Amicas, Inc. v. GMG Health Systems, LTD. , 676 F.3d 227 ( 2012 )


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  •           United States Court of Appeals
    For the First Circuit
    No. 11-1628
    AMICAS, INC.,
    Plaintiff, Appellee,
    v.
    GMG HEALTH SYSTEMS, LTD., d/b/a Gonzaba Medical Group,
    Defendant, Appellant.
    APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
    FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
    [Hon. Leo T. Sorokin, U.S. Magistrate Judge]
    Before
    Torruella, Circuit Judge,
    Souter,* Associate Justice,
    and Boudin, Circuit Judge.
    James L. Messenger with whom Kevin G. Kenneally and
    LeClairRyan, P.C. were on brief for appellant.
    Lawrence S. Delaney with whom Joseph M. Downes III and Demeo
    & Associates, P.C. were on brief for appellee.
    April 10, 2012
    *
    The Hon. David H. Souter, Associate Justice (Ret.) of the
    Supreme Court of the United States, sitting by designation.
    BOUDIN, Circuit Judge.    This appeal concerns a contract
    dispute between two companies: Gonzaba Medical Group ("GMG"), a
    280-employee    provider   of   medical    services,   and   Amicas,   Inc.
    ("Amicas"), a publicly-traded information technology ("IT") company
    specializing in medical software.         GMG contracted with Amicas in
    2006 to develop and license two computer programs related to GMG's
    radiology    services: a   picture archiving     communications    system
    ("PACS") and radiology information system ("RIS").
    Broadly speaking, the purpose of the software was to
    automate the collection and transfer of information necessary for
    billing that GMG had previously been entering manually.           The aim
    was to avoid revenue loss due to incomplete capturing of billable
    charges that had occurred through manual data entry.          To this end,
    the proposed software had to accept information from a patient
    management   system   previously   established    by   another   company--
    Sage--and send information to Sage's previously established billing
    system.
    The parties reached an agreement in October 2006 and
    executed a contract, drawn up by Amicas, calling for GMG’s payment
    of $1,009,548 over five years in exchange for a software license
    for the RIS and PACS programs, specified hardware, and continuing
    support services from Amicas.            The agreement (whose relevant
    provisions are set out in an appendix to this opinion) comprised a
    -2-
    set of different documents signed on the same date, and contained
    an integration clause.
    The agreement warranted that for 90 days after the "go-
    live   date"   the    software      would    "substantially         conform   to
    Documentation"--specified product manuals for the relevant software
    and hardware--"when used by [GMG] in a manner that is consistent
    with the Documentation.”         But the warranty excluded any failure
    resulting from databases of GMG or third parties and warned that
    “[Amicas] does not warrant that the Software described herein will
    meet [GMG’s] requirements.”
    Amicas    developed     and   installed    the    programs,    which
    involved   working   with   Sage    to     design,   test,    and    tweak    the
    "interfaces"--the programming necessary to move data from the Sage
    patient management system into the Amicas RIS system and out to
    Sage's billing system.      It was controversy over the operation of
    the latter connection, referred to by the parties as the "chargeout
    interface," that ultimately led to this litigation.
    GMG began using Amicas' software and hardware on March
    13, 2007 (the "go-live date"), but the chargeout interface was not
    ready due to GMG's indecision on a particular implementation detail
    and delays on Sage’s end of the interface, so GMG continued
    processing radiology charges manually in the interim.               GMG started
    using the chargeout interface in late July, and reported several
    -3-
    problems to Amicas in the first few months--one a minor glitch that
    was easily resolved.
    More serious were transpositions of the name of the
    physician who read the radiology films and the referring physician;
    Amicas investigated the name switching issue and reported that the
    problem   stemmed   from   how   Sage's   software   was   processing    and
    interpreting Amicas’ batch file, not with what Amicas’ program was
    producing.   After some internal deliberations and more back and
    forth with Amicas over a few weeks, GMG referred the issue to Sage.
    The record does not reveal whether Sage resolved the
    problem but it is clear that GMG continued to experience some
    frustration with the system, and it ultimately stopped using the
    chargeout interface altogether in "late 2007," opting instead for
    its old method of manual processing.        However, GMG does not claim
    that it informed Amicas of that decision--or even that any problems
    whatsoever with the chargeout interface persisted.
    By November 2007, GMG was negotiating with Sage to
    develop   substitute   software,    and   by   February    2008   Sage   was
    proposing to demonstrate a replacement product.            An e-mail from
    Sage to GMG in March 2008 urged that "[o]ur experts feel that
    almost 100 percent of [your errors] are due to . . . having
    disparate systems and would be eliminated by using our RIS system."
    -4-
    As the negotiations with Sage progressed, GMG's principal
    contact with Amicas, Elsa Vasquez,1 e-mailed Adam Helms (the Amicas
    engineer responsible for setting up the chargeout interface) on
    February       8,   2008--some     five     months     after      Vasquez's    last
    communication with Amicas about the chargeout interface--to ask
    “where we are with this interface.”                  Helms, who was under the
    impression it was successfully installed months earlier, expressed
    surprise at the question and asked Vasquez for clarification.
    Over the next few months, GMG reported problems it
    perceived with the interface, and Amicas worked with Sage to
    follow-up on GMG's concerns.             Helms ultimately concluded that the
    problems were attributable to “GMG’s failure to maintain consistent
    sets of data,” and were worsened by user errors and failure to
    report the issues earlier.               Amicas finished its work on the
    reported issues by May 2008, but in June 2008--around the same time
    that       negotiations   with    Sage    for   replacement       software    neared
    completion--GMG       put   off    all     efforts    to   test    the   chargeout
    interface.
    On June 30, 2008 (10 days after Sage forwarded GMG a
    contract for replacement software), GMG sent Amicas a termination
    notice, citing “fail[ure] to conform to the Documentation and
    1
    Vasquez--the full-time GMG employee with the "responsibility
    to ensure that the software and hardware solution[s] for the GMG
    practice function[ed] effectively"--held the title of "Imaging
    Services Coordinator/Radiology Manager." She had no IT background
    or training.
    -5-
    [failure to] deliver[] a functional product.”                 Amicas and GMG
    personnel met on July 9, 2008, to discuss GMG's letter, but by then
    GMG had decided to substitute Sage and had directed Sage not to
    cooperate further with Amicas on seeking solutions to whatever
    interface problems remained.         Amicas then brought the present suit
    against GMG in federal district court.
    Amicas' complaint alleged breach of contract, together
    with other claims not at issue on appeal, and GMG counterclaimed
    (e.g., for breach, negligent misrepresentation, and violation of
    Chapter 93A, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93A, § 11 (2011)).                Following
    discovery, both parties moved for summary judgment; the district
    court    found   for   Amicas   on   its    breach   claim,   rejected   GMG's
    counterclaims, and ordered the parties to bring any remaining
    issues to the court's attention within 20 days.2
    Amicas had sought $778,889 in damages (plus costs and
    fees) in the complaint and in its motion for summary judgment, and
    GMG proceeded to contest the $778,889 figure.                 The court then
    ordered further briefing on attorneys' fees, costs, and prejudgment
    interest, which GMG used in part to renew its attacks on the
    damages request.       The court agreed with Amicas that the requested
    $778,889 damages had already been established as part of the
    summary judgment ruling, but treated GMG's arguments as a Rule
    2
    Both parties consented to proceed before a magistrate judge,
    
    28 U.S.C. § 636
    (c); Fed. R. Civ. P. 73, who for purposes of this
    decision we describe simply as the court.
    -6-
    60(b) motion for reconsideration and ordered Amicas to respond on
    the merits.
    After Amicas responded, the court denied Rule 60(b)
    relief, adding that "[i]n any event, GMG's arguments [were] without
    merit" because GMG's interpretation of the contract was incorrect.
    The court reaffirmed its award of $778,889 in damages and added
    $324,805 in attorneys’ fees (and uncontested amounts in costs and
    prejudgment interest).    On GMG's appeal, our review is de novo,
    drawing inferences in the light most favorable to the nonmoving
    party.   Kuperman v. Wrenn, 
    645 F.3d 69
    , 73 (1st Cir. 2011).
    GMG contests both its liability and the awards of damages
    and attorneys' fees, and we start with the issue of liability.
    GMG's position, in a nutshell, is that Amicas never established
    that it had itself performed its obligations under the contract and
    that, assuming in the alternative that Amicas made out even an
    arguable showing that it had done so, the question posed factual
    questions requiring a full jury trial.
    In principle, a party suing for breach of contract under
    Massachusetts law--which governs the contract in the case--must
    establish (1) the existence of the contract, (2) the plaintiff's
    willingness to perform or performance, and (3) breach by the
    defendant; if damages are sought causation and the amount of
    damages must also be proved.   E.g., Singarella v. City of Boston,
    
    173 N.E.2d 290
    , 291 (Mass. 1961).      With respect to the second
    -7-
    element, Amicas says that the defendant bears the burden of showing
    the plaintiff's non-performance as a defense.3
    As a practical matter, it is usually easy for a plaintiff
    to assert, and offer a competent witness to say, that it performed
    its obligations or stood ready to perform them; and, to create an
    issue, in practice the defendant has to identify the respect or
    respects in which it claims that the plaintiff's performance fell
    short.    We will assume for present purposes that if a material
    issue of fact were posed by the evidence as to the plaintiff's
    performance, the burden of proof at trial would be the plaintiff's.
    The burden of proof issue does not matter here because at
    the summary judgment stage Amicas did tender adequate proof that it
    had performed and GMG--although claiming a specific alleged flaw in
    Amicas'   performance--failed   to   offer   any   competing   competent
    evidence to counter that of Amicas, and so failed to generate a
    material issue preventing summary judgment.        We start with Amicas'
    showing of what (with all the risks of using a much misunderstood
    phrase of many shadings) we will call a "prima facie" case--meaning
    here only that it was enough to prevail on summary judgment unless
    seriously countered with admissible evidence.
    3
    Although Amicas cites several First Circuit cases that omit
    the second element in describing the essentials of a contract
    claim, see Michelson v. Digital Fin. Servs., 
    167 F.3d 715
    , 720 (1st
    Cir. 1999); Coll v. PB Diagnostic Sys., Inc., 
    50 F.3d 1115
    , 1122
    (1st Cir. 1995), it should be borne in mind that often performance
    by the plaintiff is undisputed.
    -8-
    Here, Amicas amply satisfied the burden of showing that
    it had performed its end of the bargain through the affidavit of
    its   implementation    engineer        (Helms),    who        stated     that   the
    "[c]hargeout interface[] worked as planned," that Amicas resolved
    all of the perceived problems reported by GMG, and that those
    issues were not errors caused by Amicas' system.                   There was no
    dispute that GMG did not carry out its obligations, for it had
    cancelled the contract--although it was free to argue that it had
    cause for doing so.
    GMG could have countered by creating a factual issue as
    to whether Amicas had fulfilled its obligations.                   It might have
    offered a competent affiant to say that Amicas' program had not met
    significant   technical      specifications    of   the        contract    for   the
    software or hardware, or that in some other respect Amicas had not
    met specific obligations under the contract.              If such a proffer of
    admissible evidence had been made, it could have foreclosed summary
    judgment and created a material issue of fact to be sorted through
    by a factfinder at trial.
    Instead,     GMG     relied     primarily       on     Elsa     Vasquez's
    deposition testimony and affidavits asserting in general terms that
    Amicas "fail[ed] to implement a functional chargeout interface" and
    failed to solve problems with the interface identified by GMG.                    As
    the district court pointed out, Vasquez had no IT training or
    background, never read the specifications for the software, was
    -9-
    unfamiliar with basic, key concepts underlying its operation and
    could not elaborate on her statements or identify any specific
    failure of the chargeout interface.
    Conclusory allegations regarding technical issues offered
    by   a       witness   demonstrably    lacking     technical   background    and
    understanding do not create a jury issue.4              GMG points to a May 20,
    2007, internal e-mail from Amicas sales representative Kurt Hammond
    stating in part: "The Charge Out interface is not functioning,
    never has, so from the customer's perspective is not complete."
    But the context of the e-mail--correspondence in which Amicas
    personnel        discussed   whether    any      work   related   to   GMG   was
    outstanding--makes clear that Hammond was simply relaying the
    substance of GMG's position, not agreeing with it.
    GMG says that Helms' evidence is insufficient because
    "the Documentation"--the specified product manuals for the relevant
    software and hardware--was never itself entered into evidence. But
    GMG was free in the district court to seek any information about
    specifications it did not have; and even now it does not make a
    specific and colorable claim that the contents of the documentation
    show that Amicas failed to provide conforming software or hardware.
    GMG was entitled to fish for flaws in Amicas' promised performance,
    but it makes no showing that it found any.
    4
    See DeNovellis v. Shalala, 
    124 F.3d 298
    , 305-06 (1st Cir.
    1997); see also Biotec Biologische Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG
    v. Biocorp, Inc., 
    249 F.3d 1341
    , 1353 (Fed. Cir. 2001).
    -10-
    Turning to a legal argument, GMG argues that regardless
    of   who   was    responsible   for   the    problems    with    the   chargeout
    interface,       Amicas   breached    a   separate      promise--made    during
    precontract negotiations--to deliver a product that "seamlessly"
    interfaced       with   Sage.   However,      the    agreement    contains   an
    integration clause declaring that the writing supersedes any prior
    agreements, so the parol evidence rule renders any earlier-stage
    agreement unenforceable.        E.g., Winchester Gables, Inc. v. Host
    Marriott Corp., 
    875 N.E.2d 527
    , 533 (Mass. App. Ct. 2007).
    GMG says that the integration clause is unenforceable
    because it was in a pre-printed form that was signed without
    negotiation of its terms by GMG, and GMG was not represented by
    counsel in the negotiations.          GMG--a company with 280 employees,
    multiple offices, and annual revenues in excess of $20 million--is
    hardly an ill-equipped or outmatched party, and the integration
    clause binds it as much as it does Amicas.                E.g., USM Corp. v.
    Arthur D. Little Sys., Inc., 
    546 N.E.2d 888
    , 894 (Mass. App. Ct.
    1989).
    GMG then says that prior discussion of seamless operation
    is relevant to interpretation of ambiguities in the agreement. But
    far from being ambiguous, the contract provisions earlier quoted
    make it explicit that Amicas merely promised to deliver materials
    that conform to specifications, and that “[Amicas] does not warrant
    that the Software described herein will meet [GMG’s] requirements."
    -11-
    Against this explicit language, to insist on seamless performance
    would not be to explain ambiguity but to contradict the agreement.
    This brings us to GMG's attack on the award of damages.
    The lower court treated its own summary judgment decision as having
    resolved the issue of damages, relegating GMG to a Rule 60(b)
    motion; while the court denied the latter as a Rule 60(b) motion--a
    denial ordinarily reviewed only for abuse of discretion--the court
    said that GMG's objections to the award also failed on the merits.
    Amicas argues that GMG essentially forfeited any damages arguments,
    but that somewhat overstates the case.
    It is true that the payment terms were in the agreement
    before the district court and that Amicas explained in its summary
    judgment papers that it was seeking $778,889 plus interest, costs,
    expenses and attorneys’ fees (as provided by the agreement in the
    event of a breach).       Amicas included a table showing the fee
    amounts for each year of the contract's five-year term.           In
    opposition, GMG offered only two opaque statements in its response
    to Amicas' statements of material facts and said nothing in its
    memorandum.5
    5
    The statements were:
    -[T]he basis for specific GMG payments is not shown or
    explained or itemized by Amicas as between license fees,
    equipment    purchases,    extra   study    charges,   or
    reimbursements for Amicas meals and travel. If Amicas
    contends that all of the $230,659 is payments to be
    applied solely to the non-specified five year "schedule,"
    that is disputed because it is not shown.
    -12-
    Yet the lower court did not mention damages in its
    summary judgement decision, an issue often reserved for further
    proceedings, and in its Rule 60(b) ruling it addressed the new
    arguments   on the merits.     We choose to treat GMG as having
    preserved for ordinary--here de novo--review both its sketchy
    damages objections made in opposing summary judgment and the
    somewhat more developed version offered in its Rule 60(b) motion.
    But GMG's real problem is that even now it fails to attack the
    damage award on its potentially vulnerable points.
    The agreement as originally drafted provided for a one-
    year term with presumptively renewing annual support service terms;
    but an addendum, included when the agreement was signed, converted
    this to a five-year term with a schedule for annual payments: these
    started at just under $200,000 for the first year rising to
    somewhat over $200,000 for the last.      Amicas sought the sum of
    these payments ($1,009,548), less what had been paid ($230,659);
    and the net figure ($778,889) is what the district court awarded.
    In response to this damage claim, GMG could have argued--
    at least in the alternative--that even if it breached the contract,
    it owed Amicas whatever had been promised but less performance
    costs that Amicas saved due to the early termination.      GMG could
    -[N]o competent evidence shows that GMG payments were
    solely to be applied against the $1,009,548 total.
    "Contract price" is not defined not even in the Amicas
    boilerplate. The boilerplate does not explain the yearly
    numbers."
    -13-
    also have argued that future payments should be discounted to
    present value.      It has made neither argument.                   Instead, GMG has
    argued throughout and exclusively that it owes only about $23,000
    constituting the unpaid balance of the payments scheduled as due as
    of the date of termination, which was about sixteen months into the
    five-year period.
    The    basis    for    this    contention     is     a    section    of   the
    agreement providing that
    [u]pon termination [for any reason other than
    a material breach by Amicas] . . . [GMG] will
    pay AMICAS for all services performed by
    AMICAS up to the date of such termination and
    all other amounts [GMG] owed to AMICAS as of
    the date of such termination including, but
    not limited to, the unpaid portion of the
    Software Support Fee for the balance of the
    Term or Renewal Term.
    According to GMG, this language together with the addendum's
    schedule of payments shows that the stream of payments comprised a
    continuing use fee; and it argues that termination, curtailing use,
    also eliminated responsibility for any amount not already due under
    the schedule "as of the date of such termination."
    But there are serious problems with this reading both on
    a   technical    level    and    because    of    the   logic       of   the   original
    structure and the addendum.              On a technical level, payment of
    "services performed" could be read to cover the development of the
    software and purchase of associated hardware--all of which were
    accomplished at the very outset.                Indeed, under the pre-addendum
    -14-
    payment        schedule,   payment     of    these    items--as   distinct      from
    continuing support costs--had to be made within 60 days after
    delivery of the new system.
    And, although the addendum spread out all of the costs
    over       a   five-year   period,     all   five    years'   worth    of   payments
    necessarily        included     very     substantial      costs       for   software
    development and purchased hardware incurred by Amicas at the very
    outset--effectively sunk costs.                 No evidence to which we are
    pointed identifies just how much of each payment was for costs
    incurred at the outset and how much was for continuing support; but
    a horseback estimate offered by one lawyer at argument suggested
    that the continuing support was the lesser portion of the payments.
    The term extension and payment schedule make sense as a
    financing device to stretch out the payments instead of requiring
    immediate payment within 60 days of Amicas' software development
    and hardware costs.           But the termination clause, if read as GMG
    urges, would allow GMG to cancel the agreement early in the five-
    year period, despite delivery of a compliant system by Amicas, and
    thereby shift from GMG to Amicas the entire burden of sunk costs
    not yet recovered by Amicas.            Judged by the test of common sense,6
    6
    Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. v. Nippon Sanso K.K., 
    331 F.3d 153
    , 159
    (1st Cir. 2003) (common sense reading of contractual provisions);
    Rhode Island Charities Trust v. Engelhard Corp., 
    267 F.3d 3
    , 7 (1st
    Cir. 2001) (same).
    -15-
    this hardly looks like a burden that Amicas would have been willing
    to assume.
    The reading would also render meaningless for practical
    purposes the warranty provisions already quoted; these make clear
    that, so long as Amicas delivered a system conforming to the
    specifications, the risk of dissatisfaction was borne by GMG.
    Courts do not favor a reading that undermines explicit provisions
    elsewhere    in   a   contract.    E.g.,   J.A.   Sullivan   Corp.    v.
    Commonwealth, 
    494 N.E.2d 374
    , 378 (Mass. 1986).     Nor has GMG at any
    point proffered any extrinsic evidence suggesting that the parties
    aimed at the reading GMG has urged.
    The parties here extended the term and payment schedule
    but then failed to adjust with any care the existing termination
    clause premised on a different term and payment schedule.      In this
    situation, the practice is to impute to the parties a solution that
    best carries out the logic and purpose of their agreement.           LPP
    Mortg., Ltd. v. Sugarman, 
    565 F.3d 28
    , 34 (1st Cir. 2009).     On this
    basis, GMG could have sought to limit its liability to expectation
    damages--the promised stream of payments, less Amicas' avoided
    costs, with the net amount discounted to present value.7
    GMG chose not to make such arguments either in the
    district court or to us.     Plain error reversals are very rare in
    7
    E.g., Monadnock Display Fireworks, Inc. v. Town of Andover,
    
    445 N.E.2d 1053
    , 1056 (Mass. 1983); 3 Farnsworth, Farnsworth on
    Contracts § 12.9 (3d ed. 2004).
    -16-
    civil cases, Tuli v. Brigham & Women's Hosp., 
    656 F.3d 33
    , 45-46
    (1st Cir. 2011), and GMG has not even argued for one here.             Nor,
    based on any evidence supplied by GMG, could we ourselves calculate
    a   reduction    based    on   avoidable    costs.   GMG's   all-or-nothing
    argument   was    a      gamble,   possibly    one   based   on   deliberate
    calculation, but it has not paid off.
    As for GMG's attack on the award of attorneys' fees, as
    provided in the agreement, it is undeveloped and in any event based
    on the proposition that it owes only about $23,000 based on its
    (flawed) reading of the termination clause.              GMG's attempt to
    revive its dismissed counterclaims for negligent misrepresentation
    and violation of chapter 93A rest on Amicas' supposed promise of a
    seamless interchange with Sage, and have already been answered.
    Affirmed.
    -17-
    APPENDIX
    Excepts from Software License, Hardware, Services and Support
    Agreement:
    1.1. Agreement. . . . This Agreement and any
    exhibits, schedules and attachments attached
    hereto constitute the entire agreement between
    the parties and supersedes all prior or
    contemporaneous agreements, representations
    and proposals, written or oral, including the
    terms of any prior, contemporaneous, or
    subsequent [purchase orders] (except as set
    forth above) relating hereto, except for
    Customer's obligations to pay support or other
    fees under existing contract(s), if any,
    between the parties.
    1.2. Definitions. . . . Documentation means
    the product manuals accompanying or associated
    with the Software and, if applicable, the
    Hardware delivered or available to Customer.
    However, Documentation (a) may describe (i)
    some functionality that is specified for
    configurations that Customer does not have and
    (ii) modules or products not included, and
    therefore are not applicable, (b) may contain
    certain sections that, from time to time, may
    be out of date in a manner that will not have
    a material effect on Customer or the value of
    the Software to Customer, and (c) may not be
    applicable as to each Update, however the
    Documentation will be updated by AMICAS for
    major Updates.
    3.1. Fees and Payments. Customer will pay to
    AMICAS the fees, amounts and expenses due
    AMICAS as specified herein.       Customer is
    obligated to pay the Software Support Fee for
    the entire Term. Customer acknowledges that
    in the event AMICAS allows the Customer to pay
    said fees on a periodic basis such arrangement
    is done as an accommodation to Customer only.
    3.2. Failure to Pay or Comply. Failure to
    . . . . pay the license fees for the Software
    in accordance with this Agreement will result
    -18-
    in termination of Customer's Software license,
    termination of this Agreement and will
    obligate Customer to return any and all
    Software and Documentation to AMICAS.
    3.3. Payment Terms.    Payment terms are set
    forth in Schedule A. All payments . . . must
    be paid within thirty (30) days of receipt of
    the invoice.
    4.1. Term. This Agreement will commence on
    the Effective Date. Support will commence the
    first day of the month after the Delivery Date
    and end on the first day of the calendar month
    containing the one year anniversary of the
    Delivery Date ("Term").
    4.3. Effect of Termination. Upon termination
    for any reason, other than an AMICAS Breach
    (defined as a material breach by AMICAS as
    determined by final arbitration or a court of
    competent jurisdiction), Customer will pay
    AMICAS for all services performed by AMICAS up
    to the date of such termination and all other
    amounts Customer owed to AMICAS as of the date
    of such termination including, but not limited
    to, the unpaid portion of the Software Support
    fee for the balance of the Term or Renewal
    Term.
    9.1. Warranties. Provided Customer complies
    with the terms of this Agreement, AMICAS
    warrants that, during the ninety-day period
    following the Go Live Date, the AMICAS
    Software will substantially conform to the
    Documentation when used by the Customer in a
    manner   that    is   consistent    with   the
    Documentation. AMICAS does not warrant that
    the Software described herein will meet
    Customer's requirements. . . . This software
    warranty will not apply and AMICAS will be
    neither obligated nor responsible to repair,
    replace, or grant a refund with respect to any
    AMICAS software that does not conform to its
    Documentation as a result, in whole or in
    part, of one or more of the events indicated
    in Section 12.4 (Limitations & Exclusions).
    -19-
    9.2.   Warranty Limitations.    OTHER THAN AS
    EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, NEITHER
    AMICAS NOR ANY THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE OR
    HARDWARE PROVIDER MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
    WARRANTIES TO CUSTOMER, WITH RESPECT TO THE
    SOFTWARE, THE DOCUMENTATION, THE HARDWARE, OR
    ANY SERVICES PROVIDED HEREUNDER OR OTHERWISE
    REGARDING THIS AGREEMENT.    WITHOUT LIMITING
    THE FOREGOING, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF
    MERCHANTABILITY, INFRINGEMENT AND FITNESS FOR
    A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED
    AND DISCLAIMED.
    12.4. Limitations & Exclusions. AMICAS will
    not be responsible for providing Software
    Support Service relating to the following:
    . . . (c) problems caused by Customer's data,
    network, operational or other environmental
    factors not within the direct control of
    AMICAS; (d) third party databases (except for
    any database that is suppled by AMICAS as part
    of the AMICAS Software); . . . .
    Excerpts from Product List, Fees and Payment Terms: SCHEDULE A:
    Payment Terms: Customer shall pay AMICAS the
    applicable license, Hardware costs, Services
    and Support Fees in accordance with the
    following schedule: 1) For the AMICAS Office
    Solutions product (which includes certain
    AMICAS Software, services, and third party
    hardware): (a) 30% is due upon the Effective
    Date; (b) 40% is due thirty (30) days after
    the Delivery Date; and (c) 30% is due sixty
    (60) days after the Delivery Date. . . . 3)
    Support Fees[.] Upon each annual anniversary
    of the Delivery Date, Customer shall pay the
    applicable   annual  Software  and  Hardware
    Support Fees.
    Excerpts from General Addendum:
    Modify the following License Fees payment
    terms section of Product List, Fees and
    Payment   Terms:   SCHEDULE  A   to  add   the
    following: . . . Customer shall pay AMICAS the
    applicable license, Hardware costs, Services
    and Support Fees in accordance with the
    -20-
    following    schedule:   1)    Notwithstanding
    anything in the Agreement to the contrary, for
    those products and services that are based on
    Per Captured Study pricing:
    (a) All license fees, Support fees, hardware
    costs, training and professional services fees
    related to such products and services are part
    of the Per Captures Study fee which is based
    upon the number of Captured Studies all as set
    forth in Schedule A. No additional payments
    will be due from Customer for such products
    and services.
    (b) Section 4.1 of the Agreement is amended so
    that the Term of the Agreement shall begin on
    the Effective Date and end Five (5) years
    after the Captured Study Start Date.
    (c) The Per Captured Study fee set forth on
    Schedule A shall be paid as follows: Payments
    shall be made quarterly in arrears beginning
    on the Captured Study Start Date, and the
    Excess Study License Fee shall be determined
    and paid on a monthly basis in arrears. The
    Per Captured Study fee shall increase after
    the first year as shown on the Schedule A.
    Excerpts from Schedule A to the General Addendum:
    Captured Studies: . . . Excess Captured Study
    Fee $5.80 per Captured Study.
    Year   1:   31,500   $182,700.00
    Year   2:   33,075   $191,835.00
    Year   3:   34,730   $201,434.00
    Year   4:   36,465   $211,497.00
    Year   5:   38,290   $222,082.00
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