Rival contractor protests cutter deal

Rival contractor protests cutter deal
By Amy McCullough - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Oct 9, 2008 19:58:58 EDT

The Coast Guard’s patrol boat replacement program is once again on hold after a competing contractor filed a protest Oct. 7 opposing the service’s decision to award the $88 million deal to Bollinger Shipyards.

Marinette Marine Corp. confirmed the protest was filed with federal investigators but declined to discuss the reasoning behind it.

The Coast Guard awarded Bollinger Shipyards the contract for the Fast Response Cutter on Sept. 26 despite the company’s role in the Deepwater-related controversy stemming from a failed attempt to convert 110-foot cutters into 123-foot cutters. The failed conversions, which Bollinger designed, and the media fallout forced senior leaders to revamp the Coast Guard’s acquisition service.

After the contract for the FRC was awarded, Coast Guard officials said they felt confident Bollinger’s design, which is based on the design of Dutch shipbuilder and designer Damen, already has been tested and will be a success.

“We searched all the patrol boats around the world and came up with that design as best fitting the Coast Guard requirements,” Bollinger said in September, adding that the award shows the Coast Guard still has faith in the shipbuilder.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/cg_frcprotest_102008w/%2e