The Coast Guard last Friday released a draft statement of work (SOW) for its planned recompete of its Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) vessels and is seeking industry feedback on a proposed schedule and on potential acceleration of ship construction.
The Coast Guard in October decided to terminate the existing OPC contract with Eastern Shipbuilding at four ships after the company sought extraordinary relief related to cost and schedule due to impacts from Hurricane Michael a year ago. The company’s original contract was to deliver nine OPCs with options for up to two more before the program would be recompeted.
In early fiscal year 2020, the Coast Guard plans to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for multiple industry studies for a detail design and construction contract (DD&C). The service says the results of the studies will inform an RFP for an eventual DD&C contract.
The Coast Guard wants the studies to include the expected cost and schedule to complete the DD&C and construction of one OPC, and options for 10 additional ships. The Coast Guard’s program of record for the OPC is 25 ships.
Eastern Shipbuilding’s contract called for delivering the first 360-foot OPC in FY ’21 with the next two medium-class endurance cutters following in successive years before ramping up production to two vessels annually beginning with the fourth and fifth cutters. The company was granted relief to deliver the first ship in late FY ’22, and the next three vessels in late FY ’23, FY ’24, and FY ’25, respectively.
Under the notional schedule for the recompete, the Coast Guard wants the fifth OPC in late FY ’26 from the winner of the new competition.