Nwogu v. United States

94 Fed. Cl. 637, 2010 U.S. Claims LEXIS 669, 2010 WL 3506622
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedAugust 30, 2010
DocketNo. 09-268C
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 94 Fed. Cl. 637 (Nwogu 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
Nwogu v. United States, 94 Fed. Cl. 637, 2010 U.S. Claims LEXIS 669, 2010 WL 3506622 (uscfc 2010).

Opinion

OPINION

HORN, Judge.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Plaintiff, Environmental Safety Consultants, Inc. (ESCI), seeks payment of a $93,989.00 judgment, plus interest, awarded by the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) on a contract dispute between plaintiff and the United States Navy. The Navy, however, indicates it has taken setoff action against this amount for monies the government argues it is owed on a second Navy contract, also with the plaintiff. In addition to breach of contract, plaintiff, Peter C. Nwogu and plaintiffs attorney have made allegations of due process and equal protection violations pursuant to the Fifth and Fourteenth Anendments to the United States Constitution, as well as a charge of slavery, pursuant to the Thirteenth Mnendment to the Constitution, civil rights violations, including national origin discrimination pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (2006), violation of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and violation of the Prompt Payment Act.1

The history of plaintiff’s litigation with the Navy involves multiple contracts between the parties, as well as numerous disagreements and multiple trips to the ASBCA and to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In relevant part, the relationship began on May 23, 1991, when the Navy awarded ESCI Contract No. N62472-90-C-5164 to remove, transport, and dispose of industrial waste sludge from two lagoons at the Naval Air Development Center in War-minster, Pennsylvania (Contract I). See Envtl. Safety Consultants, Inc., ASBCA Case No. 47498, 00-1 BCA ¶ 30,826, at 152,-129 (Feb. 29, 2000). According to the complaint, the contract was awarded with “Mr. Nwogu as the project manager.” Mr. Nwo-gu was the founder, owner, President and only employee of ESCI at the time the contract was awarded. The contract was awarded as a small business set-aside. According to the decision of the ASBCA on Contract I, the contractor and subcontractors encountered conditions that were more difficult to deal with than anticipated, progress on the contract was delayed, and a serious deterioration of the relationship between the parties occurred. A cure notice was issued to the plaintiff and, ultimately, the Navy and ESCI entered into a bilateral agreement to terminate Contract I in March 1992. Subsequently, in June 1992, ESCI filed a claim with the contracting officer asserting, as also stated in ESCI’s complaint in this court, that ESCI incurred increased costs in performing Contract I because the “waste sludge [was] materially different from the information specified in the contract.” As a result, ESCI requested an equitable adjustment of $150,587.95 from the Navy.

On February 2, 1994, the contracting officer issued a final decision denying the majority of ESCI’s Contract I claim, but concluding that ESCI was entitled to $10,869.00. Pursuant to the Contract Disputes Act (CDA), 41 U.S.C. § 606 (2006), ESCI appeal-[643]*643eel the contracting officer’s final decision (COFD) on Contract I to the ASBCA (ASBCA Case No. 47498), requesting recovery for increased costs, quantum meruit for the reasonable value of services provided, and damages for procurement fraud, bad faith, and conspiracy by the government and its agents. Id. at 152,142. The government counter-claimed for an assessment of liquidated damages and also argued that the contracting officer’s award of $10,869.00 was in error. Id. at 152,147.

The ASBCA decision on Contract I in ASBCA Case No. 47498 contains numerous references to the breakdown of the relationship between Mr. Nwogu and Navy personnel and to the behavior of both parties. The ASBCA opinion also stated:

This appeal involves a claim for additional costs incurred to remove, transport, and dispose of industrial waste sludge from two lagoons at a Navy facility. Appellant has claimed it encountered conditions that differed from those indicated in the contract and that the Government’s failure to cooperate caused its costs to increase. Appellant has also alleged that it is entitled to recovery in quantum meruit for reasonable value of services provided and to damages for procurement fraud, bad faith, and a conspiracy by the Government and its agents. The Government maintains that appellant has not established entitlement under any theory. Mr. Nwogu represented the appellant pro se. Only entitlement is before us for decision.

Envtl. Safety Consultants, Inc., ASBCA Case No. 47498, 00-1 BCA ¶ 30,826, at 152,-129.

On February 29, 2000, the ASBCA granted the equitable adjustment for “extra work” performed on Contract I, and “improper interference with [ESCI’s] performance” by the government. Id. at 152,147-48. The Board also indicated that it did not have jurisdiction to address plaintiffs allegations regarding quantiim meruit or punitive damages. Id. at 152,146-47. The ASBCA referred the question of the amount of the equitable adjustment, and for return of the liquidated damages, for resolution by the parties or referral to the contracting officer for a subsequent decision, with attendant appeal rights. Id. at 152,148.

Also relevant to this litigation, the Navy awarded an additional contract to ESCI, Contract No. N62470-95-C-2399, for work in Yorktown, Virginia (Contract II). On June 6, 1998, the contracting officer issued a COFD terminating Contract II for default, based on ESCI’s “failure to make progress to ensure timely completion of the work and for other defaults in performance.”2 Subsequent to the termination of Contract II, the Navy awarded Contract No. N62470-98-C-5027 to a reprocurement contractor, to remedy and complete ESCI’s work on Contract II. In a December 3, 2001 COFD, the Navy contracting officer issued another appealable, final decision regarding Contract II, holding that ESCI owed the Navy $167,691.75 in reprocurement costs and liquidated damages and demanding payment. In the contracting-officer’s December 3, 2001 COFD, ESCI was advised that:

If payment is not received within 30 days from the date you receive this notice, the debt record will be transferred to the Defense Finance & Accounting System [DFAS] for collection. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 32.6 and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFAR) 232.6, prescribe the policies and procedures for ascertaining and collecting contract debts, which includes the ability to withhold and set off contractor’s debts from monies otherwise due the contractor.

ESCI appealed the COFD on the termination for default of Contact II to the ASBCA (ASBCA Case No. 51722). Plaintiffs Notice of Appeal stated that ESCI “hereby appeals pursuant to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, each and every aspect of the decision of June 6, 1998 of the Contracting Officer to Terminate the referenced Contract for Default,” plaintiff also claimed an equitable adjustment of $334,687.85 for breach of contract, entitlement to additional [644]*644compensation and specific performance.3 Defendant filed an answer and partial motion to dismiss in ASBCA Case No. 51722 on Contract II. In ASBCA Case No.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
94 Fed. Cl. 637, 2010 U.S. Claims LEXIS 669, 2010 WL 3506622, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nwogu-v-united-states-uscfc-2010.