DTIC ADA252620: The Right to Terminate for Default

155 Pages·6.2 MB·English

by  Defense Technical Information Center

AD-A252 620
30 Sep 90 THESIS
The Right to Terminate for Default
Lester Katashi Katahara, Lt Col
AFIT Student Attending: George Washington University AFIT/CI/CIA-92-008
AFIT/CI
Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-6583
Approved for Public Release lAW 190-1
Distributed Unlimited
ERNEST A. HAYGOOD, Captain, USAF
Executive Officer
A
t
I DTC *
L.
% JUL 0 1992
92.....92-18003
\\U\\I\\lUUll\ll1lll \l\4 l l
U ''
149
Synopsis
The Right to Terminate for Default
by
Lt Col Lester K. Katahara
The acquisition of supplies and services for the federal government
is governed by a multitude of statutes and regulations. It is not
uncommon for contractors to experience difficulties in performance
of the contract. When the government loses confidence that the
contractor will successfully complete the contract, the contract
may be terminated. This thesis discusses the substantive bases for
the default termination of government contracts. It addresses
defaults for failure to deliver, failure to make progress, and
failure to fulfill other terms of the contract.
DT IC T0j
unanimounced 0]
JUStifleation
Dy_
Dtstrtbutton/
1&vallabllty Codes
DlOat Ia DieSt eIolaa i.xIoa
The Right to Terminate for Default
By
Lester Katashi Katahara
B.S. June 1974, United States Air Force Academy
J.D. May 1982, Georgetown University Law Center
A Thesis submitted to
The Faculty of
The National Law Center
of the George Washington University
in partial satisfaction of the requirements
for the degree of Master of Laws
September 30, 1990
Thesis directed by
Ralph C. Nash, Jr. & John Cibinic, Jr.
Professors of Law
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION ......... 1
CHAPTER II
DELIVERY FAILURES:
TERMINATION AFTER THE PERFORMANCE DATE HAS PASSED 9
A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
B. When is Time of the Essence? . . . . . . . . . 11
(1) When May the Government Terminate for Slight
Delays in Performance?..... 14
(a) SupplyContracts 15
(b) Construction Contracts . . . . . . 23
(c) Service Contracts . . .99 .. 24
(2) When Does Government Conduct Zndicate Time
Ia Not of the Essence? ........ 27
C. The Doctrine of Substantial Compliance . . . . . 30
(1) Timely Tender ........... . . . 33
(2) Contractor's Belief that Goods Conform 33
(3) Minor Defects . . . . ........... 36
(a) Evaluating the Defect. ........ 36
(b) Cure Period. .. ... 37
(c) Practical Application . . . . o . . . 39
CHAPTER III
DELIVERY FAILURE LIMITATIONS:
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION, SEVERABILITY, FIRST ARTICLES
& INSTALLMENTS .. ...... 41
A. Introduction . . - . . . . ............. 41
B. Substantial Completion . . . . . . . . . . . .. 41
(1) Construction Contracts . 0 0 . .. . . 43
(a) Substantial Completion Preserves the
Contract Price . . o............ 43
(b) Discussion of Forfeiture Clouds the
Analysis ...................... 44
(c) Analysis of the Cases. o 47
.o
(i) Contracts SubstantiaLly
Completed o . . o . . . . .- . 48
(Ii) Contracts Not Subatartially
Completed . . . . . . . . . . 49
(iii) The Test of Substantial
Completion . . . .. . . . . 51
(2) Service Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
(a) The Substantial Completion Analysis 53
(b) Application of the Doctrine . . . . 54
(i) When Does the Right To Terminate
for Default Ripen? . . . . . . 56
(ii) Minor Failures Do Not Trigger
the Right .. ........... 57
(iii) Failure to Deliver Critical
Services Triggers the Right
Immediately . .......... 60
(iv) Deductions for Deficiencies May
Limit
Right . . . . . .. . . . 61
(3) Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
C. Installment Contracts . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 63
D. Severability ...... . . .. . . . . . . .. 65
(1) The Basic Principle . . ......... 65
(2) Application of the Principle . . . . . . 67
(3) The Relationship of Severability and
Installments . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 71
E. Preproduction Articles . . . ............. 73
(1) A First Article is Not an End Item . . .. 74
(2) First Article Clause Modifies Termination
Rights . . . . . . . ................ 75
CHAPTER IV
PROGRESS FAILURES:
TERMINATION BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE DATE HAS ARRIVED 78
A. Introduction . ............ . . . . . . 78
B. The Progress Failure Test ... ........... . 80
(1) Early Test Required Showing of
Impossibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
(2) Impossibility Test Abandoned .......... 81
C. Analysis of Endangered Performance ......... 85
(1) Percentage of Completion Test ..... ... 85
(2) Totality of Circumstances .. ........ .. 87
(3) Missed Milestones ... ........... .. 89
(4) Summary ... ................ .91
D. Anticipatory Repudiation .. ........... .. 92
(1) Roots of the Doctrine ............. 92
(2) Proof Requirements ... ........... .... 94
(3) Boundaries of the Doctrine . . . . . . . 96
(a) Express Refusal to Perform . . . . 97
(b) Express Statement of Inability to
Perform . .. ...... 100
(c) Actions Indicating inab li 1t y to
Perform. .................. ... 101
(4) Retraction .... ............... ... 102
CHAPTER V
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE DUTY TO PROCEED 105
A. Introduction ..... ................. . 105
B. Exceptions to the Duty to Proceed ...... 108
(1) Government Material Breach ....... ... 108
(a) Progress Payments ........... ... 109
(i) Excusability v. Material Breach 110
(ii) Single Failure to Pay Does Not
Automatically Excuse Contractor
ii
Nonperformance . . . . . . . . 112
(iii) Totality of Circum tances Test 116
(iv) Poor Performance Will Not Justify
Nonpayment 120
. . .. .. .. ....
(b) Other Material Breaches . . . . . . 121
(2) impractical to Proceed .. .......... 123
(3) Lack of Clear Direction . . . . . . . . 128
CHAPTER VI
FAILURE TO COM(PLY WITH OTHER CONTRACT PROVISIONS 133
A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
B. The Other Provisions Clause . . . . . . . . . 134
C. Fraud . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . 138
D. Other Clauses__Confqrring the Right to Terminate 140
(1) The Applicable Clauses . . . . .* . . . 140
(2) Labor Standard Violations .. .. .. ... 142
(3) Warranty Clauses .. ............. 143
CHAPTER VII
CONCLUSION.............146
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Men must turn square corners when they deal with the
Government. "
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.1
It is no less good morals and good law that the Government
should turn square corners in dealing with the people."
Hugo Black2
This paper outlines the various circumstances that trigger
the government's right to impose the drastic sanction of
termination for default. The stakes for the contractor are
high, with its continued viability often depending on completion
of the contract. The quotes above aptly characterize the
competing concerns in the termination of government contracts.
For example, the government's right to strict compliance with
its specifications is counter-balanced by the notion that the
contractor should not bear the risk of forfeiture when minor
deviations from specifications are present. The balance struck
by the courts and boards illustrates that strict compliance has
been tempered by common sense and equity. Occasionally,
however, an agency that has strictly administered a contract
will be upheld when it has terminated a contract for seemingly
minor deviations.
Default termination parallels the common law right to
'Rock Island A. & L.R.R. v. United States, 254 U.S. 141. 143 (1920).
2St. Regis Paper Co. v. United States, 368 U.S. 208, 229 (1961)
(dissenting opinion).
terminate a contract for material breaches. It is the
government's last resort and signals that the needed supplies,
services, or construction will not be procured from that
contractor. However, the contractor is not without recourse.
If it is able to demonstrate that the default termination was
improperly initiated, then it will have the benefits of a
convenience termination. The FAR provides separate default
clauses for supply/service and construction. The Supply and
Services clause provides:
(a) (1) The Government may, subject to paragraphs
(c) and (d) below, by written notice of default to the
Contractor, terminate this contract in whole or in
part if the Contractor fails to --
(i) Deliver the supplies or to perform the services
within the time specified in this contract or any
extension;
(ii) Make progress, so as to endanger performance
of this contract (but see subparagraph (a)(2) below);
or
(iii) Perform any of the other provisions of this
contract (but see subparagraph (a)(2) below).
(2) The Government's right to terminate this
contract under subdivisions (1)(ii) and (1)(iii)
above, may be exercised if the Contractor does not
cure such failure within 10 days (or more if
authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer)
after receipt of the notice from the Contracting
Officer specifying the failure.
(b) If the Government terminates this contract in
whole or in part, it may acquire, under the terms and
in the manner the Contracting Officer considers
appropriate, supplies or services similar to those
terminated, and the Contractor will be liable to the
Government for any excess costs for those supplies or
services. However, the Contractor shall continue the
work not terminated.
(c) Except for defaults of subcontractors at any
2
tier, the Contractor shall not be liable for any
excess costs if the failure to perform the contract
arises from causes beyond the control and without the
fault or negligence of the Contractor. Examples of
such causes include (1) acts of God or of the public
enemy, (2) acts of the Government in either its
sovereign or contractual capacity, (3) fires, (4)
floods, (5) epidemics, (6) quarantine restrictions (7)
strikes, (8) freight embargoes, and (9) unusually
severe weather. In each instance the failure to
perform must be beyond the control and without the
fault or negligence of the Contractor.
(d) If the failure to perform is caused by the
default of a subcontractor at any tier, and if the
cause of the default is beyond the control of both the
Contractor and subcontractor, and without the fault or
negligence of either, the Contractor shall not be
liable for any excess costs for failure to perform,
unless the subcontracted supplies or services were
obtainable from other sources in sufficient time for
the Contractor to meet the required delivery schedule.
(e) If this contract is terminated for default, the
Government may require the Contractor to transfer
title and deliver to the Government, as directed by
the Contracting Officer, any (1) completed supplies,
and (2) partially completed supplies and materials,
parts, tools, dies, jigs, fixtures, plans, drawings,
information, and contract rights (collectively
referred to as "manufacturing materials" in this
clause) that the Contractor has specifically produced
or acquired for the terminated portion of this
contract. Upon direction of the Contracting Officer,
the Contractor shall also protect and preserve
property in its possession in which the Government has
an interest.
(f) The Government shall pay contract price for
completed supplies delivered and accepted. The
Contractor and Contracting Officer shall agree on the
amount of payment for manufacturing materials
delivered and accepted and for the protection and
preservation of the property. Failure to agree will
be a dispute under the Disputes clause. The
Government may withhold from these amounts any sum the
Contracting Officer determines to be necessary to
protect the Government against loss because of
outstanding liens or claims of former lien holders.
(g) If, after termination, it is determined that
the Contractor was not in default, or that the default
3
was excusable, the rights and obligations of the
parties shall be the same as if the termination had
been issued for the convenience of the Government.
(h) The rights and remedies of the Government in
this clause are in addition to any other rights and
remedies provided by law or under this contract.3
The Construction clause provides:
(a) If the Contractor refuses or fails to prosecute
the work or any separable part, with the diligence
that will insure its completion within the time
specified in this contract including any extension, or
fails to complete the work within this time, the
Government may, by written notice to the Contractor,
terminate the right to proceed with the work (or the
separable part of the work) that has been delayed. In
this event, the Government may take over the work and
complete it by contract or otherwise, and may take
possession of and use any materials, appliances, and
plant on the work site necessary for completing the
work. The Contractor and its sureties shall be liable
for any damage to the Government resulting from the
Contractor's refusal or failure to complete the work
within the specified time, whether or not the
Contractor's right to proceed with the work is
terminated. This liability includes any increased
costs incurred by the Government in completing the
work.
(b) The Contractor's right to proceed shall not be
terminated nor the Contractor charged with damages
under this clause, if --
(1) The delay in completing the work arises from
unforeseeable causes beyond the control and without
the fault or negligence of the Contractor. Examples
of such causes include (i) acts of God or of the
public enemy, (ii) acts of the Government in either
its sovereign or contractual capacity, (iii) acts of
another Contractor in the performance of a contract
with the Government, (iv) fires, (v) floods, (vi)
epidemics, (vii) quarantine restrictions, (viii)
strikes, (ix) freight embargoes, (x) unusually severe
weather, or (xi) delays of subcontractors or suppliers
at any tier arising from unforeseeable causes beyond
the control and without the fault or negligence of
both the Contractor and the subcontractors or
3FAR 1 52.249-8.
4