Clovice Lewis' Personal Notes - Thursday, March 28, 1991 (3:30 PM)
On March 28, 1991, I met with Ron Barale (NOAVA Project Manager) at LISC to discuss the possible breach of contract problem between LISC and TME. I had prepared and memorized the topics I wanted to discuss with him, as documented in the attached paper entitled Prepared Comments To Ron Barale for Meeting 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28. After some brief talk about the nature of the NOAVA contract, we began our discussion of the events leading to this particular meeting.
Ron told me that he did not know about any bidding process that had excluded us during the two months he was in Washington. He said that he had that morning asked Bud Brasier (the NOAVA program Business Operations) about how TME is coming along with the tutorials. Bud's response was that TME was charging astronomically high prices, that we wouldn't come down from those prices, and that LISC was investigating other alternatives.
Ron was concerned about the fact that we had retained an attorney and told me that doing so escalated the problem. Ron was visibly upset about this situation and asked me what I thought we needed to do to resolve the problem. I gave him our four requests, described under What We Want: in the attached comments. I then gave him the warning letter from Teresa Caldwell, our Attorney, as well as an invoice for $20,028.75 for the "banked" hours from last year (including a flat 5% interest). I told Ron that I would give him until Friday, April 5 to resolve the breach of contract problem.
Ron immediately called Bud Brasier, who was in a meeting with Mike Kerr (Subcontracts Manager). It was clear from the one-way perspective of their conversation that Bud was telling Ron they did not need TME any more, and should get rid of us. Ron was saying things like "...Bud, before we destroy this relationship we should talk to them and find out what can be done." After approximately three minutes of the phone conversation, I left because it was becoming embarrassing to listen to. I went to the TME office at LISC to meet with my associates, David Smith and Alwyn Lewis. After another five minutes Ron asked me if I would attend a meeting with Bus Brasier, Mike Kerr, and himself. I agreed to this meeting.
Ron told me that he did not know about any bidding process that had excluded us during the two months he was in Washington. He said that he had that morning asked Bud Brasier (the NOAVA program Business Operations) about how TME is coming along with the tutorials. Bud's response was that TME was charging astronomically high prices, that we wouldn't come down from those prices, and that LISC was investigating other alternatives.
Ron was concerned about the fact that we had retained an attorney and told me that doing so escalated the problem. Ron was visibly upset about this situation and asked me what I thought we needed to do to resolve the problem. I gave him our four requests, described under What We Want: in the attached comments. I then gave him the warning letter from Teresa Caldwell, our Attorney, as well as an invoice for $20,028.75 for the "banked" hours from last year (including a flat 5% interest). I told Ron that I would give him until Friday, April 5 to resolve the breach of contract problem.
Ron immediately called Bud Brasier, who was in a meeting with Mike Kerr (Subcontracts Manager). It was clear from the one-way perspective of their conversation that Bud was telling Ron they did not need TME any more, and should get rid of us. Ron was saying things like "...Bud, before we destroy this relationship we should talk to them and find out what can be done." After approximately three minutes of the phone conversation, I left because it was becoming embarrassing to listen to. I went to the TME office at LISC to meet with my associates, David Smith and Alwyn Lewis. After another five minutes Ron asked me if I would attend a meeting with Bus Brasier, Mike Kerr, and himself. I agreed to this meeting.