Too Bad, So Sad
Apr.25.2006
In a "twist" that reminds one of the immortal words of Mr. Bumble, "If the law supposes that, then the law
is a a--," after the Court of Federal Claims had held last year in Int'l Data Products Corp. v. U.S. that the termination of an IT products provider's contract also extinguished its warranty obligations for products already delivered, Judge George Miller has now held (Apr. 10, 2006, http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/Opinions/GMiller/06/
GMILLER.IDPCorp041006.pdf) that the contractor cannot recover under any contract theory (including quantum meruit ) for the warranty services provided after termination, which the contractor had provided under protest because the government threatened default and debarment if it did not. The court reasoned that, because there was no written contract after the termination and because the contractor had never agreed to provide the post-termination services willingly, there was neither an express nor an implied contract for the services, depriving the court of jurisdiction.
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