USCG awards Bollinger, Eastern and Bath OPC contracts

FEBRUARY 11, 2014—In the first phase of a two-phase process, the U.S. Coast Guard awarded three firm fixed-price contracts for preliminary and contract design for the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) acquisition project.  

The contracts were awarded to Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., Lockport, LA, Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc., Panama City, FL, and General Dynamics, Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME.  The total value of the award is about $65 million. Bollinger Shipyards was awarded $21.9 million, Eastern Shipbuilding received $21.975 million and GD-Bath Iron Works $21.4 million.

The Coast Guard spent more than a year evaluating proposals before awarding these three contracts. It received proposals for the OPC in January 23, 2013.

The OPC will replace the Coast Guard’s aging 210-foot and 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutters. The 270-foot cutters were built in the 1980s and the 210-foot cutters were built in the 1960s. The Coast Guard will evaluate each phase I awardee submission and select one vendor for detail design and construction in Phase II. The Coast Guard will serve as the lead systems integrator for the project.

The OPC designs are expected to incorporate green technologies that cut fuel consumption, mitigate waterborne noise and waste streams, as well as cut energy usage.

The Coast Guard says that awarding the three design contracts will ensure that there will be competition throughout to the down-select for detailed design and construction, establishes a fixed-price environment for the remainder of the contract, and incorporates a strategy to maximize affordability.

“These contract awards today are an important milestone in sustaining the offshore capability needed to protect the nation’s maritime borders,” says Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Bob Papp. “Affordability will be the central consideration as this acquisition moves closer to production.”

The Coast Guard plans to acquire up to 25 OPCs.