Investigations, Claims and Litigation (Unaudited)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]

INVESTIGATIONS, CLAIMS AND LITIGATION

INVESTIGATIONS, CLAIMS AND LITIGATION

On May 4, 2012, the company commenced an action, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. v. United States, in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. This lawsuit relates to an approximately $875 million firm fixed-price contract awarded to the company in 2007 by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for the construction and delivery of flats sequencing systems (FSS) as part of the postal automation program. The FSS were delivered. The company’s lawsuit seeks approximately $63 million for unpaid portions of the contract price, and approximately $115 million based on the company’s assertions that, through various acts and omissions over the life of the contract, the USPS adversely affected the cost and schedule of performance and materially altered the company’s obligations under the contract. The United States responded to the company’s complaint with an answer, denying most of the company’s claims, and counterclaims seeking approximately $410 million, less certain amounts outstanding under the contract. In the course of the litigation, the United States subsequently amended its counterclaim, reducing it to seek approximately $193 million. The principal counterclaim alleges that the company delayed its performance and caused damages to the USPS because USPS did not realize certain costs savings as early as it had expected. On February 3, 2020, after extensive discovery and motions practice, the parties commenced what was expected to be a seven-week trial. The first four weeks of trial concluded, but the court postponed the remaining estimated three weeks as a result of COVID-19-related concerns. After additional COVID-19-related interruptions, trial concluded on March 5, 2021. On October 12, 2021, the parties completed post-trial briefing, absent any further requests or unexpected developments. Although the ultimate outcome of this matter, including any possible loss, cannot be predicted or reasonably estimated at this time, the company intends to continue vigorously to pursue and defend the matter.

We are engaged in remediation activities relating to environmental conditions allegedly resulting from historic operations at the former United States Navy and Grumman facilities in Bethpage, New York. For over 20 years, we have worked closely with the United States Navy, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the New York State Department of Health and other federal, state and local governmental authorities, to address legacy environmental conditions in Bethpage. In December 2019, the State of New York issued an Amended Record of Decision seeking to impose additional remedial requirements beyond measures the company previously had been taking; the State also communicated that it was assessing potential natural resource damages. In December 2020, the parties reached a tentative agreement regarding the steps the company will take to implement the State’s Amended Record of Decision and to resolve certain potential other claims, including for natural resource damages. On September 22, 2021, the State of New York issued for public comment a new consent decree reflecting the agreement. We understand that the State will next seek court approval of the consent decree. We have incurred, and expect to continue to incur, as included in Note 6, substantial remediation costs related to the legacy Bethpage environmental conditions. Applicable remediation standards and other requirements to which we are subject may continue to change, our costs may increase materially and those costs may not be fully recoverable. In addition, we are a party to various, and expect to become a party to additional, legal proceedings and disputes related to remediation, environmental impacts, costs, and the allowability of costs we incur, including with federal and state entities (including the Navy, Defense Contract Management Agency, the State, local municipalities and water districts) and insurance carriers, as well as class action and individual plaintiffs alleging personal injury and property damage and seeking both monetary and non-monetary relief. These Bethpage matters could result in additional costs, fines, penalties, sanctions, compensatory or other damages, determinations on allocation, allowability and coverage, and non-monetary relief. We are in discussions with the Department of Defense and the Bethpage Water District to explore whether claims involving these parties can be resolved at this stage. We cannot at this time predict or reasonably estimate the potential cumulative outcomes or ranges of possible liability of these aggregate Bethpage matters.

The company is a party to various other investigations, lawsuits, arbitration, claims, enforcement actions and other legal proceedings, including government investigations and claims, that arise in the ordinary course of our business. The nature of legal proceedings is such that we cannot assure the outcome of any particular matter. However, based on information available to the company to date, the company does not believe that the outcome of any of these other matters pending against the company is likely to have a material adverse effect on the company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial position as of September 30, 2021, or its annual results of operations and/or cash flows.