Austal EPF pact & future mods

Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., is being awarded a $261,776,539 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) modification to previously-awarded contract (N00024-19-C-2227) for the detail design and construction (DD&C) of the 13th and 14th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ships, and to definitize the long-lead-time material undefinitized contract actions for EPFs 13 and 14. This modification will award the DD&C effort for EPF 13 and EPF 14 and definitize and subsume the long-lead-time material undefinitized contract actions for EPFs 13 and 14. (Note: Funding obligated covers the DD&C award and also definitizes the UCAs, which results in a total greater than the face value of the award.) The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $370,733,399. Work will be performed in the Gulf Coast communities of Mobile (54%); Houston (4%); New Iberia, La. (3%); and Theodore, Ala. (1%) with other efforts performed at various locations throughout the United States below one percent (7%) and at various locations outside the U.S. below one percent (4%). Work is expected to complete by July 2022. FY 2018 Navy shipbuilding and conversion funding in the amount of $134,609,225; and FY-19 Navy shipbuilding and conversion funding in the amount of $161,815,453 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. Naval Sea Systems Command of Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 03/25/19) Potential Future Modifications: The Navy is considering retiring one or both of its hospital ships, and has set up a team to examine whether a larger number of smaller ships could provide a viable alternative in some situations. A number of proposals already exist, including a conversion or purpose-built medical derivative of the San Antonio-class amphibious ship built by Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, Miss.; a similar variant of Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport built at Austal USA of Mobile, Ala.; and a modular hospital package for the service’s new giant Expeditionary Sea Bases like the USS Lewis B. Puller, built by NASSCO of San Diego.