would have us decide whether the decision of the HPO (the appellate entity designated in the contract to review contracting officer findings of fact) is entitled to finality in this court, or is subject to review tinder the terms of the Wunderlich Act, 68 Stat. 81, 41 U.S.C. §§ 321, 322 (1970).

We turn now to defendant’s contention that we are without subject matter jurisdiction, since the contract in no event could obligate appropriated funds. This- issue is dis-positive of the claim. Defendant relies on Kyer v. United [4]*4States, 177 Ct. Cl. 747, 369 F. 2d 714 (1966), cert. denied, 387 U.S. 929 (1967).

In Kyer the court concluded that it was without jurisdic-. tion of a claim based on a contract funded 'by nonappro-priafed funds. In dismissing the petition the court said:

The jurisdiction of this- court under the Tucker Act [footnote omitted] encompasses “any claim against the United States: * * * founded upon any express or implied contract with the United States; * * While the terms of this statute are broad, its words must be read in conjunction with and must be regarded as limited bj’- another statute which provides that our judgments are paid only from appropriated funds. [Ftnt. omitted; 28 U.S.C. §2517 (1964).] Thus, to remain within the framework of our jurisdiction, it is essential that the contract sued on be one which could have been satisfied out of appropriated funds. It is not enough to say, as plaintiff does, that his contract was one to which the United States was a party. To be actionable in this court, that contract must be one which, in the contemplation of Congress, could obligate public monies. [Citation omitted.] If Congress has indicated that public funds shall not be involved, we cannot grant the relief requested. * * *. [177 Ct. Cl. at 751-52, 369 F. 2d at 717-18; emphasis in text.]

Examining the governing legislation the. court could find “no basis for inferring that public funds might be used to pay the commission which plaintiff was allegedly promised.” 177 Ct. Cl. at 752, 369 F. 2d at 718. While noting the apparent harshness of the rule, the court felt constrained to dismiss the petition.

Subsequent decisions have developed the law applicable to contracts of nonappropriated-fund activities. In Butz Eng. Corp. v. United States, 204 Ct. Cl. 561, 499 F. 2d 619 (1974), we held that Congress did not intend to insulate appropriated funds from the liabilities of the Postal Service. In Breitbeck v. United States, 205 Ct. Cl. 208, 500 F. 2d 556 (1974), we decided that although the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation was eventually to become self-financing, Congress, intended to carry the project out of appropriated'funds. Thus; the court declined to dismiss plaintiffs’ claims for back pay.

[5]*5More recently, we dismissed a petition on the nonappro-priated-fund-activity ground in McCloskey & Co. v. United States, 208 Ct. Cl. 697, 530 F. 2d 374 (1976). There plaintiff sought to maintain a Wunderlich Act suit in this court, taking exception to the decision of the District of Columbia Contract Appeals Board. The contract in dispute was for the construction of what is now known as Eobert F. Kennedy Stadium in the District of Columbia. Funding for this project was to come from a bond issue of the D.C. Armory Board, and the authorizing legislation as we construed it limited payment of claims to funds so raised. The court looked to Kyer, supra, as controlling authority in dismissing the petition. In Hughes Aircraft Co. v. United States, 209 Ct. Cl. 446, 478-79, 534 F.

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Bluebook (online)
535 F.2d 5, 22 Cont. Cas. Fed. 80,286, 210 Ct. Cl. 1, 1976 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 2, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/novid-co-v-united-states-cc-1976.