That's why it is important as a project manager to protect the relationship and perform in good faith no matter how frustrated you become with a long-time vendor who all of a sudden is providing low-quality product. The best-case scenario is for a pm to negotiate a claim and resolve it right then and there. If it becomes a dispute, it can be held against the termination and adr mechanism clause and even then if you have disappointed a vendor, they can appeal it in the courts. The aim of a pm is to influence the factors that don't escalate the claim into litigation.
I lost a magistrate court trial and the judge didn't even want to discuss the town ordinance. She grazed over that and convicted me on "credibility and cop baiting videos". I want a full explanation of her interpretation of their own law in Coquille, Oregon.