Bid protests mean suspension of OPC contract work

FEBRUARY 27, 2014 — Shipbuilders Huntington Ingalls Industries and VT Halter Marine have  both filed with the GAO protesting the Coast Guard’s February 11 award of design contracts for the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program.

This means that work under the contracts that have been awarded must be suspended until GAO reaches a decision on the protests. GAO is obligated to reach a decision within 100 days but often rules in a shorter time frame than that 100 days.

Huntingdon Ingalls filed its protest (B-409541.1) on February 24. VT Halter Marine filed its protest (B-409541.1) on February 25.