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Commitments and Contingencies and Derivative Financial Instruments | 9 Months Ended
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Jul. 02, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies and Derivative Financial Instruments | Commitments and Contingencies and Derivative Financial Instruments Derivative Financial Instruments The Company is exposed to interest rate risk under its variable rate borrowings and additionally, due to the nature of the Compan y's international operations, we are at times exposed to foreign currency risk. As such, we sometimes enter into foreign exchange hedging contracts and interest rate hedging contracts in order to limit our exposure to fluctuating foreign currencies and interest rates. In fiscal 2020 we entered into interest rate swap agreements with a notional value of $801.9 million as of July 2, 2021 to manage the interest rate exposure on our variable rate loans. Additionally, we entered into a cross-currency swap agreement with a notional value of $127.8 million to manage the interest rate and foreign currency exposure on our USD borrowings by a European subsidiary. By entering into the swap agreements, the Company converted the LIBOR rate based liability into a fixed rate liability and, for the cross currency swap, our LIBOR rate based borrowing in USD to a fixed rate Euro liability, for periods ranging from three and a half to ten years. Under the interest rate swap agreements, the Company receives the one month LIBOR rate and pays monthly a fixed rate ranging from .704% to 1.116% and under the cross currency swap agreement, the Company receives the one month LIBOR rate plus 0.875% in USD and pays monthly a Euro fixed rate of .726% to .746% for the term of the swaps. The swaps were designated as cash-flow hedges in accordance with ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging. The fair value of the interest rate and cross currency swaps at July 2, 2021 and October 2, 2020 was $(9.2) million and $(31.5) million, respectively, of which $(14.7) million is inc luded in other deferred liabilities and $5.5 million is included in miscellaneous other assets on the consolidated balance sheets at July 2, 2021. The entire amount was included in other deferred liabilities at October 2, 2020. The unrealized net gain (loss) on these interest rate and cross currency swaps was $4.2 million and $(14.6) million, net of tax, and was included in accumulated other comprehensive inc ome as of July 2, 2021 and October 2, 2020, respectively. Additionally, the Company held foreign exchange forward contracts in currenc ies that support our operations, in cluding British Pound, Euro, Australian Dollar and other currencies, with notional values of $498.0 million at July 2, 2021 and $393.7 million at October 2, 2020. The length of these contracts currently ranges from one to 12 months. The fair value of the foreign exchange contracts at July 2, 2021 and October 2, 2020 w as $67.5 million and $53.5 million, respectively, which is included in current assets within re ceivables and contract assets on the consolidated balance sheets and with associated income statement impacts included in miscellaneous income (expense) in the consolidated statements of earnings. The fair value measurements of these derivatives are being made using Level 2 inputs under ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, as the measurements are based on o bservable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets. We are exposed to risk from credit-related losses resulting from nonperformance by counterparties to our financial instruments. We perform credit evaluations of our counterparties under forward exchange and interest rate contracts and expect all counterparties to meet their obligations. We have not experienced credit losses from our counterparties. Contractual Guarantees and Insurance In the normal course of business, we make contractual commitments (some of which are supported by separate guarantees) and on occasion we are a party in a litigation or arbitration proceeding. The litigation or arbitration in which we are involved includes personal injury claims, professional liability claims and breach of contract claims. Where we provide a separate guarantee, it is strictly in support of the underlying contractual commitment. Guarantees take various forms including surety bonds required by law, or standby letters of credit ("LOC" and also referred to as “bank guarantees”) or corporate guarantees given to induce a party to enter into a contract with a subsidiary. Standby LOCs are also used as security for advance payments or in various other transactions. The guarantees have various expiration dates ranging from an arbitrary date to completion of our work (e.g., engineering only) to completion of the overall project. We record in the Consolidated Balance Sheets amounts representing our estimated li ability relating to such guarantees, litigation and insurance claims. Guarantees are accounted for in accordance with ASC 460-10, Guarantees, at fair value at the inception of the guarantee. At July 2, 2021 and October 2, 2020, the Company had issued and outstanding approximate ly $268.9 million and $263.0 million, respectively, in LOCs and $2.1 billion an d $2.3 billion, respectively, in surety bonds. We maintain insurance coverage for most insurable aspects of our business and operations. Our insurance programs have varying coverage limits depending upon the type of insurance and include certain conditions and exclusions which insurance companies may raise in response to any claim that is asserted by or against the Company. We have also elected to retain a portion of losses and liabilities that occur through using various deductibles, limits, and retentions under our insurance programs. As a result, we may be subject to a future liability for which we are only partially insured or completely uninsured. We intend to mitigate any such future liability by continuing to exercise prudent business judgment in negotiating the terms and conditions of the contracts which the Company enters with its clients. Our insurers are also subject to business risk and, as a result, one or more of them may be unable to fulfill their insurance obligations due to insolvency or otherwise. Additionally, as a contractor providing services to the U.S. federal government, we are subject to many types of audits, investigations, and claims by, or on behalf of, the government including with respect to contract performance, pricing, cost allocations, procurement practices, labor practices, and socioeconomic obligations. Furthermore, our income, franchise, and similar tax returns and filings are also subject to audit and investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, most states within the United States, as well as by various government agencies representing jurisdictions outside the United States. Our Consolidated Balance Sheets include amounts representing our probable estimated liability relating to such claims, guarantees, litigation, audits, and investigations. We perform an analysis to determine the level of reserves to establish for insurance-related claims that are known and have been asserted against us, as well as for insurance-related claims that are believed to have been incurred based on actuarial analysis but have not yet been reported to our claims administrators as of the respective balance sheet dates. We include any adjustments to such insurance reserves in our consolidated results of operations. Insurance recoveries are recorded as assets if recovery is probable and estimated liabilities are not reduced by expected insurance recoveries. The Company believes, after consultation with counsel, that such guarantees, litigation, U.S. government contract-related audits, investigations and claims, and income tax audits and investigations should not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements, beyond amounts currently accrued. Litigation and Investigations In 2012, CH2M HILL Australia PTY Limited, a subsidiary of CH2M, entered into a 50/50 integrated joint venture with Australian construction contractor UGL Infrastructure Pty Limited. The joint venture entered into a Consortium Agreement with General Electric and GE Electrical International Inc. The Consortium was awarded a subcontract by JKC Australia LNG Pty Limited ("JKC") for the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of a 360 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant for INPEX Operations Australia Pty Limited at Blaydin Point, Darwin, NT, Australia. In January 2017, the Consortium terminated the Subcontract because of JKC’s repudiatory breach and demobilized from the work site. JKC claimed the Consortium abandoned the work and itself purported to terminate the Subcontract. The Consortium and JKC are now in dispute over the termination. In August 2017, the Consortium filed an International Chamber of Commerce arbitration against JKC and is seeking compensatory damages in the amount of approximately $530.0 million for repudiatory breach or, in the alternative, seeking damages for unresolved contract claims and change orders. JKC is seeking damages in excess of $1.7 billion and has drawn on the bonds. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a November 2020 date for commencement of the hearing was vacated and the hearing was rescheduled for opening arguments in April 2021 and the remaining proceedings in July and August 2021. The opening arguments did occur as scheduled, but in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the remaining proceedings were rescheduled to now occur in April and May 2022. It is anticipated that closing arguments will be made in July 2022. Although an earlier decision is possible, no decision is expected before the end of 2022 or 2023. In September 2018, JKC filed a declaratory judgment action in Western Australia alleging that the entities which executed parent company guaranties for the Consortium, including CH2M Hill Companies, Ltd., have an obligation to pay JKC’s ongoing costs to complete the project after termination. A hearing on that matter was held in March 2019, and a decision in favor of the Consortium was issued. JKC appealed the decision, a hearing on the appeal took place in March 2020 and a decision was handed down on July 22, 2020 denying JKC’s appeal in its entirety. The Consortium has denied liability and is vigorously defending JKC's claims and pursuing its affirmative claims against JKC. Based on the information currently available, the Company does not expect the resolution of this matter to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, in excess of the current reserve for this matter. See Note 14- Business Combinations in the Company's fiscal 2020 Form 10-K for further information related to CH2M contingencies. On December 22, 2008, a coal fly ash pond at the Kingston Power Plant of the Tennessee Valley Authority ("TVA") was breached, releasing fly ash waste into the Emory River and surrounding community. In February 2009, TVA awarded a contract to the Company to provide project management services associated with the clean-up. All remediation and dredging were completed in August 2013 by other contractors under direct contracts with TVA. The Company did not perform the remediation, and its scope was limited to program management services. Certain employees of the contractors performing the cleanup work on the project filed lawsuits against the Company beginning in August 2013, alleging they were injured due to the Company's failure to protect the plaintiffs from exposure to fly ash, and asserting related personal injuries. The primary case, Greg Adkisson, et al. v. Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., case No. 3:13-CV-505-TAV-HBG, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, consists of 10 consolidated cases. This case and the related cases involve several hundred plaintiffs that were employees of the contractors that completed the remediation and dredging work. The cases are at various stages of litigation, and several of the cases are currently stayed pending resolution of other cases. Additionally, in May 2019, Roane County and the cities of Kingston and Harriman filed a lawsuit against TVA and the Company alleging that they misled the public about risks associated with the released fly ash. In October 2020, the Court granted Jacobs and TVA’s motion to dismiss the Roane County litigation and closed the case. In addition, in November 2019, a resident of Roane County, Margie Delozier, filed a putative class action against TVA and the Company alleging they failed to adequately warn local residents about risks associated with the released fly ash. The Company and TVA filed separate motions to dismiss the Delozier case in April 2020. In February 2021, the Court granted dismissal of the Delozier Complaint with prejudice, with the exception of plaintiffs’ nuisance cause of action, which plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed in July 2021. In February 2020, the Company learned that the district attorney in Roane County recommended that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigate issues pertaining to clean up worker safety at Kingston, with that investigation still pending. There has been no finding of liability against the Company or that any of the alleged illnesses are the result of exposure to fly ash in any of the above matters. The Company disputes the allegations asserted in all of the above matters and is vigorously defending these matters. The Company does not expect the resolution of these matters to have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. On October 31, 2019, the Company received a request from the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for the production of certain information and documents. The information and documents sought by the SEC primarily relate to the operations of a joint venture in Morocco which was at one time partially-owned by the Company (and subsequently divested), including in respect of possible corrupt practices. The Company is fully cooperating with the SEC and is continuing to produce information and documents in its possession in response to subsequent requests by the SEC. The Company does not expect the resolution of this matter to have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

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