FEDERALUnited States Court of Federal Claims
2013

Crewzers Fire Crew Transport, Inc. v. United States

111 Fed. Cl. 148United States Court of Federal Claims • Decided 2013Remanded

HOLDING

Crewzers Fire Crew Transport sued the federal government over a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for supplying fire crew tents. The court ruled that a BPA is not a binding contract by itself—it's just a framework. Real contracts only form when the government actually places individual orders and the contractor accepts them. This matters because it affects your payment rights and ability to claim damages if the government cancels orders.

KEY FINDINGS

Termination for Convenience

A BPA creates no legal obligation on either party until specific orders are issued and accepted—don't assume you have a guaranteed contract just because you signed a BPA

Change Order

The government can terminate or stop ordering under a BPA without triggering termination-for-convenience protections that apply to actual contracts

FULL COURT OPINION