Powell v. United States

119 F. Supp. 195, 127 Ct. Cl. 685, 1954 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 66
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedMarch 2, 1954
DocketNo. 49310
StatusPublished

This text of 119 F. Supp. 195 (Powell 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
Powell v. United States, 119 F. Supp. 195, 127 Ct. Cl. 685, 1954 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 66 (cc 1954).

Opinion

JoNes, Chief Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

On October 12, 1942, plaintiffs contracted with the Navy Department to manufacture a designated number of carpenter stoppers.1 This is a suit for what plaintiffs claim is the value of stoppers which they allege had been manufactured but had not yet been delivered at the time the contracts were terminated.

The original contract called for delivery of 761 stoppers. By six change orders the contract was supplemented by adding 667 stoppers and 924 bridles.

The stoppers were to be in three different sizes and the bridles were to be of two sizes. The specifications provided that the stoppers should be “in general accordance with Bureau of Ships Drawing * * * with the bridle omitted.”

On June 30, 1943, the same parties entered into a second contract for additional stoppers and bridles to be delivered on or before August 30,1943.

The first contract provided for stoppers in varying sizes ranging from 1%" to 2" and for bridles ranging from %" to 2". The second contract provided for %" stoppers and 1%" bridles.

There was no requirement in either contract that the stoppers involved in this suit be proof tested to any particular load, but there was a requirement as to the proof testing of the bridles.

The original contract set up a definite delivery schedule which the plaintiffs were required to meet in the order stated. Under date of November 24', 1942, before any deliveries had been made, plaintiffs were furnished a revised schedule for the first contract divided into Schedule A for deliveries to ships and Schedule B for deliveries to depots. It was pro[688]*688vided that Schedule A deliveries were to be given, priority over Schedule B deliveries.

On six different dates between March 1 and June 25, 1943, defendant in letters to plaintiffs revised the delivery schedules. While plaintiffs were somewhat in arrears in deliveries on those dates the letters did not complain of that fact, but were directed to the fact that plaintiffs had not followed the prescribed order of delivery pursuant to the designated priority.

As of July 16, 1943, plaintiffs were slightly in arrears on deliveries under the first contract of %" stoppers, the schedule calling for 796 and 780 having been delivered. No 2" stoppers had been delivered at that time. No deliveries were made at any time under the second contract, although the contract items were ready for delivery July 16, 1943.

Before articles ready for delivery could be shipped it was required that they be inspected by a Naval inspector. On July 16,1943, shipments were suspended due to a suspension by the Navy of further inspection of articles offered. The reason assigned was that the Navy had been receiving adverse reports from their field activities to the effect that the equipment was faulty.

On August 27,1943, plaintiffs were requested by the Naval Inspector in Charge to make arrangements whereby the articles eould be tested in accordance with certain prescribed directions.

Plaintiffs made oral protests but none in writing to the July 16 suspension of inspection and to the inspection method prescribed by defendant’s letter of August 27,1943, prior to the termination of the contracts. Between August 27 and October 2, plaintiffs made oral but no written requests for inspection of the articles that had been manufactured.

The stoppers involved in plaintiffs’ claim were never inspected prior to the termination of the contract on October 4, 1943, although plaintiffs submitted them to the defendant for purposes of inspection and testing prior to the time of the contract termination.

On October 4, 1943, the Navy notified plaintiffs by telegram of the termination of both contracts, stating that “because of your failure to make deliveries as specified in the [689]*689subject contracts of material as specified in the subject contracts your right to make deliveries thereunder is hereby terminated.”

In October 1943 and July 1944 the Navy conducted tests of certain 1%" stoppers and bridles and %" stoppers manufactured under the contracts in suit. These tests established that the 1%" stoppers and bridles were defective and failed to meet proof test specifications. The tests to which the %" stoppers were subjected were beyond any required by the specifications and did not establish that the %" stoppers failed to meet specification requirements.

The 2" stoppers were tested by the Navy at the same time. In November and December 1943 the defendant, in response to plaintiffs’ protests, advised that no additional deliveries would be permitted. Between the date of cancellation and January 1945 the plaintiffs made several protests and requested reports on the outcome of tests made or being made by the defendant. On January 22, 1945, defendant advised plaintiffs that the test data had not as of that date been received and the record does not disclose when defendant furnished the test data to plaintiffs thereafter.

On September 15,1949, a price adjustment agreement was entered into on the basis of approximately 77 percent of the original contract price on the material delivered and accepted prior to the termination of the contracts. The agreement stated that “the materials delivered under said contract have been determined by the parties to have been defective and not in accordance with specifications.2

Under this agreement plaintiffs released and discharged defendant from all liabilities and claims arising under the contracts except as to material claimed to have been on hand and ready for delivery at the time of the termination, and the claim of interest on the same items.

At all times after July 16, 1943, plaintiffs had on hand and ready for delivery under the first contract seventy-two [690]*6902" stoppers and 324 %" stoppers; also twenty-four %" stoppers ready for delivery under the second contract.

In April and October 1951 Navy representatives made visual inspections of the %" and 2" stoppers in plaintiffs’ possession and awaiting delivery acceptance, and reported that they failed to meet requirements as to finish and dimensions.

Our trial commissioner has found, and we have adopted the finding, that the %" and 2" stoppers manufactured by plaintiffs under the first contract and ready for delivery at the time of the termination were “in general accordance with” specified drawings of that contract. Likewise we have adopted his finding that the %" stoppers manufactured by plaintiffs under the second contract and ready for delivery at the date of the termination, were “not in accordance with the specified drawing” of that contract.

There are some rather unusual facts connected with this case. There were no proof-test requirements stipulated in either the first contract or in the specifications connected therewith as to either the %" stoppers or the 2" stoppers which are involved in this suit. The record shows that these articles were needed largely because of the great number of ships that were sunk or damaged by the submarines, and that England had developed something along this line.

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Bluebook (online)
119 F. Supp. 195, 127 Ct. Cl. 685, 1954 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 66, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/powell-v-united-states-cc-1954.