XML 36 R15.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies The Company and certain of its subsidiaries are involved in litigation and other legal proceedings and forms of dispute resolution in the ordinary course of business, including but not limited to disputes over contract payment and/or performance-related issues (such as disagreements regarding delay or a change in the scope of work of a project and/or the price associated with that change) and other matters incidental to the Company’s business. In accordance with ASC 606, the Company makes assessments of these types of matters on a routine basis and, to the extent permitted by ASC 606, estimates and records recovery related to these matters as a form of variable consideration at the most likely amount the Company expects to receive, as discussed further in Note 1(d) and Note 4. In addition, the Company is contingently liable for litigation, performance guarantees and other commitments arising in the ordinary course of business, which are accounted for in accordance with ASC 450, Contingencies. Management reviews these matters regularly and updates or revises its estimates as warranted by subsequent information and developments. These assessments require judgments concerning matters that are inherently uncertain, such as litigation developments and outcomes, the anticipated outcome of negotiations and the estimated cost of resolving disputes. Consequently, these assessments are estimates, and actual amounts may vary from such estimates. In addition, because such matters are typically resolved over long periods of time, the Company’s assets and liabilities may change over time should the circumstances dictate. The description of the legal proceedings listed below include management’s assessment of those proceedings. Management believes that, based on current information and discussions with the Company’s legal counsel, the ultimate resolution of other matters is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. A description of the material pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business is as follows: Five Star Electric Matter In the third quarter of 2015, Five Star Electric Corp. (“Five Star”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company that was acquired in 2011, entered into a tolling agreement (which has since expired) related to an ongoing investigation being conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (“USAO EDNY”). Five Star has been cooperating with the USAO EDNY since late June 2014, when it was first made aware of the investigation, and has provided information requested by the government related to its use of certain minority-owned, women-owned, small and disadvantaged business enterprises and certain of Five Star’s employee compensation, benefit and tax practices. As of December 31, 2020, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the investigation and cannot reasonably estimate the potential loss or range of loss that Five Star or the Company may incur or the impact of the results of the investigation on Five Star or the Company. Alaskan Way Viaduct (SR 99) Matter In January 2011, Seattle Tunnel Partners (“STP”), a joint venture between Dragados USA, Inc. and the Company, entered into a design-build contract with the Washington State Department of Transportation (“WSDOT”) for the construction of a large-diameter bored tunnel in downtown Seattle, King County, Washington to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, also known as State Route 99. The Company has a 45% interest in STP. The construction of the large-diameter bored tunnel required the use of a tunnel boring machine (“TBM”). In December 2013, the TBM struck a steel pipe, installed by WSDOT as a well casing for an exploratory well. The TBM was significantly damaged and was required to be repaired. STP has asserted that the steel pipe casing was a differing site condition that WSDOT failed to properly disclose. The Disputes Review Board mandated by the contract to hear disputes issued a decision finding the steel casing was a Type I (material) differing site condition. WSDOT did not accept that finding. The TBM was insured under a Builder’s Risk Insurance Policy (the “Policy”) with Great Lakes Reinsurance (UK) PLC and a consortium of other insurers (the “Insurers”). STP submitted the claims to the Insurers and requested interim payments under the Policy. The Insurers refused to pay and denied coverage. In June 2015, STP filed a lawsuit in the King County Superior Court, State of Washington seeking declaratory relief concerning contract interpretation, as well as damages as a result of the Insurers’ breach of their obligations under the terms of the Policy. STP is also asserting extra-contractual and statutory claims against the Insurers. WSDOT is deemed a plaintiff since WSDOT is an insured under the Policy and had filed its own claim for damages. Hitachi Zosen (“Hitachi”), the manufacturer of the TBM, joined the case as a plaintiff for costs incurred to repair the damages to the TBM. In September 2018, rulings received on pre-trial motions effectively limited potential recovery under the Policy for STP, WSDOT and Hitachi. However, on December 19, 2018, the Court of Appeal granted the Company’s request for a discretionary appeal of those rulings. The appeal is expected to be heard in early 2021. STP submitted damages to the Insurers in the King County lawsuit in the amount of $532 million. STP also sought these damages from WSDOT related to the pipe-strike by the TBM in a related lawsuit in Thurston County (see following paragraph). In March 2016, WSDOT filed a complaint against STP in Thurston County Superior Court alleging breach of contract, seeking $57.2 million in delay-related damages and seeking declaratory relief concerning contract interpretation. STP filed its answer to WSDOT’s complaint and filed a counterclaim against WSDOT and Hitachi, as the TBM designer, seeking damages of $667 million. On October 3, 2019, STP and Hitachi entered into a settlement agreement which released and dismissed the claims that STP and Hitachi had against each other. The jury trial between STP and WSDOT commenced on October 7, 2019 and concluded on December 13, 2019, with a jury verdict in favor of WSDOT awarding them $57.2 million in damages. Judgment was entered on January 10, 2020, and a notice of appeal was filed by STP on January 17, 2020. The appeal is expected to be heard in late 2021. The Company recorded the impact of the jury verdict during the fourth quarter of 2019, resulting in a pre-tax charge of $166.8 million. The charge includes a pre-tax accrual of $25.7 million (which is the Company’s 45% proportionate share of the $57.2 million in damages awarded by the jury to WSDOT). Payment of damages will only be made if the adverse verdict is upheld on appeal, as the payment is secured by a bond for the course of the appeal. Other than the possible future payment in cash of $25.7 million in damages, the charge was for non-cash write-downs primarily related to the costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings and receivables that the Company previously recorded to reflect its expected recovery in this case. With respect to STP’s direct and indirect claims against the Insurers, management has included in receivables an estimate of the total anticipated recovery concluded to be probable. George Washington Bridge Bus Station Matter In August 2013, Tutor Perini Building Corp. (“TPBC”) entered into a contract with the George Washington Bridge Bus Station Development Venture, LLC (the “Developer”) to renovate the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, a mixed-use facility owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (the “Port Authority”) that serves as a transit facility and retail space. The $100 million project experienced significant design errors and associated delays, resulting in damages to TPBC and its subcontractors, including WDF and Five Star, wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. The project reached substantial completion on May 16, 2017. On February 26, 2015, the Developer filed a demand for arbitration, subsequently amended, seeking $30 million in alleged damages and declaratory relief that TPBC’s requests for additional compensation are invalid due to lack of notice. TPBC denied the Developer’s claims and filed a counterclaim in March 2018. TPBC seeks in excess of $113 million in the arbitration, which includes unpaid contract balance claims, the return of $29 million retained by the Developer in alleged damages, as well as extra work claims, pass-through claims and delay claims. Hearings on the merits commenced on September 24, 2018 before the arbitration panel. On June 4, 2019, the arbitration panel, as confirmed by the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, issued a writ of attachment for $23 million of the $29 million discussed above. On October 7, 2019, the Developer filed for bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of New York under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. The filing for bankruptcy stayed the pending arbitration proceedings. TPBC appeared in the bankruptcy proceedings on October 8, 2019 and filed a Proof of Claim in the amount of $113 million on December 13, 2019. On June 5, 2020, the Developer, secured lenders and the Port Authority announced that they had reached a settlement of their disputes. As part of the settlement, the Port Authority waived the enforcement of its right to seek a “cure” pursuant to its lease agreement with the Developer which requires construction costs be paid prior to any sale of the leasehold, the sole asset in the Developer’s bankruptcy estate to be distributed in this bankruptcy. On July 14, 2020, the bankruptcy court conducted a hearing to determine (1) whether to approve the settlement agreement between the Developer, secured lenders and the Port Authority; and (2) whether TPBC can assert third-party beneficiary rights to the lease agreement and require that prior to the sale of the leasehold, any outstanding costs owed to contractors for the cost of building the project must be paid pursuant to the lease agreement’s “cure” provisions. On August 12, 2020, the bankruptcy court approved the settlement and denied TPBC’s third-party beneficiary rights under the lease agreement. On August 20, 2020, TPBC filed an appeal with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York seeking to challenge the denial of its third-party beneficiary rights under the lease agreement’s “cure” provisions to avoid being subordinate to the claims of the secured lenders in the bankruptcy proceedings. Separately, on July 2, 2018, TPBC filed a lawsuit against the Port Authority, as owner of the project, seeking the same $113 million in damages pursuant to the lease agreement between the Port Authority and the Developer. On August 20, 2018, the Port Authority filed a motion to dismiss all causes of action, which was denied by the court on July 1, 2019. The Port Authority appealed this decision on July 15, 2019. On February 18, 2021, the Appellate Division affirmed in part and reversed in part the trial court's denial of the Port Authority's motion to dismiss TPBC’s causes of action. On January 27, 2020, TPBC filed separate litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in which TPBC asserted related claims against individual owners of the Developer for their wrongful conversion of project funds and against certain lenders that received interest payments from project funds and other amounts earmarked to pay the contractors. On June 1, 2020, the defendants filed motions to dismiss. On December 29, 2020, the District Court ordered that limited discovery take place before it decides the merits of the motions to dismiss. As of December 31, 2020, the Company has concluded that the potential for a material adverse financial impact due to the Developer’s claims is remote. With respect to TPBC’s claims against the Developer, its owners, certain lenders and the Port Authority, management has made an estimate of the total anticipated recovery on this project, and such estimate is included in revenue recorded to date.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2127136 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2144648 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121559207&loc=d3e25336-109308 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121559207&loc=d3e25336-109308 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration