Jose A. Aquino – Page 4 – Duane Morris Construction Law

February 15, 2013July 29, 2014 by Jose A. Aquino

Compliance With Contractual Notice Provisions

A recent decision of New York City Office Of Administrative Trials And Hearings (“OATH”) highlights the significance of compliance with each and every provision of a construction contract. Ferreira Construction Co., Inc. v. Dep’t of Transportation, OATH Index No. 1619/12 (Nov. 16, 2012), involved a public contract to reconstruct a pedestrian bridge in Manhattan at East 78th Street and the FDR Drive. The New York City Department of Transportation (“DOT”) contract contained a contractor initiated value engineering change (“CIVEC”) provision that gave the contractor an incentive to propose innovations by allowing for an award to the contractor of 50% of the cost savings if the proposal was accepted by DOT. The dispute concerned the application of the CIVEC clause. The contractor claimed that its accepted proposal under the CIVEC clause saved DOT $252,320.50, and that it was entitled to 50% of the savings of $126,160.25. DOT claimed that the proposal saved the agency only $93,011.50, and that the contractor was entitled to only $46,505.75 additional compensation.

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January 22, 2013July 29, 2014 by Jose A. Aquino

NYS 2100 Commission Releases Report on Improving New York State’s Infrastructure

In November 2012, Governor Andrew Cuomo formed the NYS 2100 Commission in response to the recent, and extraordinary, weather events experienced in New York State (Super Storm Sandy, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee). The Commission, consisting of 25 members, is co-chaired by Judith Rodin, President of Rockefeller Foundation, and Felix Rohatyn, former Chairman of the Municipal Assistance Corporation.

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January 14, 2013July 29, 2014 by Jose A. Aquino

New York Employers Must Comply with Employee Notice Requirements of New York Wage Theft Prevention Act by February 1st Deadline

The February 1st deadline to comply with the New York Wage Theft Prevention Act is fast approaching. The Act requires New York State employers to provide to each employee a written notice containing specific information about the employee’s wages. The notice must be given to all employees, including employees earning union wages and employees earning prevailing wages on public construction projects.

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January 9, 2013July 29, 2014 by Jose A. Aquino

Pennsylvania Court Distinguishes Between Corrective Work and Additional Work In Dismissing Mechanics’ Lien Claim

The Superior Court of Pennsylvania recently affirmed the dismissal of a contractor’s mechanics’ lien on the grounds that the lien was not filed within 6 months after the completion of the work as required by Pennsylvania’s Lien Law. In Neelu Enterprises, Inc. v. Agarwal, 2012 PA Super. 276, No. 787 MDA 2012 (December 18, 2012), Agarwal, as owner, hired Neelu Enterprises, Inc., a contractor, to build a house. The contractor completed a substantial portion of the work for which it was paid. However, the owner decided to terminate the contractor before the house was completed. The owner and contractor entered into a termination agreement on December 8, 2010. Thereafter, the contractor returned to the job site to correct deficiencies on several occasions through January 7, 2011. The contractor filed its mechanic’s lien on June 23, 2011, within 6 months of January 7, 2011, but more than 6 months from the date of the termination agreement. Pennsylvania’s Lien Law provides that a claimant must file a lien “within six (6) months after completion of his work.” 49 P.S. § 1502(a)(1).

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