The Coast Guard this week issued a Request for Information (RFI) for its heavy polar icebreaker acquisition, saying it plans to buy three vessels to help meet the nation’s needs in the Arctic and Antarctic.
The Coast Guard wants feedback on the notional acquisition approach and schedule and on aspects of a draft statement of work related to technology risks, sustainability, producibility and affordability.
The lead ship is due to be delivered in the third or fourth quarter of FY ’23. The notional schedule shows plans to acquire three heavy polar icebreakers, which is in line with an earlier mission need statement. The second ship would go under contract in early FY ’21 and the third vessel in early FY ’22 with construction of each taking four years.
The responses to the RFI are due by Nov. 10. The service in January released a notional schedule and a requirements document. A new notional schedule calls for release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) at the midpoint of FY ’18 with a contract award for long-lead time and materials and the lead ship at the end of the third quarter or start of the fourth quarter in FY ’19.
During the first quarter of FY ’17 a draft RFP is expected to be release for government funded industry studies for which multiple awards will be made.
A single shipyard in the United States will be awarded a contract for the design and construction of the heavy polar icebreakers, the RFI says. It also says the service is considering that the design proposal include a mature design.