arises from a contract dispute. The plaintiff in this case, Object Technology Information Specialists Corporation ("OTIS"), filed a petition for declaratory relief, injunctive relief and damages against the defendants on April 7, 2004. According to this petition, OTIS entered into a contract with Science and Engineering Associates, Inc. on June 9, 1999 in which Science and Engineering Associates, Inc. agreed to perform work for the United States government at the University of New Orleans Research and Technology Park in New Orleans. The contract was renewed and modified on at least two occasions, with SEA Information Services, Inc. substituted in place of Science and Engineering Associates, Inc. The contract called for OTIS to perform work for the Space and Naval Warfare Command. OTIS alleges that it performed under thiscontract through March 31, 2004.
In the petition, OTIS alleges that SEA Information Services, Inc. is owned and controlled by Robert Savoie. In February 2004, SEA[1] allegedly contacted OTIS and claimed that certain OTIS personnel had improperly used government resources and time allotted for the Space and Naval Warfare Command contract on another unrelated project for the United States government. OTIS contends that SEA refused to provide OTIS with supporting evidence of SEA's allegations, notwithstanding OTIS' request for such evidence.
On April 1, 2004, OTIS received a letter from SEA seeking to terminate its contract with OTIS, and further requested that OTIS refund an amount that SEA alleged was improperly billed under the *153 Space and Naval Warfare Command contract. OTIS attached to its petition the contract and its renewal