USCG Makes Plans for new Waterways Commerce Cutter
The U.S. Coast Guard announced its plan to replace the capabilities of 13 Inland Construction Tenders (WLIC) and 18 River Buoy Tenders (WLR), releasing a draft specification with drawings and project peculiar documents (PPD).
When Maritime Reporter & Engineering News interviewed Admiral Karl Schultz, the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, earlier this year, he stressed the importance of the Coast Guard’s shipbuilding program in context of keeping $5.4 trillion in U.S. economic activity flowing.
“The Coast Guard is building ships. We’re planning to build 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters, we’re still building Fast Response Cutters, we’re building National Security Cutters, we’re positioned to start building Waterways Commerce Cutters and now we’re building Polar Security Cutters. We’ve never been building five classes of cutters (simultaneously) in my 36 years here; it’s a banner time and we have to keep the capital funding stable and predictable.”
The draft specification – which is subject to change – is for two mono-hull ship variants with a common after-body as the materiel solutions to replace the WLIC and WLR. While the draft specification is unclassified, parties interested in viewing it must request explicit access via the Federal Business Opportunities web site. The USCG Contracting Officer will decide all requests for access.
In the announcement from the Coast Guard it was also announced that the WCC Program plans to attend the International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans where USCG representatives will meet one-on-one with shipbuilders and ship design teams. To request a meeting during the International WorkBoat Show, click on the link below or copy and paste it into your internet browser. The deadline to request a meeting is November 11, 2019.
https://einvitations.afit.edu/inv/anim.cfm?i=472262&k=0666400B7D55
Shipbuilder and ship design teams not able to meet during the International WorkBoat Show may request a phone conference or meeting in Washington, DC by emailing [email protected].
The WCC program will also staff a booth during the International WorkBoat Show and will provide information about its mission needs, status, and desired fielding schedule during a presentation on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CT. The presentation will include time for questions. All information provided in the presentation (including questions and answers) and booth handouts will be made available on the program's website:
