United States Ex Rel. Aldridge Electric Co. v. Pickus Construction & Equipment Co.

EASTERBROOK, Circuit Judge.

Pickus Construction was the general contractor for the Damage Control Building at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois, and because the United States was the client the project was covered by the Miller Act, 40 U.S.C. §§ 270a-270d. Pickus hired Metrick Electric Co. to work on the project. As the Miller Act requires, Pickus secured a bond (through American Insurance Co.) for the benefit of Metrick, which posted its own bond (through Reliance Insurance Co.) for the benefit of Pickus and the Navy. Before completing the electrical installation Me-trick…