Coast Guard Awards Contracts for Integrated Deepwater System Program

Strategic Insights -

The United States Coast Guard has awarded contracts to three teams of companies to develop proposals for the Integrated Deepwater System program, a comprehensive upgrade of the service's aging vessels, aircraft, and command and control systems. The program, valued at approximately $8 billion over the next decade, aims to replace 30 to 40 high- and medium-endurance cutters, fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and command, control, communications and surveillance gear. The three teams, consisting of Boeing, Raytheon, and John J. McMullen Associates; Lockheed Martin, Ingalls Shipbuilding, and Bell Helicopter Textron; and Science Applications International Corp., Bath Iron Works, Sikorsky, Marinette Marine Corp., Soza & Co. Ltd., and Gibbs & Cox, will receive $7 million each to develop their proposals over the coming year.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Integrated Deepwater System program seeks to comprehensively upgrade the Coast Guard's aging vessels, aircraft, and command and control systems, valued at approximately $8 billion over the next decade.
  • The program aims to replace 30 to 40 high- and medium-endurance cutters, fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and command, control, communications and surveillance gear.
  • Three teams of companies have been awarded contracts to develop proposals for the program, with each team receiving $7 million to refine their proposals.
  • The teams include Boeing, Raytheon, and John J. McMullen Associates; Lockheed Martin, Ingalls Shipbuilding, and Bell Helicopter Textron; and Science Applications International Corp., Bath Iron Works, Sikorsky, Marinette Marine Corp., Soza & Co. Ltd., and Gibbs & Cox.
  • The Coast Guard plans to award the final Deepwater contract in February 2002, with the first cutter to enter service around 2005.
  • The program will result in comprehensive modernization of the Coast Guard's capabilities, enhancing its ability to "save lives, reduce the flow of illegal drugs and migrants, manage our precious fishery resources, curb pollution and meet our responsibilities to the wide array of national security challenges we'll face offshore in the first half of the next century."

Statistics:

  • The Integrated Deepwater System program is valued at approximately $8 billion over the next decade.
  • The program aims to replace 30 to 40 high- and medium-endurance cutters.
  • The Coast Guard plans to award a single contract to an industry team that will be responsible for designing the comprehensive modernization, carrying it out, and supporting it throughout its service life.
  • Each team will have approximately 16 months to submit an integrated modernization plan.
  • The teams' proposals are due around December 1999, with the Coast Guard scrutinizing the submissions for about six months.
  • The Coast Guard plans to issue a request for proposal for Phase II of the program around October 2000.

Sources:

  • "Coast Guard Awards Contracts for Integrated Deepwater System Program", [No date given]
  • Adm. James Loy, Coast Guard commandant, in a prepared statement on Friday
  • "Coast Guard Plans to Award Final Deepwater Contract in February 2002" [No date given]