USCG Cutter Contract Protested

One of the losing bidders on a contract to build new cutters for the US Coast Guard, Marinette Marine, protested the award to Bollinger Shipyards for a new class of small ships the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.. The initial contract is for $80 M and will begin a program that might see up to 34 ships procured. This program arose out of a failed attempt to upgrade existing USCG ships by extending the hull and adding capability. Bollinger was heavily involved in that program, and some feel that the past performance there should have disqualified them from participating in this contract. Marinette Marine has previously built other ships for the USCG as well. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has 100 days to rule on the protest. Normally the contract is put on hold while the protest is resolved.

USCG Deep Water problems lead to end of Bell UAS program

February 15, 2008 by Matthew Potter · Comment
Filed under: Bell, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security 

Bell was building a tilt-rotor Unmanned Aeriel System (UAS) for the USCG as part of the Deep Water modernization and upgrade program. The whole Deep Water program has been hit with problems and criticism from Congress to the point where the USCG is restructuring. As part of this they canceled the tilt-rotor UAS that Bell Helicopter was building for them based on V-22 technology. See a story here. Read more

>