Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_19-cv-02236/USCOURTS-azd-2_19-cv-02236-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 899
Nature of Suit: Other Statutes - Administrative Procedure Act/Review or Appeal of Agency Decision
Cause of Action: 05:702 Administrative Procedure Act

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 

MD Helicopters Incorporated,

Plaintiff, 

v. 

United States of America, et al., 

Defendants.

No. CV-19-02236-PHX-JAT

ORDER 

 Pending before the Court are the Federal Defendants’ Motion to File Expert Report 

of Dr. Timothy Sestak Under Seal (Doc. 120) and Plaintiff MD Helicopters Incorporated’s 

(“MDHI”) Motion to File Plaintiff’s Position Brief Re Expert Disclosure Deadlines Under 

Seal (Doc. 117). 

The Federal Defendants’ Motion to seal Dr. Sestak’s expert report avers that this 

report not only includes express quotations and references to sealed portions of the 

administrative record, but contains information protected from disclosure under the 

Protective Order entered in this case and under federal statutes, specifically 

10 U.S.C. § 2371b(h) and 10 U.S.C. § 130. (Doc. 120 at 2–3). The Federal Defendants’ 

further state that the information contained in Dr. Sestak’s report may also be subject to 

claims of trade secret protection by MDHI. (Id. at 3). The Court will grant the Federal 

Defendants’ Motion (Doc. 120) for the reasons stated in the Court’s June 7, 2019 Order 

(Doc. 81). 

 MDHI’s Motion to seal its position statement regarding expert disclosures states 

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that this position brief contains factual material and related opinion that consists of trade 

secret information because it reveals the substance of its proposal submitted to the Army 

under the FARA CP solicitation. (Doc. 117 at 2). Particularly, MDHI’s position brief 

discusses Dr. Sestak’s expert report, which includes material concerning MDHI’s proposal 

as well as the Army’s evaluation of MDHI’s proposal. (Id.). MDHI also avers that the 

material in its position brief constitutes source selection information that is protected from 

disclosure pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 2371b(h), which incorporates the Procurement Integrity 

Act, 41 U.S.C. § 2102. (Id.). The Court will grant MDHI’s Motion (Doc. 117) for the 

reasons stated in the Court’s June 7, 2019 Order (Doc. 81). 

Finding “compelling reasons” to do so, Kamakana v. City & County of Honolulu, 

447 F.3d 1172, 1180 (9th Cir. 2006), 

IT IS ORDERED that the Federal Defendants’ Motion to File Expert Report of 

Dr. Timothy Sestak Under Seal (Doc. 120) is GRANTED. The Clerk of the Court is 

directed to file under seal the document presently lodged at Doc. 121. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that MDHI’s Motion to File Plaintiff’s Position 

Brief Re Expert Disclosure Deadlines Under Seal (Doc. 117) is GRANTED. The Clerk of 

the Court is directed to file under seal the document presently lodged at Doc. 118. 

 Dated this 2nd day of August, 2019. 

Case 2:19-cv-02236-JAT Document 128 Filed 08/05/19 Page 2 of 2