CARDINAL-CHANGE DOCTRINE

cardinal-change doctrine.Contracts. The principle that if the government makes a fundamental, unilateral change to a contract beyond the scope of what was originally contemplated, the other party (usu. a contractor) will be released from the obligation to continue work under the contract. • A contractor’s allegation of cardinal change is essentially an assertion that the government has breached the contract. [Cases: United States  73(17).]

[Blacks Law 8th]