Ravens Group, Inc. v. United States
2013 U.S. Claims LEXIS 979 (Fed. Cl. 2013)

This action arose out of a contractor’s claim for additional compensation for unanticipated work. The U.S. Army (the “Government”) solicited private contractors to provide the maintenance and repair services for General and Flag Officers Quarters (“GFOQ”) at Fort Myers, Virginia and Fort McNair, Washington D.C. GFOQ is military housing specifically designated for senior officers of the military and their families. Traditionally, the Government used “in-house” personnel to respond to the majority of the maintenance and repair service calls at GFOQ housing. The solicitation from private contractors marked a new initiative in which the service calls at these two bases would be handled exclusively by a private contractor.

Berks Products Corp. v. Arch Ins. Co.
72 A.3d 315 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2013)

Note: A petition for allowance of appeal from this decision has been filed with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, but has not been acted upon as of January14, 2014.

This action arose from a payment bond secured by a general contractor for work performed on a public school building. Skepton Construction, Inc. (“Skepton”) entered into an agreement with the Wilson Area School District (the “District”) to be the general contractor for the construction of a new intermediate school (the “Project”). Under its agreement with the District, Skepton was required to secure a payment bond in order to guarantee its payment obligations. Skepton secured its payment bond through Arch Insurance Company (“Arch”). The payment bond (the “Bond”), in relevant part, stated: “[I]f the Principal and any subcontractor of the Principal to whom any portion of the work under the Agreement shall be subcontracted,…promptly shall pay or cause to be paid, in full, all money which may be due any claimant supplying labor or materials…, then this Bond shall be void; otherwise this Bond shall be and shall remain in force and effect.”

RSP Architects, Ltd. v. Five Star Dev. Resort Communities, LLC
306 P.3d 93 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2013)

This action arose from a payment dispute on a construction project where an architectural firm, RSP Architects, Ltd. (“RSP”), contracted with a developer, Five Star Development Resort Communities, LLC (“Five Star”), to provide architectural services for a development known as the Palmeraie (the “Project”). Pursuant to the architectural services contract (the “Architectural Agreement”), RSP was tasked with several different duties, including “construction administration,” “overall coordination,” and “conceptual design” related to the Project. For its services, RSP was to receive approximately $3,000,000. Prior to completion, however, RSP ceased work on the Project and sued Five Star, alleging, among other claims, a violation of Arizona’s Prompt Payment Act, A.R.S. § 32-1129 et seq. (the “PPA”).

Shelter Prods. v. Steelwood Constr., Inc.
307 P.3d 449 (Or. Ct. App. 2013)

This action arose from a payment dispute between a general contractor, Catamount Constructors, Inc. (“Catamount”), and one of its subcontractors, Steelwood Construction, Inc. (“Steelwood”). Catamount contracted with Steelwood (the “Subcontract”) to provide materials and perform work for the construction of a Home Depot distribution center in Salem, Oregon (the “Project”). Included in the Subcontract was a provision that allowed Catamount to terminate the Subcontract for convenience and “without cause.” In the event the Subcontract was terminated for convenience, Steelwood would be entitled to the cost of all work performed on the Project as of the date of termination.

Atl. Marine Constr. Co. v. United States Dist. Court
2013 U.S. LEXIS 8775 (U.S. 2013)  

This action arose out of a forum-selection clause in a contract for a federal construction project. The U.S. Corps of Engineers contracted with Atlantic Marine Construction Company (“Atlantic”), a Virginia Corporation, to build a child development center at Fort Hood, a military base located in the western district of Texas. Atlantic then entered into a Subcontract Agreement (the “Subcontract”) with J-Crew Management, Inc. (“J-Crew”), a Texas corporation, to provide labor and materials. The Subcontract included a forum-selection clause, providing that disputes “shall be litigated in the Circuit Court for the City of Norfolk, Virginia, or the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division.” Following a dispute over payment, however, J-Crew sued Atlantic in the Western District of Texas.

Miner Dederick Constr., LLP v. Gulf Chemical & Metallurgical Corp.
2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 4589 (Tex. App. April 11, 2013)

Gulf Chemical & Metallurgical Corporation (“Gulf”) hired Miner Dederick Construction, LLP (“Miner”) in May 2005 to construct an addition to a hazardous waste containment building. The addition, designed by a third-party engineer, included a 140-foot expansion joint between the existing and new foundations. Due to the hazardous materials stored in the facility, the expansion joint included a specialty sealant system and was designed prevent fluid leakage. Miner completed construction in January 2006, but by June 2006 Gulf discovered leakage through the expansion joint.

Gulf requested that Miner implement the engineer’s design for repairing the expansion joint under the contract warranty provisions. Miner refused, claiming that it installed the expansion joint per the original design and the repair was a redesign. Gulf bid the repair work and hired a different contractor to repair the expansion joint.

Engeman Enterprises, LLC, v. Tolin Mechanical Systems Company
2013 Colo. App. LEXIS 345 (Colo. App. Mar. 14, 2013)

Engeman operates a cold storage facility and Tolin designs, installs, maintains, and repairs cooling systems. In 2008, Engeman engaged Tolin for an emergency repair at Engeman’s facility. The parties entered into two agreements, both of which stated that Tolin would perform its work in a “prudent and workmanlike manner,” and which disclaimed Tolin’s liability beyond repairing issues caused by defective workmanship.

Paragon Constr. Co. v. Dep’t of Pub. Works
2013 Conn. Super LEXIS 789 (Conn. Super. Ct. 2013)

The Connecticut Department of Public Works and the Connecticut Department of Corrections (collectively “the State”) solicited bids for the renovation of a correctional center. Paragon Construction Co. (“Paragon”) was awarded the contract, and it subcontracted with MacKenzie Painting Co. (“MacKenzie”) for work relating to de-leading and painting security bars on the windows of the correctional center.

TRG Construction, Inc. v. District of Columbia Water & Sewer Authority
2013 D.C. App. LEXIS 257 (May 9, 2013)

Appellant, TRG Construction, Inc. (“TRG”), was hired by the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (“D.C. Water”) to renovate bathrooms at D.C. Water’s central operations facility. When TRG initially contracted with D.C. Water it agreed to complete the bathroom renovations by June 13, 2004. The project suffered delays, however, and the deadline for completion was extended to July 31, 2005. Before that deadline, TRG requested another extension. D.C. Water declined to grant the request. Shortly thereafter, D.C. Water sent TRG a cure notice detailing several alleged deficiencies in TRG’s work. TRG declined to fix the problems asserting that its work was not defective. On September 2, 2005, D.C. Water terminated TRG’s contract for convenience.

Cresci Constr. Servs., Inc. v. Martin
2013 Pa. Super. LEXIS 154 (Pa. Super. Ct. Mar. 28, 2013)

Martin hired Cresci to build a home in exchange for $184,730. The Contract included a liquidated damages clause that applied if Martin canceled the contract before Cresci began constructing the home. The Contract did not include any other liquidated damage clauses.