By Emelie Rutherford
The House took another stab at legally limiting the Coast Guard’s use of so-called lead-system integrators (LSIs) last Friday when it passed an authorization bill for the maritime service.
Though similar legislation is currently pending in the Senate, Congress has not passed an authorization bill for the Coast Guard since 2006. Since then, the service decided to phase out Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS)–a partnership between Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Lockheed Martin [LMT]–as lead systems integrator of Deepwater, a once-troubled $24 billion, 25-year modernization effort.
Still, lawmakers have consistently wanted to place statutory limits on LSIs, setups that have fallen out of favor under which private companies coordinate and manage work of other contractors and subcontractors for the government.
The House-passed Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 states the Coast Guard cannot use a LSI for an acquisition contract, delivery order, or task order starting 180 days after the bill’s enactment. However, the bill allows varied exceptions under which LSIs could be used, including to complete General Dynamics‘ [GD] Rescue 21, a maritime 911 emergency radio system, and the second and third National Security cutters started under ICGS’ Deepwater program.
Yet if Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen wanted to use a LSI for any of the programs cited as exceptions, he would have to first notify Congress of the rationale for doing so, under the House bill.
The legislation includes additional Coast Guard acquisition reforms, including requiring life-cycle-cost estimates for large acquisitions and reports to Congress on cost breaches with major programs.
The House bill would authorize $10 billion in Coast Guard funding while also setting policy in a number of areas.
The legislation would authorize $153 million for designing and building a buoy-tender icebreaker for use in the Great Lakes.
A House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee report on the bill notes the Coast Guard’s success in the lakes with the icebreaker Mackinaw, which was delivered in 2006. The Mackinaw was built by Marinette Marine Corp., which has been acquired by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
“The Coast Guard could use this design to build a sister ship that could set and maintain buoys during the spring, summer, and fall, and then break ice to keep shipping channels open for commercial vessels during the winter months,” the report says.
The bill also would require the commandant conduct a cost-benefit analysis of improving or buying more Arctic icebreakers.
“The cost-benefit analysis should also include the Coast Guard’s ability to maintain a presence in the Arctic regions through 2020 if constructing new or improving the existing ice breakers is not fully funded,” the bill report states. “The Commandant is also to submit a report containing the results of the High Latitude Study assessing Arctic ice- breaking mission requirements 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act or the date on which the study is completed, whichever occurs later.”
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in July passed its own $9.5 billion Coast Guard authorization bill, for both FY ’10 and FY ’11.
Like the House bill, the Senate panel’s measure would require analyses of improving or buying Arctic icebreakers and maintaining a presence in polar regions, and seeks information on the High Latitude Study. The Senate committee’s measure also includes acquisition and LSI-related reforms. However, it would not authorize funding for Great Lakes icebreakers.
Meanwhile, Congress last week approved a FY ’10 Homeland Security appropriations bill with $32.5 million for completing the reactivation and service-life extension of the Arctic icebreaker Polar Star, which is currently in caretaker status. The appropriations bill awaiting President Obama’s signature also mandates an alternatives analysis on Great Lakes icebreaking from the Coast Guard.