The Coast Guard on Wednesday said it has awarded Bollinger Shipyards a potential $1.42 billion contract to acquire up to 26 Fast Response Cutters (FRC), which would complete plans to buy 58 of the vessels that are the service’s primary near-shore surface assets.
Bollinger is already under contract to build and deliver the first 32 FRCs under a Phase 1 contract for which the Coast Guard has obligated $1.48 billion. The service recompeted the FRC contract under Phase 2 but Bollinger was the only bidder.
The unit cost for the first 32 vessels is $46.3 million and for the vessels under Phase 2 $54.6 million. A Coast Guard spokesman on Thursday told Defense Daily that the new contract includes price escalation from the start of Phase 1 in FY ’08 through FY ’17 “and includes additional changes with cyber security and interoperability.” Otherwise, he said, the capabilities and performance of the FRCs under the Phase 1 and 2 contracts are “identical.”
The 154-foot Sentinel-class FRCs are replacing the same number of 110-foot Island-Class cutters of which 27 are still operating.
Under the Phase 2 award, the Coast Guard let $318.6 million in FY ’16 funds to Bollinger with delivery of the first FRC, which would be the 33rd overall in the program, is slated for FY ’19. So far 16 FRCs have been commissioned into service and the 17th vessel is slated for commissioning on May 20, the spokesman said.
The delivery date for the 58th FRC will depend on the number of cutters ordered each year.