COURSE INTRODUCTION
Course Goals
Methodology
PART I BACKGROUND
A. Introduction
B. Communications
C. English and Language
D. The Law of Contract
1. Modern Contract Law
2. Contract Definitions
3. The Elements of a Contract
4. Types of Contracts
E. Government Contract Law
1. Introduction
2. Elements of a Government Contract
3. The Role of Authority in Government Contracting
4. Sources of Government Contract Law
5. Government Contract Personnel
F. Types of Contractual Relationships with the Federal Government
G. Evidence
PART II CONTRACT INTERPRETATION
A. Introduction
1. Contract Interpretation Defined
a. Interpreting disputed words or phrases
b. Resolving apparently conflicting portions of the contract
c. Determining obligations when the contract is ambiguous
d. Filling gaps when key terms are omitted
2. The Cardinal Rule of Contract Interpretation
3. Contract Interpretation vs. Construction
4. Contract Interpretation vs. Contract Performance
5. The Legal Status of Contract Interpretation
6. The Objective and Subjective Theories of Contract Interpretation
7. The Subject Matter of Contract Interpretation
a. Intrinsic evidence
b. Extrinsic evidence
8. The Principles of Contract Interpretation
a. Rules in aid of interpretation
b. Preferences in interpretation
9. The Interconnection of Contract Interpretation Arguments
10. The Model of Contract Interpretation Analysis
11. What Judges Do When They Interpret a Contract
12. Board and Claims Court Decisions
B. Intrinsic Evidence
1. Introduction
2. Common Usage
3. Contract Definitions
4. Dictionary Meanings
5. Technical Terms
6. Contractual Orders of Precedence
a. Introduction
b. Order of preference clauses
c. Uniform contract format
d. Construction
e. Sealed bidding
f. Commercial items
g. Elements of a contractual order of precedence resolution
h. Legally-effective clause
i. Conflict
j. Conflict covered by the clause
k. Relationship of contractual orders of precedence to other interpretation principles
l. The intent of the parties
m. Patent ambiguities, and Contra Proferentem
7. Common Law Orders of Precedence
8. Enumeration and Lists
a. Inclusive
b. Exclusive
C. Extrinsic Evidence
1. Introduction
2. Use of Extrinsic Evidence in Contract Disputes
3. Categories of Extrinsic Evidence
a. Before the contract award
b. After award, or during performance, but before a dispute arises
c. After the dispute arises
d. Other or previous contracts between the parties
e. “Custom” or “trade usage”
f. Dictionaries
4. Current Issues Concerning the Use ofExtrinsic Evidence
5. Extrinsic Evidence Scenarios
a. During solicitation process (site visits and written questions)
b. During proposal evaluation(negotiations and oral presentations)
c. During contract performance, but before the dispute
d. Communications after the disputearises
e. Communications in the parties’ other contracts (prior course of dealing)
6. Waiver and Estoppel
7. Trade Usage and Custom
D. Resolving Ambiguities
1. Introduction
2. Determining an Ambiguity
3. The Doctrine of Contra Proferentem
4. The Elements of Contra Proferentem
a. Identifiable draftsman
b. Reasonable interpretation
c. Reliance on interpretation
5. The Federal Exception to Contra Proferentem
a. Patent ambiguities
b. Latent ambiguities
PART III THE CONTEXT OF CONTRACT
INTERPRETATION
A. Contract Types and Specifications
B. Changes
C. Inspection and Acceptance
D. Defaults
E. Contract Disputes
