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Relator's Detailed Allegations Cannot Overcome Public Disclosure Bar

Client Alert | 1 min read | 03.04.13

In U.S. ex rel. Mateski v. Raytheon Co. (C.D. Cal. Feb. 26, 2013), the district court dismissed the qui tam relator's action under the pre-2010 "public disclosure" provision, holding that, although the relator's allegations were much more specific than the information which had been publicly disclosed in the media, congressional hearings, and administrative reports, the broadly worded public disclosures on the same topics were sufficient to supply the government with enough information to initiate an investigation and, therefore, barred the action. The court rejected the relator's novel suggestion that it apply a Rule 9(b) particularity requirement to the publicly disclosed information, and it rejected his contention that he was an original source because (a) he had no hand in the public disclosure (a requirement which not all circuits apply), (b) he failed to provide his information to the government before filing suit, and (c) he could not demonstrate that he saw the fraud with his own eyes.


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Client Alert | 1 min read | 08.10.26

ASBCA Denies Government Motion to Dismiss, Providing Key Guidance on Contractor Claim Standards Post-ECC International

In Appeal of Bahadir (a C&M case), the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals denied the government’s motion to dismiss in its entirety, ruling in favor of the contractor on both key issues raised by the government. The case arises from a contract for construction work at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, under which Appellant alleged government-caused delay and filed certified prolongation claims using a “windows analysis” methodology. The government moved to dismiss, arguing that Appellant failed to state a sum certain for each of what the government characterized as 38 distinct claims, and separately that four claims had not been properly presented to the Contracting Officer. ...