No. 20-1437

Optimum Services, Inc. v. Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior

Lower Court: Federal Circuit
Docketed: 2021-04-14
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: administrative-law agency-action bid-protest contract-disputes-act court-of-federal-claims government-contracting judicial-review standard-of-review termination-for-convenience
Key Terms:
JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2021-05-27
Question Presented (from Petition)

I. Is an agency's termination for convenience of a contract for voluntary
corrective action in response to the filing of a post-award bid protest in the
Court of Federal Claims subject to review under the Contract Disputes Act
("CDA") for breach of contract, where the record shows that:

* the agency knew or should have known that the post-award bid protest
had no merit;

* the agency knew or should have known that the post-award bid protest
was subject to a motion to dismiss for untimeliness;

* the agency had a requirement and the funding and ability to perform
the contract; and

* the termination for convenience was based in part on the agency's stated
desire to obtain a better bargain for the same work by terminating the
contract and cancelling the solicitation and awarding new contracts for
the same work to other contractor(s).

II. Ifa termination for convenience is subject to judicial review for breach of
contract under the CDA, what standard(s) of judicial review should be applied
when reviewing a termination for convenience for breach of contract under the
CDA?

III. Ifa termination for convenience is subject to judicial review for breach of
contract under the CDA, should a CDA board of contract appeals give
preclusive effect or deference to a non-binding GAO advisory opinion
approving of the termination, that was issued months after the termination in
the terminated contractor's GAO protest against the cancellation of the
solicitation, without considering the merits of the GAO's advisory opinion?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Is an agency's termination for convenience of a contract for voluntary corrective action in response to the filing of a post-award bid protest in the Court of Federal Claims subject to review under the Contract Disputes Act (CDA) for breach of contract?"

Docket Entries

2021-06-01
Petition DENIED.
2021-05-11
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/27/2021.
2021-05-06
Waiver of right of respondent Haaland, Sec. of Interior to respond filed.
2021-04-08
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 14, 2021)

Attorneys

Haaland, Sec. of Interior
Elizabeth B. PrelogarActing Solicitor General, Respondent
Optimum Services, Inc.
James Walton CopelandThe Copeland Law Firm, LLC, Petitioner