Justia Government Contracts Opinion Summaries

The pro-forma provision in the tariff in this case, which set the rates and terms for a utility’s relationship with its retail customers, did not conflict with a prior franchise agreement, which reflected the common law rule requiring utilities to pay public right-of-way relocation costs, or the common law, and the franchise agreement controlled as to the relocation costs at issue.At issue was whether the City of Richardson or Oncor Electric Delivery Company must pay relocation costs to accommodate changes to public rights-of-way. The City negotiated a franchise agreement with Oncor requiring Oncor to bear the costs of relocating its equipment and facilities to accommodate changes to public rights-of-way, but Oncor refused to pay such costs. While the relocation dispute was pending, Oncor filed a case with the Public Utility Commission (PUC) seeking to alter its rates. The case was settled, and the resulting rate change was filed as a tariff with the PUC. The City enacted an ordinance consistent with the tariff, which included the pro-forma provision at issue. The Supreme Court held that the provision in the tariff did not conflict with the franchise contract’s requirement that Oncor pay the right-of-way relocation costs at issue. View "City of Richardson v. Oncor Electric Delivery Co." on Justia Law

This case involved a contract dispute between a local governmental entity that oversaw federal funded rebuilding projects in areas of Texas that were struck by Hurricane Ike and a construction contractor. After a dispute arose between the governmental entity and the contractor regarding the quality of the contractor’s work and payment due under the contracts, the contractor filed suit against the governmental entity for payments allegedly due. The governmental entity filed a plea to the jurisdiction, alleging governmental immunity. The trial court denied the plea, concluding that immunity had been waived by chapter 271 of the Local Government Code, which waives immunity if the contract provides “goods or services to the local governmental entity.” The court of appeals reversed. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that that the chapter 271 immunity waiver applied in this case. View "Byrdson Services, LLC v. South East Texas Regional Planning Commission" on Justia Law