Opinion ID: 401016
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Project Management and Coordination

Text: 20 Ramey alleges that Boyle was responsible for the overall management and coordination of the project, and is therefore liable for all damages caused by its failure to perform these duties. As examples of Boyle's failure to manage and coordinate the work, Ramey specifically cites delays by two subcontractors in grading the hotel site and completing the utility work, and delay resulting from a stop paint order issued by the Tribe while it reconsidered the color scheme. 21 The trial judge, however, found that Boyle's duties of coordination and management under the contract were limited, and related primarily to 'surveillance of project construction to assure compliance with plans, specifications and other contract documents.'  Record, supp. vol. 1, at 300. Furthermore, the court found that although Boyle had authority to give orders and directions at the worksite, it had no power to ensure the performance of the various contractors working at the hotel site. The court also determined that Boyle had fulfilled the limited duties of coordination specified in the contract. 22 After reviewing the documents and the record, we cannot say that the trial judge's findings in this regard are clearly erroneous. Ideally, on a project of this magnitude, some entity should be responsible for overall management and coordination, and indeed such a provision might have alleviated many of the serious problems that plagued this project. However, the contract between the Tribe and Boyle simply did not provide that Boyle would undertake the responsibility of project management. This duty remained with the owner, the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Under well-settled principles of tort law, since Boyle had no duty to coordinate and manage the progress of the work, it cannot be liable for any damages caused by inadequate coordination or management. W. Prosser, Handbook of the Law of Torts § 30, at 143 (4th ed. 1971); Barham v. Baca, 80 N.M. 502, 503, 458 P.2d 228, 229 (1969); White v. City of Lovington, 78 N.M. 628, 629-30, 435 P.2d 1010, 1011-12 (Ct.App.1967). Therefore, the trial judge correctly found that Boyle was not liable for failure to manage or coordinate the project. Similarly, without a duty to manage the project, Boyle cannot be liable for the delays caused by other subcontractors' failure to timely complete their work, or for the delay caused by the stop paint order issued by the Tribe. 6