PAUL G. GARDEPHE, District Judge.
These actions involve a dispute over a $300 million integrated electronic security system that the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the MTA Capital Construction Company (collectively, the "MTA") contracted Lockheed Martin Transportation Security Solutions ("Lockheed") to design and install throughout the MTA's expansive transportation network.
On April 24, 2009, Lockheed filed Civil Action No. 09 Civ. 4077 (PGG) seeking a declaration that the MTA was in material breach and permitting Lockheed to withdraw from the parties' contract.
In the Amended Complaint, Lockheed seeks damages of more than $200 million for breach of contract and bad faith termination. In its counterclaims, the MTA seeks damages of at least $92 million.
Both sides have moved for summary judgment on certain claims, issues, and defenses. While the parties agree on little, both sides acknowledge that Lockheed never delivered the integrated security system described in the underlying contract. This litigation will determine who bears responsibility for that failure.
Lockheed contends that infighting among the MTA's agencies impeded its ability to perform and that the MTA terminated the contract prematurely. (Memorandum of Law in Support of Lockheed Martin's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment ("LM Br.") (Dkt. No. 138) at 2 ("At the time of termination, Lockheed Martin was in the process of delivering an IESS System with the contractually required functionality....");
The MTA claims that the project failed because of conceptual problems in Lockheed's design and because of Lockheed's refusal to invest the necessary resources to correct those deficiencies. (Defendants' Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Partial Summary Judgment ("MTA Br.") at 5 ("The root of Lockheed's ultimate failure . . . began at the Proposal stage...."),
In support of their motions for partial summary judgment, both sides have submitted voluminous Local Rule 56.1 statements and exhibits. The Rule 56.1 statements demonstrate that there are numerous issues of material fact that preclude summary judgment on most of the claims and issues raised in the parties' motions.
The MTA operates a vast transportation network that spans the New York metropolitan area. (Lockheed Martin's Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ("LM R. 56.1 Stmt.") (Dkt. No. 139) ¶ 3)
In May 2005, the MTA Capital Construction Company issued a Request for Proposals ("RFP") seeking bids for the Security System project. (
As described in the RFP, the purpose of the Security System is to ensure the safety of MTA employees and customers by "enhanc[ing] the ability of the MTA and affiliated Agency personnel to effectively deter, detect, delay, prevent, alert, protect, respond, and recover from any situation, threat, or incident . . ." (JA Ex. 11 (Dkt. No. 163-66), RFP Vol. 1A § 1.0 ("Brief Description of the Work")) In furtherance of that goal, the MTA sought a security system that would be "comprised of access control devices, intrusion detection sensors, CCTV cameras and their recording devices, existing chemical sensors and less-than-lethal systems," all of which would "report[ ] to a series of [Command, Communications, and Control] Centers." (
The contractor's role, according to the RFP, would be to act as the "systems integrator," which meant ensuring "the seamless integration of the new systems, as well as integration of specified legacy systems at various facilities." (
The RFP also outlined the MTA's requirements for the software to be used on the Project:
(
The MTA's Program Manager at the time, Ashok Patel, explained at his deposition why "[u]se of COTS on th[e] project was a basic requirement that [the MTA] ha[d] specified in [its] scope of work." (Deposition of Ashok Patel ("Patel Dep.") (Dkt. No. 162-36), Tr. 53:10-12) According to Patel, the
(
Lockheed submitted its bid for the Security System project on July 22, 2005 (the "Proposal"). (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) ¶ 11) The "primary feature" of Lockheed's proposed system was that it would be "integrated from the user's point of view," meaning that "the screens that the users dealt with would be integrated." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 188 (quoting Deposition of Lockheed Program Executive James Gaughan ("Gaughan Dep.") (Dkt. No. 162-11), Tr. 59:17-20)) Lockheed believed that it could deliver the promised functionality using a "100% COTS solution" that would "require[ ] no software development." (JA Ex. 9.1 (Dkt. No. 163-19), Proposal Vol. 1, Proposal Summary § 1.1 ("Key Program Personnel")) Lockheed further represented that it took "no exceptions to the contract" and that its Proposal was "100% compliant with the requirements of the RFP." (Defendants' Response to Lockheed Martin's Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ("MTA R. 56.1 Resp.") (Dkt. No. 147) ¶ 103 (quoting JA Ex. 9.1 (Dkt. No. 163-19), Proposal Vol. 1, Proposal Summary § 7 ("Contract Exceptions")))
Lockheed characterized its technical approach as "a COTS-based incremental solution that takes into account the relevant technology, people, business rules, and budgetary constraints." (JA Ex. 9.2 (Dkt. No. 163-24), Proposal Vol. 2, Technical Proposal § 2.2.1 ("Incident Management/Decision Support")) The Proposal relies on the use of two primary COTS products: (1) the Integraph Public Safety I/CAD product suite, which provides computer-aided dispatch functionality that, among other things, supplies the security operator with the computer screen display (known as the graphical user interface); and (2) the Lenel "On Guard" system, which is described as the "heart" of the proposed security system, and which manages security monitoring and related sub-systems. (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 158)
Although Lockheed's proposed solution "relie[d] on a COTS-based design-build approach," Lockheed acknowledged in its Proposal that "the integrated products don't just work `out of the box,'" and therefore COTS products would have to be "configured to meet the business and operational needs of the users and stakeholders." (JA Ex. 9.2 (Dkt. No. 163-31), Proposal Vol. 2, Technical Proposal § 3.4 ("Software Development and Subsystem Integration"))
During the proposal stage, Lockheed personnel discussed internally whether "glue/adaptation" code would be necessary to integrate Lockheed's proposed solution into existing MTA systems. (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 221) Glue code is "a code that facilitates the integration of components." (
In the Proposal, Lockheed represented that it had
(MTA R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 147) ¶ 80 (quoting JA Ex. 9.3 (Dkt. No. 163-40), RFP Vol. 3 § 9.3 ("Software Verification and Validation") (emphasis added)))
On August 31, 2005, the MTA issued a Notice of Award notifying Lockheed that the MTA had accepted Lockheed's Proposal without exception. The MTA agreed to pay Lockheed $212,752,788.
The parties' contractual agreement is set forth in multiple documents, including a 21-page "Agreement." The Agreement lists the documents that — together with the Agreement govern the parties' contractual relationship. These documents are referred to in the Agreement (and will be referred to in this opinion) as the "Contract Documents." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 54) The Contract Documents include:
(
The Agreement provides that, in the event of any inconsistency between or among the provisions of the Contract Documents, the more stringent provision will control unless the the MTA "Engineer" directs otherwise.
(MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) 59; JA Ex. 10.2 (Dkt. No. 163-44), Agreement § II.D)
The Agreement requires Lockheed to "incorporate and integrate Software into the [Security System] that addresses all functional and performance requirements as defined throughout the Contract Documents," and to furnish the MTA "with the latest versions of all [COTS] Software and `Non-COTS' Software used to produce and support the [Security System]." (JA Ex. 10.2 (Dkt. No. 163-45), Agreement §§ IV.A.1 & IV.A.3)
The specifications for the Security System are largely set forth in Specification Division 1AB, which is found in RFP Volume 2B. (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 161) ¶ 93) Section 1AB11 in Specification Division 1AB is entitled "Software." (
(JA Ex. 13 (Dkt. No. 163-68), Vol. 2B, Specification Section 1AB 11 ("Software") (emphasis added)) The parties do not contend that Lockheed ever sought approval for — or that the MTA's Engineer ever authorized Lockheed to undertake — the development of software or the modification of COTS software. (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) ¶ 123; MTA R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 147) ¶ 123)
Division 25 is found in RFP Volume 2F and is entitled "Software Design and Management."
(JA Ex. 15.1 (Dkt. No. 163-74), Specification Section 25A, § I (-Introduction"))
Division 25A further states that "[t]he Contractor shall deliver complete software required for the [Security System] to operate correctly and fulfill the requirements defined in this Contract," and outlines a "Development Methodology," that includes design, implementation, and testing for all software used on the Project. (
RFP Volume 1A, which contains a section entitled "Project Overview," provides that the Security System shall "seamlessly integrate security function into [each] Agency's core operations, exploit to the fullest extent possible and integrate legacy systems, and utilize open architecture standard [COTS] products." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 72 (quoting JA Ex. 11 (Dkt. No. 163-66), RFP Vol. 1 A § 1.1.a ("IESS/C3 System of Systems Overview"))) Section 1.4 of Volume 1A describes the software and systems integration work for the Project and requires that "the Contractor use [COTS] products and software." This section also provides, however, that "[u]se of a middleware application is expected for seamless integration of various systems." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 74 (quoting JA Ex. 11 (Dkt. No. 163-66), RFP Vol. 1A § 1.4 ("Software and Systems Integration")))
Ken Turner, Lockheed's System Architect, testified that to satisfy the MTA's RFP requirements, configuration work would be necessary, meaning that Lockheed would have "to set up the interfaces[ ] to operate and provide the information that is identified in the RFP that the system is responsible for." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 232 (quoting Turner Dep. (Dkt. No. 162-47), Tr. 97:8-13)) Turner also stated, however, that Lockheed "is not in the job of building our manufacturers' interfaces." (
Finally, Lockheed was required to provide the MTA with a Software Quality Assurance Plan. (JA Ex. 13.12 (Dkt. No. 163-68), Specification Section 1AB12.4.1 ("C3 Software/Hardware Quality Assurance Plan (C3QAP)"); JA Ex. 15.2 (Dkt. No. 163-74), Specification Section 25B2.2 ("Software Configuration Management Plan")) In the Quality Assurance Plan that Lockheed provided, Lockheed stated that, "[a]t the present time, it is anticipated that there will not be any new software that needs to be specifically developed for the system, [for] pre-existing software, or [for] COTS software modified for use on the [Security System]. In the event that new or modified software is needed[,] it will be developed in accordance with a defined software development methodology, based on the following IEEE standards as appropriate."
The Contract Documents require that the Security System undergo "formal testing and commissioning." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 77 (quoting JA Ex. 11 (Dkt. No. 163-66), RFP Vol. 1A § 1.5 ("Testing and Commissioning"))) Lockheed was required to retain a Commissioning Agent to "develop detailed commissioning specifications, coordinate the execution of a testing plan, observe and document performance and verify whether systems are functioning in accordance with the documented design intent and the accepted final design documents." (
Lockheed chose Systra, an engineering and consulting company, to act as the Project's Commissioning Agent. (
One of Lockheed's testing obligations was to set up a "requirements traceability matrix" to document (1) the requirements for the Security System, as set forth in the Contract Documents (
The Contract Documents further provide that software testing will be performed periodically, including during implementation of the Security System, factory acceptance testing, installation and site testing, and availability demonstration testing — the final testing phase that involves a 30-day system demonstration with no down time. (
As part of its testing obligations, Lockheed is also required to develop and submit a "Test and Evaluation Master Plan" ("Test Master Plan") for MTA approval. (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) ¶ 269) The Test Master Plan that Lockheed submitted was intended to "define[ ] the plan for validating and verifying that the implemented system meets the requirements, document[ ] the test program strategy to meet the requirements, and describe[ ] a set of integrated tests of system hardware and [COTS] software." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 116 (quoting MTA Ex. 12 (Dkt. No. 150-20), Test Master Plan § 1 ("Scope"))) To that end, the Test Master Plan describes how tests are to be conducted as well as the metrics,
The Test Master Plan provides that "[t]he test baseline for the MTA program" will be "based upon all of the requirements identified in the . . . [requirements traceability matrix],' (MTA Ex. 12 (Dkt. No. 150-20), Test Master Plan § 3.2.2 ("Test Baseline")), and that testing will proceed according to "four major phases: Factory Tests, Site Tests, Site Integration System tests, and [the] System of Systems test period." (
The Test Master Plan also states that, "[p]rior to entering Phase 2, [factory acceptance testing] will be completed for the components or subsystems being deployed in Phase 2." (
The MTA denies that it ever formally approved Lockheed's Test Master Plan. (Defendants' Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Plaintiffs Motion for Partial Summary Judgment ("MTA Opp. Br.") (Dkt. No. 146) at 18-19) On September 6, 2007, the MTA Engineer, Kenneth Shields, sent a letter to Lockheed Program Executive James Gaughan approving a "milestone payment" for a series of 27 document submittals, including the Test Master Plan. (LM Ex. 70 (Dkt. No. 140-100), Sept. 6, 2007 Shields Ltr.) The letter also included attached comments from the MTA's Agencies and the MTA Capital Construction Company, however. The MTA Capital Construction Company stated that while it was "approving the CDRL [Contract Deliverable Requirements List] documents with comments,
What is not in dispute, however, is that Commissioning Agent Martinez had not commissioned any part of the Security System for beneficial use at the time of Lockheed's termination. Indeed, early in the Project, Martinez identified "significant problems" and "major quality issues" with Lockheed's "software design description documents." (Deposition of Linda Martinez ("Martinez Dep.") (Dkt. No. 162-31), Tr. 367:20-368:15)
The MTA Capital Construction Company nevertheless decided to move forward with the Project despite the software design problems (
Lockheed Executive James Gaughan acknowledges that "[t]here were some areas of validity that [Lockheed] needed to work [on resolving]." However, his "overriding impression was that [Lockheed and Martinez] had a disagreement in how quickly to move through the test program." (Gaughan Dep. (Dkt. No. 162-11), Tr. 127:3-7)
In a February 11, 2008 email to the MTA and Lockheed, Martinez expressed "grave concerns about [Lockheed's] ability to successfully achieve Stage I Beneficial Use in August 2008 given the ongoing failure of [factory acceptance testing]." (MTA Ex. 58 (Dkt. No. 150-44), Feb. 11, 2008 Martinez Email) In an attached letter dated February 10, 2008, Martinez noted that
(
Lockheed arranged an internal telephone conference to discuss Martinez's concerns. (LM R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 161) ¶ 339) After the teleconference, Lockheed senior manager Barbara McKenna wrote in an internal email: "No further action [is] required from this group. In general, letters from the [Commissioning Agent] to the MTA do not require a formal response.... This letter is an FYI and reflects a fundamental disagreement between the [Commissioning Agent] and [Lockheed] on how the program should proceed with respect to [factory acceptance testing]." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶¶ 340-41 (quoting MTA Ex. 59 (Dkt. No. 150-44), Feb. 12, 2008 McKenna Email))
The MTA and Lockheed also disagreed as to how the testing program should proceed. That disagreement is set forth in a February 8, 2008 email from Bill Krampf — Lockheed's Director of Engineering for Secure Enterprise Solutions and the manager who oversaw testing on the Project — to other Lockheed executives. Krampf wrote:
We have completely different approaches for how to run a test program....
(MTA Ex. 61 (Dkt. No. 150-44), Feb. 8, 2008 Krampf email)
In a February 14, 2008 email, Lockheed Vice President Carlaine Blizzard conveyed similar thoughts to her supervisor:
(MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 347 (quoting MTA Ex. 62 (Dkt. No. 150-44), Feb. 14, 2008 Blizzard email))
On March 4, 2008, Lockheed began utilizing a horizontal column in the requirements traceability matrix (Column "C") to dispute test results that had previously been recorded as failed tests. (
In April 2008, Lockheed scheduled an internal meeting to discuss a document entitled "the MTA De-Staffing spreadsheet." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 373) In an email to invitees, Lockheed Director of Engineering Phillip Thurston stated: "Most of you have seen the budget numbers for the MTA going forward. We can't afford to be slow at rolling people off the program who we are expecting to roll off." (
In a June 10, 2008 letter to the MTA, Lockheed asserted that it had "completed [factory acceptance testing] as of [June 5, 2008]." (MTA Ex. 78 (Dkt. No. 150-45), June 10, 2008 LM Ltr. at 1) The MTA responded the next day, requesting that Lockheed account for 280 requirements not addressed in its letter. (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 381) The MTA's letter noted that, "by [Lockheed's] own accounting, [factory acceptance testing] cannot be considered complete until all fixes are in place and all the required regression is completed and passed, no matter where in the time line [Lockheed] intends to do this work." (MTA Ex. 79 (Dkt. No. 150-45), June 11, 2008 MTA Ltr.) Over the following year, the parties continued to dispute whether Lockheed had satisfactorily completed factory acceptance testing. On August 14, 2008, Linda Gooden, head of Lockheed's Information Systems and Global Security division, asked Lockheed Finance Manager Joe Trench for a Project update. Trench replied, "[w]e have unfavorable financial exposure and we are at an impasse with the customer on the path forward." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 391 (quoting MTA Ex. 84 (Dkt. No. 150-48), Aug. 14, 2008 Trench email)) In an August 21, 2008 email to Gaughan and Thurston, Krampf wrote,
(MTA Ex. 86 (Dkt. No. 150-48), Aug. 21, 2008 Krampf email) The next day, Gaughan replied, "I agree with Bill's note: Groundrule is: through July 2009. Beyond that is programmatic closure." (
On October 10, 2008, Intergraph — a Lockheed subcontractor on the Project (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 288) — expressed concerns about the state of the Project to Thurston: "My question to you is this . . . does [Lockheed] have the Intergraph budget of 1.5 million fully funded? My assumption is `no'. I'm assuming LM used the Intergraph budget to cover other areas of the program." (
In an April 30, 2009 letter to the MTA, Lockheed claimed that "1220 of the 1306 [factory acceptance testing] requirements (93.4%) pass" and that Lockheed would "continue to resolve the remaining variances consistent with the [Test Master Plan]." (MTA Ex. 121 (Dkt. No. 150-72), Apr. 30, 2009 LM Ltr. at 1) Less than a month later, the MTA sent a letter to Lockheed entitled "Default Notice — Opportunity to Cure." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 472) The Default Notice informed Lockheed that the MTA believed the Security System had failed system testing at both the factory acceptance testing and site integration system testing stages. (JA Ex. 6 (Dkt. No. 163-4), May 26, 2009 Default Notice at 5-6) The MTA further asserted that Lockheed was either "unable" or had "simply refused to perform the work necessary to satisfy these requirements." (
The Contract Documents require Lockheed to "perform complete and comprehensive Factory Acceptance Testing as defined under the TP/P [Test Plan/Procedures]." (LM R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 161) ¶ 120) This provision requires Lockheed to "ensure that all variances detected during [factory acceptance testing] are documented and corrected prior to shipment for installation." (JA Ex. 13.12 (Dkt. No. 163-68), Specification Section 1AB12.2.5 ("Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)"))
The MTA does not dispute that on May 21, 2008, it "accommodated Lockheed" by allowing Lockheed to make a shipment of equipment racks to the field prior to the completion of factory acceptance testing. (MTA R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 147) ¶ 369) In a letter of that date, the MTA explains that
(MTA Ex. 164 (Dkt. No. 147-22), May 21, 2008 Shields Ltr.) The letter further explains that the MTA is making the allowance as an "accommodation" based on Lockheed's "assurance that the equipment and associated software . . . will provide [the] functionality . . . required by the Contract," and that the allowance "does not constitute a waiver" by the MTA of any of Lockheed's contractual obligations. (
In the Contract Documents, the parties agree that the Project will be substantially complete within thirty-six months from the date that the contract was awarded — i.e. August 31, 2008. (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) ¶¶ 17-18) It is undisputed that Lockheed did not deliver the Security System as promised on August 31, 2008, and that the MTA never agreed to extend the substantial completion date. (
The Contract Documents define "substantial completion" as the point at which the MTA Engineer determines "that the Scope of Work . . . set forth in Section III of the Agreement, and all other Work . . . except for Remaining Work, as defined in
The Contract Documents also contain provisions (1) authorizing Lockheed to request an extension of time from the MTA should the project be delayed; (2) setting forth the conditions under which the MTA would be required to grant an extension; and (3) the damages Lockheed would be entitled to receive in the event of a delay caused by the MTA. (JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-50), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 2.05, 2.06, 2.07)
Article 2.05 of the Contract Terms and Conditions limits extensions of time to situations involving "Excusable Delay." (MTA R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 147) ¶ 307) A delay is an Excusable Delay if "the Contractor is actually and necessarily delayed in the progress of the Work to the extent that the delay will extend the Substantial Completion Date" as the result of certain identified causes, provided that the conditions listed in Article 2.05(a) are met. (Id. (quoting JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-50), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 2.05(a))) The Contract Documents do not allow for damages in the event of a "Concurrent Delay," which is defined as "the period of delay during which an Excusable Delay overlaps with a non-excusable delay." (
The parties do not dispute that the Project was delayed and that the MTA never agreed to Lockheed's requests for time extensions and damage costs related to delay allegedly caused by the MTA. (
Gary Jentzen of PMA Consultants, LLC ("PMA") — an expert retained by the MTA — has analyzed the impact of MTA's failure to deliver a site for construction — Metro North Railroad's Regional C3 Building in North White Plains — in a timely manner. (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. ¶ 314) In a section entitled "Concurrent Delay," Jentzen's report states:
(LM Ex. 98 (Dkt. No. 141-7), Revised Jentzen Report at 111-12) Jentzen determined that "[a] concurrent delay caused by [the MTA] occurred as a result of a delay providing the MNR Regional C3 Building. This delay . . . amounts to a forecasted delay of three hundred sixty (360) calendar days, three hundred and fifteen (315) of which are the responsibility of [the MTA]." (LM Ex. 98 (Dkt. No. 141-5) Revised Jentzen Report at 7) Jentzen cautions, however, that his opinion does not take into account "the various requirements for providing notice and submitting time extension requests with accurate and complete supporting documentation in a timely manner" as required by Article 2.05. (MTA R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 147) 11314 (quoting LM Ex. 98 (Dkt. No. 141-7), Revised Jentzen Report, at 111-12))
Section III of the Agreement contains warranty provisions, including the following:
On May 27, 2009, the MTA delivered a letter to Lockheed stating that the MTA considered Lockheed to be in default ("Default Notice"). (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) ¶ 24; MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 472) In its Default Notice, the MTA states that "multiple Events of Default have occurred . . . ." (LM R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 161) ¶ 473 (quoting JA Ex. 6 (Dkt. No. 163-4) May 26, 2009 Default Notice))
Article 7.01 of the Terms and Conditions defines "Event of Default" as "a material breach of the Contract by either party." (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 87 (quoting JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-53), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 7.01 ("Event of Default"))) Events of Default include,
The MTA's Default Notice asserts that "Lockheed has consistently been deficient in such critical areas as schedule, quality, design, management and testing, and has proven incapable of meeting the performance standards and requirements set forth in the Contract." (JA Ex. 6 (Dkt. No. 163-4) May 26, 2009 Default Notice, at 1) The MTA alleges several categories of purported breaches, including Lockheed's (1) failure to satisfy design obligations, (2) scheduling breaches, (3) failure to manage the Project, (4) violation of the contractually mandated test procedures, (5) failure to continuously and diligently prosecute the work, and (6) failure to maintain the Security System software. (
The Default Notice further claims that Lockheed "consistently failed to comply with contractual requirements governing the design portion of the Project," and that these "design flaws . . . resulted in over 120 field change notices . . . illustratjing] significant gaps, errors and omissions in Lockheed's design, and of its inability to proffer a design that meets the requirements of the Contract." (
The Default Notice also alleges that Lockheed had violated the contractually mandated testing procedures:
(
The MTA also asserts that "Lockheed has failed, and is continuing to fail" to adhere to the requirement that it continuously and diligently prosecute the work. (
On June 4, 2009, Lockheed sent the MTA its Cure Response. (JA Ex. 7.1 (Dkt. No. 163-5), June 4, 2009 LM Cure Response) In a thirty-six page letter, Lockheed addresses each purported default individually. Lockheed also provides 148 pages of attachments setting forth a plan, schedule, and other documentation for completing the Security System. (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) ¶ 30 (citing JA Ex. 7.1 (Dkt. No. 163-5), June 4, 2009 LM Cure Response))
In its Cure Response, Lockheed notes that a number of the claimed defaults had occurred in the past and thus could not support termination, given that the MTA had elected to continue with Lockheed's performance of the work. (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) 32) Lockheed further asserts,
On June 12, 2009, the MTA terminated Lockheed based on (1) the alleged material breaches listed in the MTA's Default Notice; and (2) Lockheed's failure "to provide a viable plan to cure the outstanding Events of Default detailed in the Default Notice." (JA Ex. 8 (Dkt. No. 163-18), June 12, 2009 MTA Termination Ltr. at 1)
In this action, Lockheed seeks damages for breach of contract and bad faith termination (LM July 7, 2009 Am. Cmplt. (Dkt. No. 21)), while the MTA has counterclaimed for breach of contract, overpayment, and conversion. (MTA Answer & Counterclaim (Dkt. No. 23))
Summary judgment is warranted where the moving party shows that "there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact" and that it "is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). "A dispute about a `genuine issue' exists for summary judgment purposes where the evidence is such that a reasonable [trier of fact] could decide in the non-movant's favor."
"The same standard applies where, as here, the parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment . . . ."
Lockheed asserts that it is entitled to summary judgment on certain issues related to the MTA's first counterclaim for breach of contract. Lockheed asks this Court to rule, as a matter of law, that (1) Lockheed was not required to develop any custom software for the Project (LM Br. (Dkt. No. 138) at 28-33); (2) the MTA waived any right it might have had to terminate Lockheed based on past events by electing to permit Lockheed to continue its performance (
"Under New York law, `an action for breach of contract requires proof of (1) a contract; (2) performance of the contract by one party; (3) breach by the other party; and (4) damages.'"
Where a breach of contract is alleged, "there may be circumstances in which the question of materiality is a question of law for the judge."
"Under New York law, a written contract is to be interpreted so as to give effect to the intention of the parties as expressed in the unequivocal language they have employed.'"
"If the contract is ambiguous, extrinsic evidence may be considered `to ascertain the correct and intended meaning of a term' or terms."
Lockheed maintains that the MTA improperly defaulted it for failing to develop custom software. According to Lockheed, "[t]he Contract, including the RFP and Lockheed Martin's Proposal, unambiguously provides that the [Security System] sought by the MTA, proposed by Lockheed Martin, and accepted by the MTA would not include custom software development or modification of COTS software." (LM Br. (Dkt. No. 138) at 31) As such, Lockheed argues that it "cannot have breached a non-existent Contract `requirement.'" (
Lockheed mischaracterizes the reasons it was defaulted, however, as well as the nature of its obligations under the Contract Documents. First, Lockheed incorrectly asserts that "the MTA avers [in its counterclaims] that Lockheed [] did not diligently prosecute the work because it did not develop custom software to satisfy the MTA's requirements." (
Second, the Contract Documents unambiguously require Lockheed to "incorporate and integrate Software into the [Security System] that addresses all functional and performance requirements as defined throughout the Contract Documents," and to furnish the MTA "with the latest versions of all [COTS] Software and `Non-COTS' Software used to produce and support the [Security System]." (JA Ex. 10.2 (Dkt. No. 163-45), Agreement, § IV.A.1 & A.3 ("Furnishing Hardware and Software") at 12-13) While it is true that Lockheed proposed delivering the promised functionality using a "100% COTS solution" that would "require[] no software development" (JA Ex. 9.1 (Dkt. No. 163-19), Proposal Vol. 1, Proposal Summary § 1.1 ("Key Program Personnel")), Lockheed also represented that it took "no exceptions to the contract" and that its Proposal was "100% compliant with the requirements of the RFP." (MTA R. 56.1 Reply ¶ 103 (citing JA Ex. 9.1 (Dkt. No. 163-19), Proposal Vol. 1, Proposal Summary § 7 ("Contract Exceptions"))) The Specifications set forth in the RFP, moreover, require the contractor to "produce and enforce a comprehensive software development process that includes methodologies as specified in Division 25 for all [Security System] software utilizing the specified standards as applicable" (JA Ex. 13.11 (Dkt. No. 163-68), Specification 1AB.11 ("Software")), and provide the MTA with a Software Quality Assurance Plan. In the Software Quality Assurance Plan that Lockheed provided to the MTA, Lockheed noted that "[alt the present time, it is anticipated that there will not be any new software that needs to be specifically developed for the system, [for] pre-existing software, or [for] COTS software modified for use on the [Security System]." Lockheed further promised, however, that
Lockheed now contends that "Division 25 does nothing more than provide procedures and requirements should software development ultimately be used on the [Security System] project." (LM Reply Br. (Dkt. No. 142) at 3 n.1) Because the parties envisioned an "all-COTS" solution, Lockheed contends that "the MTA's arguments about Division 25 are immaterial to summary judgment." (
Lockheed's arguments are unpersuasive. The Contract Documents unambiguously provide that Lockheed must satisfy all the requirements set forth in the RFP. Indeed, Lockheed promised that "any Software program it provides will be fully compatible and will interface completely with each other Software program provided hereunder and with the Equipment, such that the Equipment and Software combined, will perform as a fully functioning System of Systems
Division 25 — which Lockheed acknowledged and agreed to abide by — provides that "[t]he Contractor shall provide all software necessary to satisfy the functional, safety, reliability, availability, maintainability, and performance requirements contained elsewhere within this Contract." (JA Ex. 15.1 (Dkt. No. 163-74), Specification Section 25A.1 ("Introduction")) Division 25 also "outlines the level of software process and documentation required" for both "Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software requiring no modifications" and "[n]ew software that has been specifically developed for the System, pre-existing software, or COTS software modified for use on the[Security System]." (Id.) In sum, in the Contract Documents, Lockheed took on the obligation to (1) provide all software necessary to insure that the MTA received a functional, integrated security system; and (2) secure new custom software in the event that COTS software proved inadequate to achieve this objective.
Lockheed also contends that it was not required to develop custom software because the MTA never "directed" it to do so. (LM Br. (Dkt. No. 138) at 11) This argument is likewise not persuasive. The Contract Documents require Lockheed to obtain the MTA Engineer's approval for modification of COTS software; the Contract Documents do not, however, impose any duty on the MTA to direct Lockheed to develop custom software. (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) ¶ 122 (quoting JA Ex. 13.11 (Dkt. No. 163-68), Specification lAB.11 ("Software"))) It was Lockheed's responsibility, and not the MTA's responsibility, to provide software that satisfied the MTA's requirements for the Security System, as set forth in the Contract Documents. While Lockheed may have hoped that an all-COTS system would satisfy the MTA's requirements for the Security System, in the event that an all-COTS system did not satisfy the MTA's requirements, Lockheed remained obligated to satisfy those requirements through other means, including by providing custom software if necessary.
In sum, Lockheed is not entitled to summary judgment on its claim that its obligations under the Contract Documents do "not include custom software development or modification of COTS software." (LM Br. (Dkt. No. 138) at 31)
"The New York doctrine of election of remedies provides that upon learning of a breach, a party must choose between terminating the contract and continuing performance. If a party chooses to continue performance, it must give notice of the breach to the other side, or it waives its rights to sue the breaching party."
"Under New York law, election of remedies is an affirmative defense."
Lockheed contends that the MTA's breach of contract counterclaim is premised on,
In opposing Lockheed's motion, the MTA argues — as a preliminary matter — that Lockheed may not present an election of remedies defense to its breach of contract counterclaim, because Lockheed did not plead that affirmative defense in its Answer. (MTA Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 146) at 30) Lockheed maintains that it appropriately pled this affirmative defense, citing the following paragraph in its Answer:
(LM Reply Br. (Dkt. No. 142) at 15 (citing Ex. J5 p. 18-19))
This language is not sufficient to plead the affirmative defense of election of remedies. The doctrines of waiver and election of remedies are not synonymous. "In contrast to a waiver of contractual rights, an election is simply a choice among remedies by the party; it is a decision by that party as to how it should proceed in the wake of the breaching party's nonperformance. In other words, `an election is not a waiver of any rights under the contract but rather a choice between two inconsistent remedies for breach of the contract.'"
Lockheed's failure to adequately plead the affirmative defense of election of remedies does not, however, preclude this Court from considering this defense at summary judgment. As noted above, where an affirmative defense is not properly pled but is nonetheless raised at summary judgment, courts construe the summary judgment motion as a motion to amend the answer. Such a motion may be granted where the adversary has not shown "undue prejudice . . ., bad faith or dilatory motive on the part of the [movant], futility, or undue delay of the proceedings."
Here, the MTA has not articulated any unfair prejudice it would suffer from this Court's consideration of Lockheed's election of remedies defense. From the outset of this litigation, the MTA has been on notice that Lockheed intended to raise an election of remedies defense. Indeed, Lockheed's June 4, 2009 Cure Response states:
(JA Ex. 7.1 (Dkt. No. 163-5), June 4, 2009 LM Cure Response) Accordingly, this Court will consider the merits of Lockheed's election of remedies defense.
Insofar as the MTA seeks to justify its termination of Lockheed based on past material breaches, the election of remedies doctrine bars such a claim. The MTA's Counterclaims allege numerous material breaches by Lockheed that occurred well before Lockheed's June 12, 2009 termination, including the following:
The breaches alleged by the MTA do not refer only to past events, however, but include ongoing or recurrent breaches as well. For example, in a section of its Default Notice entitled "Lockheed's Failure to Satisfy its Design Obligations," the MTA lists three "egregious examples" of Lockheed's design failures, all of which are alleged ongoing breaches. See,
Lockheed offers two reasons why the MTA should be precluded from relying on delay as a justification for terminating Lockheed:
The MTA argues, however, that Lockheed was not terminated because of its failure to complete the Project by August 31, 2008. Rather, "it was Lockheed's continued lack of progress as of [the date] the Default Notice was issued . . . that provided the grounds for termination." (MTA Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 146) at 38) The MTA also contends that it never waived its right to terminate Lockheed for delay. "[F]ar from waiving the contractual substantial completion date]," the MTA asserts that it "repeatedly notified Lockheed that the original date was still operative, that time was of the essence, and that [Lockheed] remained potentially liable for liquidated damages." (
(
New York law provides that "where time is of the essence, performance on the specified date is a material element of the contract, and failure to perform on that date constitutes. . . a material breach of the contract."
"`A party may be deemed to have waived the right to timely performance, even where the parties have agreed that time is of the essence, by accepting performance after expiration of the time limit.'"
"`Waiver is the intentional relinquishment of a known right and should not be lightly presumed.'"
It is well-established that "[t]he fundamental, neutral precept of contract interpretation is that agreements are construed in accord with the parties' intent," and "a written agreement that is complete, clear and unambiguous on its face must be enforced according to the plain meaning of its terms."
Here, the Contract Documents set a substantial completion date of August 31, 2008, and expressly state that "[t]ime is of the essence." (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 139) ¶¶ 302, 304) It is likewise undisputed that the MTA did not agree to Lockheed's requests to extend the substantial completion deadline. (
First, as noted above, the MTA does not contend that Lockheed was defaulted because of its failure to meet the deadline for substantial completion. "Rather, Lockheed was defaulted for delaying the Project by its failure to continuously and diligently prosecute the work, as set forth in the Default Notice." (MTA Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 146) at 38 (citing JA Ex. 6 (Dkt. No. 163-4), Default Notice at 6-7)) Accordingly, Lockheed's motion for partial summary judgment will be denied as moot insofar as it seeks a ruling that it could not be defaulted for failing to meet the substantial completion deadline.
Second, the parties dispute the materiality of the 315-day delay that PMA attributed to the MTA. Lockheed contends that the PMA report operates as a concession that the MTA was "at a minimum[,] . . . responsible for delaying completion of the [Security System] project and that its delay extend[ed] the Substantial Completion date to at least July 12, 2009. . . ." (LM Br. (Dkt. No. 138) at 44) The MTA notes, however, that "PMA identified the 315-day. . . delay as `concurrent delay,'" and that, "[u]nder the terms of the Contract, Lockheed was not entitled to a time extension in connection with the MNR [Metro North Railroad] Regional [Command, Communications, and Control Center] delay because Lockheed failed to comply with the requirements for obtaining a time extension as set forth in Article 2.05." (MTA Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 146) at 39 & n.20) There are material issues of fact as to whether Lockheed complied with the requirements for obtaining an extension of time.
Third, Lockheed has not put forward sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the MTA waived its right to terminate Lockheed for delay. The Contract Documents provide that "[n]either the permitting of the Contractor to proceed with the Project subsequent to" the Substantial Completion date, "the making of any payments to the Contractor, nor the issuance of any Change Order, shall operate as a waiver on the part of [the MTA] of any rights under this Contract, including but not limited to the assessment of liquidated damages or declaring Contractor in default." (JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-50), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 2.05(g)) As noted above, it is undisputed that (1) Lockheed was required to substantially complete the work by August 31, 2008; (2) its requests for extensions of time were denied; and (3) Lockheed did not substantially complete the work by the August 31, 2008 deadline. While it is true that the MTA permitted Lockheed to continue with the work well past the deadline for substantial completion, it did not expressly waive its right to timely completion of the Project. To the contrary, the MTA repeatedly notified Lockheed that the MTA considered the original date to be operative and that Lockheed was potentially liable for liquidated damages.
Accordingly, insofar as Lockheed seeks summary judgment on its claim that the MTA waived its right to terminate Lockheed for delay, that motion will be denied.
Lockheed argues that, "[b]ecause the [Test Master Plan] was required by the terms of the Contract and was approved by the MTA in writing," it constitutes "a written modification of the Contract." (LM Br. (Dkt. No. 138) at 34) Lockheed further argues that "the parties' course of conduct and course of dealing, which readily acknowledged that the [Test Master Plan] governed testing on the project, modified the contract." (
N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 15-301(1) provides:
"As a general rule, where a contract has a provision which explicitly prohibits oral modification, such clause is afforded great deference."
Here, the parties agreed that,
(JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 164-51), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 4.01)
Summary judgment on this issue is not appropriate, because there are material issues of fact as to whether the MTA ever approved the Test Master Plan in writing. Lockheed contends that MTA Engineer Shields approved the Test Master Plan in a September 6, 2007 letter. (LM Br. (Dkt. No. 138) at 34) The MTA points out, however, that the September 6, 2007 letter includes attached comments from the MTA's Agencies as well as Engineer Shields's statement that, while the MTA Capital Construction Company was "approving the CDRL [Contract Deliverable Requirements List] documents with comments,
Under these circumstances, this Court cannot find, as a matter of law, that the Test Master Plan modified Lockheed's testing obligations under the Contract Documents. It is obvious from the factual account presented above that at least one branch of the MTA was unwilling to accept any testing plan that provided for a pass rate less than "all tests 100% of the time." (
Even if this Court could find as a matter of law that the MTA approved the Test Master Plan, it is not clear that such approval would constitute "an enforceable written modification to the Contract," as Lockheed argues.
Lockheed argues that the MTA's breach of contract counterclaim should be dismissed insofar as it faults Lockheed for moving equipment into the field prior to correcting all testing variances. Lockheed contends that "(1) the MTA granted Lockheed [ ] permission to move the equipment into the field, thereby waiving any such requirement; and (2) the express terms of the Contract did not require Lockheed Martin to correct all variances prior to shipment of equipment to the field."
As to Lockheed's first argument, while the MTA permitted Lockheed to move nine racks of equipment to Grand Central Terminal, it did so "based on [Lockheed's] assurance that the equipment and associated software will be installed and will provide functionality as required by the Contract." (MTA Ex. 164 (Dkt. No. 147-22), May 21, 2008 Shields Ltr.) Moreover, the letter approving this "accommodation" warned that it "d[id] not constitute a waiver by the MTACC of any of [Lockheed's] obligations under the Contract including, without limitation, [Lockheed's] obligation to meet [factory acceptance testing] and all other contractual testing and commissioning requirements . . . and [Lockheed's] contractual obligation to resolve all outstanding variances detected and to achieve full functionality." (
Lockheed's second contention — that it was not obligated to correct all variances prior to shipping equipment to the field — is contradicted by express language in the Contract Documents. Specification Section 1AB12.2.5, which governs factory acceptance testing, provides that `"[t]he Contractor shall ensure that all variances detected during Factory Acceptance Testing are documented and corrected prior to shipment in the field.'" (MTA Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 146) at 28 (quoting JA Ex. 13.12 (Dkt. No. 163-68))) While Lockheed argues that the Test Master Plan does "not include any minimum required pass rate for the completion of [factory acceptance testing]" (LM Br. (Dkt. No. 138) at 35), this Court cannot find as a matter of law — for the reasons discussed above — that the Test Master Plan constitutes a written modification of the contract. Accordingly, Lockheed is not entitled to summary judgment on its claim that the MTA cannot justify termination based on Lockheed's shipment of equipment racks to the field prior to completion of factory acceptance testing.
Lockheed states that "crucial software testing issues were placed by the MTA into four (4) categories of issues [that] the MTA called `showstoppers.'" (
As an initial matter, Lockheed's contention that the four "showstopper" categories reflect all the software testing failures is contradicted by record evidence. As the MTA notes in its Rule 56.1 Response, "the `showstoppers' related
Moreover, the evidence does not support Lockheed's contention that the "showstoppers" were, in fact, "closed." Lockheed contends that the MTA "acknowledged Lockheed['s] work to resolve the showstoppers to the MTA's satisfaction," citing (1) an internal MTA progress meeting slide stating that "[t]he [factory acceptance testing] show-stoppers are closed," and (2) an internal MTA email in which Ronald Pezik, the MTA's Program Manager for the Security System, states that "it has been agreed that the show stoppers have been satisfied to the point of allowing BU [Beneficial Use] to proceed. . . ." (LM R. 56.1 Stmt. ¶ 297;
At deposition, however, several MTA employees — including Pezik — testified that the "showstoppers" had not been closed.
Given the conflicting evidence on this point, Lockheed is not entitled to summary judgment on its claim that the MTA is precluded from relying on software testing failures to justify its termination of Lockheed.
The MTA contends that it is entitled to summary judgment on (1) its breach of contract counterclaim; (2) Lockheed's bad faith termination and
The MTA contends that the undisputed facts demonstrate that Lockheed committed both material breaches and specific "events of default" listed in Article 7.01 of the contract's Terms and Conditions. The MTA argues that Lockheed (1) "fail[ed] to satisfy the warranty obligations of the Contract, which include the warranty that Lockheed's integrated software solution meets all of the Contract's requirements"; (2) "fail[ed] to get the system it was delivering formally `commissioned' by the Contract's independent Commissioning Agent"; and (3) "willfully violat[ed] . . . the provisions of the Contract Documents" — an Event of Default under Article 7.01 — by "remov[ing] staff, disinvest[ing], and plann[ing] to close out its contractual commitment without regard to the sufficiency of the work." (MTA Br. (Dkt. No. 149) at 30-31, 39) As explained below, none of these arguments provides a sufficient basis for this Court to grant the MTA summary judgment on its breach of contract counterclaim.
As to the MTA's breach of warranty claim, the record demonstrates that the warranty provisions set forth in the contract's Terms and Conditions were not yet operative at the time of Lockheed's termination. The Contract Documents provide for a "Software Warranty Period" that begins to run one year
It is undisputed, however, that (1) Lockheed never informed the MTA that its work met the requirements for Substantial Completion; (2) the MTA's Engineer never declared that the criteria for Substantial Completion had been met; and (3) the MTA never issued a Certificate of Substantial Completion. (LM R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 161) ¶¶ 81, 848) Accordingly, the warranty provisions were never triggered, and Lockheed cannot be held liable for having breached these provisions.
Although the MTA concedes that the warranty period had not commenced prior to Lockheed's termination (Defendants' Reply Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Partial Summary Judgment ("MTA Reply Br.") (Dkt. No. 151) at 6), it nonetheless maintains that Lockheed was properly defaulted for breaching the warranty provisions, because Lockheed had "repudiat[ed] ... its fundamental obligations under the Contract." (
The MTA also argues that it is entitled to summary judgment on its breach of contract counterclaim because Lockheed did not obtain the Commissioning Agent's approval of the Security System or its components. (MTA Br. (Dkt. No. 149) at 37-39) Lockheed asserts, however, that it was terminated before commissioning was required under the Contract Documents. (LM Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 153) at 4, 36-38)
The MTA's claim contradicts express language in the Contract Documents. Specification Section 1X states that "the commissioning process shall commence during design development and
The MTA also complains that Lockheed "consistently ignored the Commissioning Agent's directions and recommendations." (MTA Br. (Dkt. No. 149) at 38) Under the Contract Documents, however, Lockheed was only required to deliver a commissioned system, not to follow the Commissioning Agent's directions or recommendations for achieving that goal. Accordingly, the MTA is not entitled to summary judgment on its breach of contract counterclaim on the ground that Lockheed failed to obtain commissioning of the Security System or its components.
Article 2.01 of the Terms and Conditions provides that "[t]he Contractor shall begin work within ten (10) days after the date of issuance of the Notice of Award, and shall thereafter prosecute the Work continuously and diligently." (JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-49), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 2.01) The "Events of Default" listed in Article 7.01(a) include (1) performance that is "unreasonably or unnecessarily delayed"; (2) a party's "willful[ ] violat[ion] [of] any provisions of the Contract Documents or [a failure to] execut[e] the same in good faith and in accordance with this Contract"; and (3) a Contractor's abandonment of the work. (JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-53), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 7.01 ("Event of Default")))
The MTA contends that Lockheed willfully violated the Contract Documents by not prosecuting its work continuously and diligently, and complains that Lockheed "removed staff, disinvested, and planned to close out its contractual commitment without regard to the sufficiency or completeness of the work." (MTA Br. (Dkt. No. 149) at 39)
As an initial matter, the parties disagree about the meaning of "willful" as used in the Terms and Conditions. Lockheed argues that a breach is willful only if it is committed maliciously, while the MTA contends that "willful" merely means "intentional." (
In support of its interpretation, Lockheed cites
Courts have noted that "[w]illful' is a notoriously ambiguous word, which can indicate any of a number of mental states."
Finally, even if this Court were to accept the MTA's interpretation of "willful," several disputed factual issues would preclude summary judgment. For example, while it is undisputed that Lockheed began "de-staffing" the Project at some point prior to its termination, Lockheed contends that this action merely reflected the changing needs of the Project as it moved from one testing phase to another. (LM Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 153) at 39) Lockheed further contends that an "accelerated de-staff plan" was implemented in April 2009 after the MTA advised Lockheed "that it was going to delete major chunks of work from the Contract because [the] MTA could not fulfill its own obligations under the Contract." (
In the Amended Complaint's "Alternative Third Claim for Relief," Lockheed pleads a cause of action for "Bad Faith Termination and Recovery in Quantum Meruit." (LM Am. Cmplt. (Dkt. No. 21) at 24) Lockheed's theory is that the MTA "got rid of Lockheed Martin so that it would not have to pay for delay that [the] MTA caused."
The MTA argues that Lockheed cannot maintain a
Lockheed does not respond to these arguments directly. Instead, it merely states that the "MTA acted in bad faith for its financial benefit," and that "[i]f MTA wanted to eliminate a claim based on MTA's bad faith, MTA could have and should have specifically included language [in the Contract Documents] barring such a claim." (LM Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 153) at 44, 48)
Article 7.03 of the Terms and Conditions states, in pertinent part, that
(JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-53), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 7.03 (emphasis in original)) Article 2.09(e), in turn, provides that "[a]ll payments pursuant to this
As an initial matter, the MTA incorrectly asserts that a party may not sue in
Lockheed's bad faith termination and
Under Article 2.09, the Contractor's damages are calculated as the lesser of its "actual cost or the fair and reasonable value" of its work. (JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-53), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 7.03) However, as noted above, under Article 2.09 "[t]he Contractor shall have no cause of action under any theory of quasi-contract or quantum meruit by reason of any delay. . . ." (JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-50), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 2.09(e) (emphasis in original)) In sum, in agreeing to Article 2.09, Lockheed bargained away its right to pursue a
Lockheed complains that it "was terminated so that the MTA would not have to pay for its delay of the project." (LM Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 153) at 47) Under express language in the Terms and Conditions, however, Lockheed "specifically assume[d] the risk of . . . delays" and agreed that it would "have no right to rescind or terminate th[e] Contract," or maintain a cause of action "under any theory of quasi-contract or quantum meruit by reason of any delay. ." (JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-50), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 2.07(d))
Because Lockheed bargained away its right to bring a bad faith termination and
The MTA argues that it is entitled to summary judgment on Lockheed's "Second Claim for Recovery" — which seeks damages under Article 2.09 — because "Lockheed has failed to provide documentation in support of its claim." (MTA Br. (Dkt. No. 149) at 46-49)
As discussed above, the parties agreed that Article 2.09 would govern Lockheed's damages in the event that the MTA's termination of Lockheed for cause was found to be improper. Under Article 2.09(b), Lockheed is entitled to recover:
(JA Ex. 10.4 (Dkt. No. 163-50), Contract Terms and Conditions, Art. 2.09(b)) Article 2.09 further provides that any amount payable under this provision is to be reduced by the amount already paid under the contract. (
Lockheed claims that it is entitled to recover $93,990,043 under Article 2.09. (LM Opp. Br. (Dkt. No. 153) at 20) This figure is derived from the "actual cost or fair and reasonable value" of Lockheed's work on the Project, which Lockheed calculated during discovery at $323,058,862. (MTA R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 150) ¶ 559)
The MTA asserts that (1) during discovery, it asked Lockheed to explain how it arrived at the $323,058,862 figure, but that "Lockheed never responded to [the MTA's] interrogatory or the several follow-up reminders from MTA's counsel;" and (2) "[t]he $323 million figure appears to be improper under Article 2.09." (MTA R. 56.1 Br. (Dkt. No. 149) 47-48)
In its opposition to the MTA's summary judgment motion, Lockheed states that the "fair and reasonable value" of its work is $331,440,406.75, while its "actual cost" at the time its interrogatory response was prepared was $323,058,862.00. (LM R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 161) ¶ 925) In support of these calculations, Lockheed has submitted declarations from two Lockheed employees, Donato Antonucci and Gary Porter. (Dkt. Nos. 158, 159)
The MTA contends, however, that in order to assert its claim for "actual cost," Lockheed has improperly "inflated the [fair and reasonable value] number by including rejected claims for additional compensation for delay damages (approximately $35 million); uninstalled inventory ($7.3 million); rack integration ($2.9 million); and "disputed changes" ($2.8 million)."
Because the parties' dispute about damages presents material issues of fact — such as whether Lockheed's "fair and reasonable value" calculation is inflated — it cannot be resolved on a motion for summary judgment. The MTA's motion is also premature, because the parties agreed to proceed with summary judgment briefing before damages discovery was completed. (LM R. 56.1 Resp. (Dkt. No. 161) ¶ 914) Accordingly, the MTA's motion for summary judgment on Lockheed's claim for damages under Article 2.09 will be denied.
For the reasons stated above, Lockheed's motion for partial summary judgment is granted to the extent that the MTA's breach of contract counterclaim is based on past events of default, but is otherwise denied. The MTA's motion for partial summary judgment is granted as to Lockheed's "Alternative Third Claim for Relief," but is otherwise denied.
The Clerk of the Court is directed to terminate the motions (Dkt. Nos. 137, 148). Trial will commence at
SO ORDERED.