South Alabama-based shipbuilder Austal USA will build $3.3B in new Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC) for the Coast Guard, a federal judge ruled this week, according to court documents.
Austal had been awarded the contract to build up to 11 OPCs. Eastern Shipbuilding, headquartered in Panama City, Fla., had received a contract to build the first four. The CG intends to have a 25-ship program.
OPCs are designed to “bridge the capability” between National Security Cutters - built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. - and Fast Response Cutters.
In June 2022, after Austal’s bid to build the 11 cutters was accepted by the Coast Guard, Eastern filed suit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims saying the government failed to follow its own guidelines based on the language of the Response for Proposal (RfP).
Eastern was seeking to have the court order the CG to award the 11-ship contract to its company or have the two proposals re-evaluated and re-awarded, according to the court filings.
Last week, on Nov. 7, Chief Judge Elaine Kaplan rejected Eastern’s arguments, confirming the contract for Austal. (AL.com 11/10/23) Federal court rules in favor of Mobile shipyard in $3.3 billion contract dispute - al.com
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