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Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 8 — Commitments and Contingencies

In May 2013, the Company entered into an agreement to purchase ViaSat-2 (the Company’s second high-capacity Ka-band satellite) from The Boeing Company (Boeing) at a price of approximately $358.0 million, plus an additional amount for launch support services to be performed by Boeing.

In July 2016, the Company entered into two separate agreements with Boeing for the construction and purchase of two ViaSat-3 class satellites (the Company’s third-generation high-capacity Ka-band satellite design) and the integration of ViaSat’s payload technologies into the satellites at a price of approximately $368.3 million in the aggregate (subject to purchase price adjustments based on factors such as launch delay and early delivery), plus an additional amount for launch support services to be performed by Boeing. In addition, under one of these agreements, the Company has the option to order up to two additional ViaSat-3 class satellites. These agreements supersede the prior limited authorization to proceed, under which the Company’s payment obligations were limited to $89.0 million in the aggregate. The first ViaSat-3 class satellite is expected to provide broadband services over the Americas, and the second is expected to provide broadband services over Europe, Middle East and Africa.

From time to time, the Company is involved in a variety of claims, suits, investigations and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, including government investigations and claims, and other claims and proceedings with respect to intellectual property, breach of contract, labor and employment, tax and other matters. Such matters could result in fines; penalties, compensatory, treble or other damages; or non-monetary relief. A violation of government contract laws and regulations could also result in the termination of our government contracts or debarment from bidding on future government contracts. Although claims, suits, investigations and proceedings are inherently uncertain and their results cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company believes that the resolution of its current pending matters will not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

In March 2016, the Company’s majority-owned subsidiary TrellisWare was informed by the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California that it is investigating TrellisWare’s eligibility for certain prior government contracts and whether TrellisWare’s conduct in connection therewith violated the False Claims Act. At this time, the Company cannot determine whether the government will initiate a case and, if so, whether TrellisWare would be liable for any damages or penalties, or in what amount. Although the outcome of this investigation is difficult to predict, an unfavorable resolution could have a material impact on the Company’s financial results.

The Company has contracts with various U.S. government agencies. Accordingly, the Company is routinely subject to audit and review by the DCMA, the DCAA and other U.S. government agencies of its performance on government contracts, indirect rates and pricing practices, accounting and management internal control business systems, and compliance with applicable contracting and procurement laws, regulations and standards. An adverse outcome to a review or audit or other failure to comply with applicable contracting and procurement laws, regulations and standards could result in material civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions being imposed on the Company, which may include termination of contracts, forfeiture of profits, triggering of price reduction clauses, suspension of payments, significant customer refunds, fines and suspension, or a prohibition on doing business with U.S. government agencies. In addition, if the Company fails to obtain an “adequate” determination of its various accounting and management internal control business systems from applicable U.S. government agencies or if allegations of impropriety are made against it, the Company could suffer serious harm to its business or its reputation, including its ability to bid on new contracts or receive contract renewals and its competitive position in the bidding process. The Company’s incurred cost audits by the DCAA have not been concluded for fiscal year 2016. As of June 30, 2016, the DCAA had completed its incurred cost audit for fiscal year 2004 and approved the Company’s incurred cost claims for fiscal years 2005 through 2015 without further audit. Although the Company has recorded contract revenues subsequent to fiscal year 2015 based upon an estimate of costs that the Company believes will be approved upon final audit or review, the Company does not know the outcome of any ongoing or future audits or reviews and adjustments, and if future adjustments exceed the Company’s estimates, its profitability would be adversely affected. As of June 30, 2016 and March 31, 2016, the Company had $2.4 million and $2.5 million, respectively, in contract-related reserves for its estimate of potential refunds to customers for potential cost adjustments on several multi-year U.S. government cost reimbursable contracts. This reserve is classified as either an element of accrued liabilities or as a reduction of unbilled accounts receivable based on the status of the related contracts.