[4] Helene Curtis Industries received an army contract for large quantities of a disinfectant chlorine powder that had never been mass-produced.
The powder was to be used by U.S. troops in Korea to disinfect mess gear and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Based on the specifications, the contractor concluded that only a simple mixing technique was needed and submitted its bid.
The Army also knew the contractor planned to simply mix the ingredients together, without performing any grinding.
The contractor sued for the costs of finding that it needed to grind the powder, because the Army should have shared this superior knowledge.