Marinette Protests U.S. Coast Guard Award
Shipbuilder Marinette Marine filed a protest Oct. 7 against the U.S. Coast Guard's choice of Bollinger Shipyards to build a new class of oceangoing patrol boats.
Robert McCreary, Marinette's vice president of shipbuilding, declined to comment on the protest, citing federal regulations prohibiting such disclosure.
Likewise, the Coast Guard did not explain the basis of the protest, but confirmed Marinette's action.
"While the protest will cause a delay in getting needed patrol boats to the fleet, the ability to protest a contract award is an inherent part of ensuring the transparency and equity of the federal procurement system," the Coast Guard said in a statement.
Marinette's protest was filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which is required to issue a ruling within 100 days.
"While of course disappointed to receive an award protest, we recognize the legitimate role of GAO to resolve federal procurement process questions," Rear Adm. Gary Blore, assistant commandant for acquisition, said in the statement. "I am confident that the robust and well-documented acquisition process used in making this patrol boat award will be upheld by GAO."
Wisconsin-based Marinette was one of three reported finalists in the competition to build the Fast Response Cutter, which the service needs to replace its fleet of aging ocean patrol boats. The third finalist was General Dynamics.
The Coast Guard announced Sept. 26 it had chosen Bollinger to build the new Sentinel-class cutters based on a design by the Dutch Damen firm. While the initial contract award was for $88 million to design and build the first patrol boat, the contract ultimately could expand to 34 new cutters at total value of $1.5 billion.
Ironically, Marinette is partnered with Bollinger on the Lockheed Martin version of the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Marinette delivered the first LCS in September, and, with no further orders, laid off about 90 workers, with more layoffs possible in November. The Navy has two more LCS contracts to award, and while Marinette is expected to get one the other is likely to go to competitor General Dynamics.
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