Attachment 4 - Government Responses to Solicitation Questions_A00006.pdf

Question No. Offeror Question Government Response

Q1

Offeror requests a 2-week extension to the stated due date for the following, due to the additional vendor requirements associated with the revised solicitation issued on Amendment A00005, for:

• Solicitation response

• Questions and requests for clarification

The Government is extending the Phase 2 proposal due date by one (1) week, from 16 October 2026 to 23 October 2026.

The deadline for questions and requests for clarifications remains unchanged.

Q2 Identity of other Phase 2 Offerors Given that Phase 2 participation is limited to Offerors who were down-selected following the Phase 1 evaluation, will the Government identify the other Offerors invited to submit a Phase 2 proposal for this solicitation?

No. The government will not identify the other Offerors participating in Phase 2.

Q3

Section J-1 §042.5.3.1 / Contract Drawing 420, Navigation System Block Diagram Section J-1 §042.5.3.1 lists Contract Drawing 420, "Navigation System Block Diagram," as part of the Phase 2 Contract Design package. No drawing numbered 420 was included in the furnished package. However, file 69- HSCL_400_1_1 depicts navigation electronics Please confirm whether 69-HSCL_400_1_1 is in fact Drawing 420, Navigation System Block Diagram, and was mislabeled with the CDRL data item number instead of the SWBS based drawing number, or whether a separate Drawing 420 exists and was inadvertently omitted from the furnished package.

Section J-1, §042.5.3.1, as revised by Amendment A00005, does not reference Contract Drawing 420. Earlier versions of Section J-1, referenced Drawing 420. Contract Drawing 420 was replaced by Contract Drawing 400, C5I System Block Diagram.

Q4 Pricing CLIN for Insurance Spares List (Attachment J-8) Please confirm which CLIN in Attachment J-7, Pricing Schedule, is intended to capture pricing for the items identified in Attachment J-8, Insurance Spares List.

CLIN 0005 and the applicable sub-CLINs apply.

Q5

Drawing Package - 69-HSCL-256-001 and 69-HSCL-301-002 The Offeror reviewed the Contract Design drawings trasmitted through DoD SAFE and was unable to located 69-

HSCL-256-001: MACHINERY COOLING SYSTEM

69-HSCL-301-002: ENGINE START SYSTEM DIAGRAM. Please advise.

The government confirms that Drawing 69-HSCL-256-001 - Machinery Cooling System was inadvertently omitted from the Phase 2 drawing transmission because the associated file was duplicated with Drawing 69-HSCL-259-001 - Exhaust System Diagram. The correct Drawing 69-HSCL-256-001 will be provided.

Regarding Drawing 69-HSCL-301-002, the technical information previously transmitted was correct; however, the drawing title was incorrect. A corrected Drawing 69-HSCL-301-002, titled Electrical Battery Charging System, will be provided.

Both drawings will be transmitted via DoD SAFE to all offerors that timely elected to continue to Phase 2 in connection with Amendment A00007.

Q6

Request for Two Week Extension - Phase 2 Proposal Deadline Will the Government extend the Phase 2 proposal submission deadline an additional two weeks to allow time to review the final drawing set that was recently received, to review material costs, to receive updated material quotations, to review the multi-year labor assumptions, and final QC/QA internal review of the bid proposal?

See repsonse to Q1.

Q7 Please confirm the required method, file-size limits, file formats, and file-naming convention for Phase 2 volume submission and whether a submission receipt will be provided.

Please see Section L for these requirements. A submission receipt will be provided.

Q8 Regarding the “Modified Government Rights” category introduced in Amendment A00005, please confirm how it should be reflected in the Attachment J-9B tables and the associated marking expectations.

Modified list to add "Modified Government rights" as an option on the drop down menu of the Government asserted rights column in Tabs 2 and 3 of ATCH J-9.

Q9 Please confirm whether the “total evaluated price” used to identify a covered subcontractor is the sum of all ordering periods/options or the base period only.

The total evaluated price will be evaluated based on all periods and all CLINs.

Q10

Will the USCG accept a forced response vibration analysis in lieu of a resonant frequency/modal avoidance analysis to assess compliance with J-1 Section 073.4? The forced response assessment would ensure mast vibrations are below the 0.6 in/s limit, and would assess “vibration that could damage the vessel structure, machinery, or systems; endanger vessel personnel; or interfere with operation or maintenance of vessel machinery and systems” by comparing the predicted vibration levels to ABS and other relevant guidance. A forced response analysis is preferred as it is a more accurate approach to assessing machinery induced vibration and removes the guesswork of modal methods which are prone to false positives and negatives, and tends to add unnecessary structure to the vessel.

The offeror shall provide a method to validate that the requirements of J-1 are met.

Q11 Is there a habitability vibration requirement, such as ISO 20283-5? No.

Q12

Paragraph C.3.040.2.2.3.1 requires the contractor to hold quarterly program management reviews every three months. Due to the frequency of the program management reviews, there is a possibility the program management reviews will occur in quick succession to the design reviews listed in C.3.068.3. Will the USCG allow the design review to satisfy the program management review requirement for their respective quarter?

The USCG will allow the design review and program management review to be combined when feasible.

Q13

According to the Management of STINFO COMDTINST M5260.6A all tech info for USCG surface vessels is export controlled, and all export controlled technical data should be marked with the appropriate export control warning. Attachment J-1 is marked Distribution Statement A, unlimited, with no export control statement. Is Distribution Statement A appropriate and since this is tech data for USCG surface vessel? Additionally, what export warning should be applied?

Technical information markings are prescribed in the J-4 attachment.

Q14 The contract drawings are marked Distribution Statement C, with no export control statement. According to COMDTINST M5260.6A surface vessel tech info is export controlled and therefore needs and export control warning. What export control warning should be included?

See response to Q13.

Q15

Paragraph C.2.13 of the SOW requires the facility to implement improvements "to provide cost savings, quality improvements, or schedule efficiencies to the USCG." Orders under this requirement will be placed under CLIN- 0009. The CLIN-0009 fields within the J-7 Pricing Schedule are greyed out, similar to all prefilled, automatically populated, or not-applicable fields indicating they may not be necessary to fill out. Does the USCG expect bidders to include anticipated capital expenditure cost into the J-7 even though the fields are greyed out?

CLIN -0009 will be awarded based on contracting officer decision and offeror cost-benefit analyses provided post-award.

As per the notes on the Instructions tab, CLIN -0009 is not intended to be edited as part of the proposal. The USCG does not expect bidders to include anticipated capital expenditure cost into the J-7.

Q16

For Technical Data Submission 3 (CLIN 1003AC), will the Government clarify whether the required Coast Guard-format 2D drawings and associated technical data package must constitute complete production-level manufacturing information suitable for future new construction by a third-party shipyard, or whether the required scope is limited to data sufficient for lifecycle operation, maintenance, repair, and sustainment?

The Offeror is required to provide drawings to describe the complete design, sufficient to build, maintain, and repair the HSC-L. However, shipyard-specific drawings are not required in Coast Guard format.

Q17

If the Contractor identifies omissions, conflicts, errors, or deficiencies in the Government-furnished Contract Design that require engineering effort beyond normal design maturation, will the resulting effort be considered included within CLIN 0001 Design and Engineering, or will it be handled as a Government-directed change or ordered under CLIN 0008 Special Studies and Events?

Efforts associated with normal design maturation, including resolution of omissions, conflicts, errors, and deficiencies identified during design development, are included within CLIN 0001 Design and Engineering.

Q18 For Contractor-identified long lead time material that is critical to meeting the required vessel delivery schedule, will the Government establish a maximum review and authorization period after receipt of a complete LLTM submittal and authorization request?

LLTM will be authorized following completion of PDR and its associated review.

Q19 Will the Government clarify whether office and workspace required for vessel crews arriving before delivery must be dedicated exclusively to HSC-L personnel, or whether shared facilities may be used provided the required capacity, security, communications, and access are continuously available?

Dedicated workspaces should be provided for HSC-L personnel as required and may be in shared facilities.

Q20 Will the Government confirm whether major purchased equipment and vendor-furnished systems included in the material portion of CLIN 0002AB are eligible for Economic Price Adjustment, or whether EPA eligibility is limited to raw material commodities?

EPA will be applied to LLTM and the materials portion of production as proposed in the pricing sheet, based on the identified indices.

Q21

Will the Government provide objective entrance and exit criteria for each required Mockup Review and clarify whether Government-requested changes identified after completion of Critical Design Review will be treated as Contractor-responsible redesign or processed as configuration changes through the ECP process?

The government does not plan to provide objective entrance and exit criteria for each mockup review. Government-requested changes outside contract scope will be addressed through contract modification processes.

Attachment 4 - Government Responses to Solicitation Questions Solicitation No. 70Z02326R93280004

Homeland Security Cutter - Light Icebreaker (HSC-L) Amendment A00006

Q22

Will the Government confirm whether Contractor-funded warranty support, including travel and on-site repair obligations, is limited to locations within the Continental United States, or whether warranty performance may be required at OCONUS homeports or operating locations? If OCONUS support may be required, please provide the pricing assumption Offerors should use.

These vessels will remain in-CONUS; the operational area is expected to be in the northeast and Great Lakes.

Q23

Because the material EPA mechanism begins with later ordering periods, will the Government consider a proposal-to-award or award-to-procurement adjustment mechanism for major equipment and LLTM commitments placed during Ordering Period 1, or should Offerors include all anticipated escalation for that period in their proposed fixed prices?

EPA does not apply to orders placed in ordering period 1. Offerors should include all anticipated escalation for that period in their proposed fixed prices.

Q24

Will the Government consider Business Case Analyses for HSC-L-specific facility and process improvements that are initiated or implemented after submitting the HSC-L proposal, provided the Contractor demonstrates measurable labor savings, quality improvement, schedule acceleration, or risk reduction for the HSC-L program?

Please also clarify whether costs incurred before formal CLIN 0009 authorization are eligible for consideration.

The USCG will consider business-case analyses for facility and process improvements, but only after award and in compliance with the requirements listed in sections C.2.13 and H.7. No reimbursements will be eligible.

Q25

Because eligible direct material under CLIN 0002AB is subject to the contract’s material EPA mechanism, should the escalation factors entered in the Production Pricing Matrix reflect only labor, indirect expense, subcontract labor, insurance, and other non-EPA costs, or does the Government intend the matrix escalation factor to apply to the entire production-unit price, including the EPA-eligible material portion?

In addition to LLTM, the government intends to apply EPA to only the material portion of production (CLIN -0002AB Production). Materials should be reflected in row 8 of the production tab of the J-07 Pricing Schedule.

Q26

Please clarify the event that establishes the commencement of all contractual schedule milestones, including Design and Engineering, PDR, CDR, PRR, and vessel delivery. Do milestone durations begin at contract award, Notice to Proceed (NTP), Delivery Order issuance, or another Government authorization event?

Commencement of all contractual schedule milestones begin at contract award.

Q27 Will Delivery Orders associated with the minimum guaranteed vessels be issued concurrently with contract award, or will the Government issue Delivery Orders separately after award?

The initial delivery order will be issued concurrently with contract award and will include the minimum guaranteed vessels.

Q28

What is the Government’s expectations relative to the Reliability Program? It is hard to determine as no formal analysis or deliverable is called out in the SOW. Are Allocations, Predictions, and Modeling desired?

The solicitation documents do not require a formal Reliability Program with deliverables such as allocations, predictions, or modeling. The government's expectation is that the Offeror will meet the performance and service life requirements by integrating proven, commercially available systems and components with established service histories, as detailed in Section 076 of the System Specification.

Q29

For CLIN 0005 Insurance Spares, please confirm Offerors are to price spare equipment only and should not include labor, testing, commissioning, installation materials, cabling, foundations, or other production-related costs associated with future installation.

Offerors are to price equipment, PHS&T, and delivery for the "ready-to-install" unit for CLIN 0005 Insurance Spares.

Included: Any specific parts, hardware, or internal materials that come packaged from the manufacturer to make that spare item work. Excluded: Shipyard labor to install it on a ship, shipboard wiring/cabling, welding foundations, and shipyard testing/commissioning.

Q30 How would the Government like the provisioning data delivered, the SOW has called out a -0007 compliant data structure but there is a separate PPL template that was provided?

CDRL 083-004 requires submission of this data in the PPL.

Q31 Will the Government provide anticipated review durations and comment-resolution periods for major design reviews, including PDR, Mockup Review, CDR, PRR, and TRR?

Attachment J-4 establishes CDRL submission dates for PDR, CDR, PRR and TRR. These submission dates account for government review.

Q32 Offeror respectfully requests a one-week extension of the Phase 2 questions deadline, from 2:00 PM September 25, 2026 to 2:00 PM October 02, 2026, to allow Offerors sufficient time to thoroughly review all documents and avoid any ambiguities in the proposal submission.

See response to Q1.

Q33

Offeror respectfully requests a two-week extension of the Phase 2 proposal submission deadline, from 2:00 PM October 16, 2026 to 2:00 PM October 30, 2026, to allow Offerors sufficient time to thoroughly answer the requirements of Phase 2, especially the new requirements that were not in the Phase 1 RFP and long-lead equipment pricing for items in the Main Equipment List.

See response to Q1.

Q34 The documents "69-HSCL-256-001: MACHINERY COOLING SYSTEM" and "69-HSCL-259-001:

EXHAUST SYSTEM DIAGRAM" contain identical content. Will the Government clarify if the content for these two files should be different and, if so, issue a corrected version?

See response to Q5.

Q35

The documents "Section+J-13M+COMDTINST+M52606A+Directives+System+Program" and "Section+J- 13G+COMDTINST+M52606A+Management+of+Scientific+and+Technical+Information+(STINFO)"contain identical content. Will the Government clarify if the content for these two files should be different and, if so, issue a corrected version?

The government identified the duplicate content. Section J-13M is removed from the solicitation by Amendment A00007.

Q36

Section I, FAR 52.211-11 (a) states that If the Contractor fails to deliver the supplies or perform the services within the time specified in this contract, the Contractor shall, in place of actual damages, pay to the Government liquidated damages of $3,842 per calendar day of delay beyond proposed delivery date per vessel.

Could the Government please clarify whether liquidated damages apply only to delays in Provisional Acceptance, or Final Acceptance vessel delivery or also to delays in intermediate contractual milestones?

The proposed delivery date will be the contract delivery date (i.e., final acceptance).

Q37 If changes to the System Specification are required to meet the contractual performance requirements and agreed upon by the Contractor and Government, can the Government please verify that these would be considered scope changes?

New Offeror- or government-requested changes will be addressed through contract modification processes.

Q38 What are the Government’s review and approval periods for CDRL submissions, in calendar days? Please also specify the maximum number of calendar days within which the Government will complete its review and issue its approval or comments.

See the response to Q31.

Q39 The RFP instructions state that "The schedule will be provided in native format". GANTT charts are most often created in .mpp format. Can the Government please clarify if .mpp is the expected native format? If not, what format is expected?

Section L.13 will be revised by Amendment A00007 to require submission of the Schedule in both native electronic format and PDF format.

Q40 Confirm the Phase 2 proposal due date and time, question deadline, and required electronic submission method These are defined in L.2. For due date and timing, see response to Q1.

Q41 Confirm which Section J attachments and Contract Design artifacts supersede the preliminary Phase 1 design information

Preliminary Phase 1 design information is superseded by the information provided in Phase 2. The J Attachment Index [A00005] indicates via highlighting each of the J-attachments which have been updated for Phase 2.

Q42 Confirm whether the Government expects the Project Approach to address execution across all proposed production yards or primarily the prime contractor's yard

The government would expect to receive Project Approach information for all production yards involved in the execution of this contract.

Q43 Confirm whether vessel construction may be allocated among multiple proposed production yards under offeror's prime execution model, subject to the solicitation requirements

The government does not prohibit the use of multiple production yards in the execution of this contract. The offeror's approach to production should be described in their proposal per the RFP instructions.

Q44 Clarify the required level of design maturity and technical data package maturity expected at proposal submission versus post-award design execution

The offeror's proposal should be submitted per the RFP instructions. There is no requirement for technical data package submission for the proposal. The level of maturity during post-award design execution should be in accordance with entrance and exit criteria for each milestone.

Q45 Confirm the Government's expectations for configuration control, model exchange, and Government access to the 3D product model and associated production data

SOW C.2.2 provides requirements for data exchange.

Q46 Confirm the required schedule format, level of detail, calendar basis, and whether the submitted Phase 2 schedule becomes the contractual baseline at award

The required schedule format is in its native format and PDF. The solicitation will be amended to add the "and PDF".

Schedule requirements are detailed in Section L.13.

Q47 Clarify required schedule treatment of design maturation, long-lead material, production by hull, test, trials, delivery, and Government review/approval activities

The offeror is expected to incorporate design maturation, long-lead material, production by hull, test, trials, and delivery into the proposed schedule. For government reviews, see the response to Q31.

Q48 Confirm whether updated workforce and capacity information is required in Phase 2 where Phase 1 representations remain unchanged

Information required for Phase 2 proposals shall be submitted as a stand-alone package associated with the specific evaluation factor. See L.12.

Q49 If workforce or yard allocation changes from Phase 1, confirm how the Government wants those changes identified and reconciled in the Phase 2 proposal

See response to Q48.

Q50 Confirm the Government-furnished or Government-directed assumptions, if any, to be used for long-lead-time material planning and pricing

No government-furnished or government-directed assumptions apply.

Q51 Confirm the required treatment of economic price adjustment for production CLIN(s) and the escalation assumptions to be used in the Phase 2 price proposal

The government will not direct any escalation.

Q52 Confirm whether pricing is required by hull, yard, major work package, or only by the solicitation CLIN structure and Government pricing workbook

Pricing is required only by the solicitation CLIN structure as required in the pricing schedule.

Q53 Clarify Government expectations for test and trials sequencing, Government participation, acceptance events, and required schedule float prior to delivery

The offeror is expected to incorporate test and trials sequencing, acceptance events, and required schedule float prior to delivery into the proposed schedule. For government participation, see the response to Q75.

Q54 Confirm required assumptions for vessel delivery location, transport/transit responsibility, and any seasonal or Great Lakes/St. Lawrence constraints the Offeror should price or schedule

The vessel delivery location is identified in Section F. Vessel transport requirements are identifed in Section C.2.11.

Q55 Confirm whether Phase 2 may provide updated execution evidence or risk-mitigation information relevant to schedule confidence without revising the Phase 1 past-performance submission

Factors 1 and 2 will not be re-evaluated, and information related to schedule should be proposed in accordance with Phase 2 requirements.

Q56 Confirm whether the Government requires any additional Phase 2 substantiation of prime/subcontractor workshare beyond the representations provided in Phase 1

The government requires information for factors 3-5 for covered subOfferors as defined in Section L.12.

Q57 Confirm Phase 2 page limits, file naming, file-size limits, and whether appendices or supporting evidence outside stated page limits are permitted

The USCG confirms the page limits, file-naming conventions, and file-size limits. Supporting evidence outside stated page limits are not permitted.

Q58 69-HSCL-256-001: MACHINERY COOLING SYSTEM. Referenced Drawing was not included in DOD SAFE Document Delivery. Drawing marked 69-HSCL-256-001 is mismarked but is a duplicate of the -259

See response to Q5.

Q59 69-HSCL-301-002: ENGINE START SYSTEM DIAGRAM. 69-HSCL-301-002: ENGINE START SYSTEM DIAGRAM is labeled the ELECTRICAL BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM

See response to Q5.

Q60

Will the USCG be providing a drawing of the shaft that includes material specifications Bearing types and spacing and tolerances? Only dimension is 5-inch diameter. More information is in the J-1 VERSION A00005, there is a requirement for a FEA under maximum loading conditions. Has this FEA been done and are the results available? If not, what is the liability of the offeror?

The government will not be providing a detailed shaft drawing that includes bearing types, spacing, and tolerances. Bearing requirements are provided in the specification. FEA at maximum loading is only required "Where a propulsion shaft contains more than one geometric discontinuity within a region less than four shaft diameters..." The offeror is responsible for determining final details and installation as part of detailed design.

Q61 The propeller Item is called out as Custom design in the HSCL_083 _1_1 -0 Drawing (MEL). In the RFP the propeller is called out as a Michigan Wheel Work Horse 4 45” x 33 in EAR 0.71. Should the offeror use the design called out in the RFP or should we be using a custom design requirement?

The offeror is responsible for providing a propeller that meets the requirements of specification section 245; this may be a variant of Michigan Wheel Work Horse 4 designed to ABS First Year Ice Class IC or equivalent.

Q62

The ILS CDRLs call out three attachments that aren’t included in the provided data package (listed below). Can USCG provide these documents?

o 083-001-2 ESWBS WORKBOOK.xls o 083-001-1 MECL.xlsx o 083-004-1 PPL Template.xlsx

These attachments were provided as part of A00005.

Q63 What specific financial criteria, formulas, or minimum liquidity ratios will the Government utilize to determine if a guarantor’s "demonstrated liquid net worth" is deemed "adequate" to secure the maximum outstanding unliquidated financing?

The government has not established a specific financial formula, minimum liquidity ratio, or predetermined liquid-net-worth threshold for determining adequate security.

Q64 Will the Government require the prospective guarantor's financial disclosures to be submitted with the initial proposal, or will this package be negotiated and finalized post-award but prior to the first interim financing payment?

Financial disclosures are not required to be proposed prior to award. The contracting officer will determine the adequacy of any proposed security at the Post Award Conference.

Q65 What is acceptable in splitting up financial guarantees between Prime and Subcontractors The government will not prescribe an allocation or division of financial security between the prime Offeror and its subcontrators. The prime Offeror remains responsible for providing adequate security acceptable to the government for contract financing.

Q66

Please confirm that the 900-day first-hull requirement in M.3.2 and Section F is measured to Provisional Acceptance at the build yardunder C.2(g), not Final Acceptance at USCG Yard, Baltimore, under C.2(h).

Please also confirm that any proposed first-hull delivery earlier than 900 days after award satisfies the “significantly earlier” High Confidence standard in M.3.2.

The requirement detailed in M.3.2 and Section F is measured to final acceptance at the Coast Guard Yard under Section C.2.

Q67 Please confirm that the Ordering Period 2 quantities in B.3 are correct as written—twoLLTM units and one production unit—and that offerors shall enter those quantities on J-7.

The ordering period 2 quantities are correct as written, and offerors shall enter unit prices on J-07.

Q68 Please confirm that the Special Studies amounts pre-filled in B.3 / J-7 are Government-provided evaluation figures, that offerors shall not overwrite those cells, that no price build-up is required at proposal, and that those amounts are included in TEP.

Confirmed; however, the offeror is required to provide the information requested in the Special Studies tab.

Q69

Please confirm: (1) Economic Price Adjustment under H.5 does apply to material costs on LLTM and Production for Delivery Orders issued in Ordering Period 2 and later; (2) Ordering Period 1 prices remain firm; (3) labor, overhead, and fee are not EPA-eligible; and (4) TEP is calculated from the unadjusted unit prices entered in J-7, with EPA applied at the time of each applicable Delivery Order.

Items 1-4 are accurate as written.

Q70

Contracting Officer Authorization Following Design/Readiness Reviews — Sections C.2.4(c) and C.2.5(a) require Contracting Officer authorization or direction following successful completion of the applicable design/readiness reviews before the Contractor may order Lead Boat LLTM or initiate Lead Boat production.

For purposes of developing the Factor 4 schedule, please identify the period Offerors should assume between successful completion of the applicable review(s) and receipt of Contracting Officer authorization/direction..

See response to Q71.

Q71

Unless the Government specifies otherwise, offerors will schedule 15 calendar days for Government review of PDR, CDR, and PRR packages and 5 calendar days for Contracting Officer authorization after each successful review. Please confirm those durations will be accepted for Factor 4 evaluation, or provide the durations the Government will use.

Unless the government specifies otherwise, offerors will schedule 30 calendar days for government review of PDR, CDR, and PRR packages and 30 calendar days for contracting officer authorization after each successful review. The Government will review initial CDRL submittals within 30 days.

Q72

The current proposal period does not provide sufficient time for offerors to complete the required technical, schedule, subcontractor/supplier, and pricing development in order to develop a low risk proposal. This includes review and reconciliation of the Contract Design/TDP with the System Specification, development of the Project Approach, IMS/Schedule Narrative, J-53 Sand Chart and J-7 Pricing Schedule, and procurement of meaningful supplier quotations IAW the solicitation updates. Additionally, substantive technical gaps have been identified, including the absence of the referenced ESWBS 256 Machinery Cooling System drawing, and additional gaps may still be uncovered that require Government clarification. A four-week extension will provide sufficient time to evaluate Government responses to questions, resolve technical issues, obtain and reconcile supplier/subcontractor quotations, and incorporate resulting impacts into a complete and executable proposal.

See response to Q1.

Q73 Can the Government confirm that offerors may use a smaller font (8 point) for graphics and tables within the proposal response?

Formatting of all graphics and tables should comply with Section L.6.

Q74 Please clarify whether the total vessel warranty overlaps with or is superseded by longer subsystem warranties, and whether warranty start dates differ for provisional acceptance, delivery, and final acceptance.

See requirements listed in H.1(o).

Q75 Please provide guidance on the minimum number of USCG observers the Contractor must accommodate during underway testing for planning, safety, and capacity assumptions.

The Offeror must accommodate a minimum of two USCG observers.

Q76 Please confirm the specific license endorsement expected for the HSC-L, considering vessel size and tonnage, and whether equivalent credentials will be accepted.

See Section C.3.092.4.

Q77 Please clarify whether the Contractor must include lodging, meals, PPE, training, insurance, or other support costs for USCG riders during vessel transport.

The Offeror must include PPE for USCG riders during vessel transport.

Q78 Please clarify whether “immediately available on-site” requires a full-time technician physically located at the OT site for the entire ordered month or allows on-call presence within a specified response time.

Confirmed; “immediately available on-site” requires a full-time technician physically located at the OT site for the entire ordered month.

Q79

Sections C.3.083.2.3.6 and C.3.083.7.1.2 require pricing information to be provided for Configuration Items on the MECL and within the Provisioning Data. Please clarify under which CLIN or pricing element Offerors should include the labor and associated vendor/OEM coordination required to obtain, develop, and maintain this pricing information.

The information should be provided under CLIN 0002AB Production.

Q80

Please identify which CLIN Offerors should use to price the ongoing office facilities and support services required under C.3.087 (office space, furniture, internet, conference room, cleaning, parking, and document shredding for 10 on-site USCG staff and up to 24 vessel crew, running from two months after award through delivery of the last vessel), or confirm that these costs are to be absorbed into the Production CLIN -0002AB composite rates.

See response to Q79.

Q81

Please clarify whether system stock, consumables, and training materials are intended to be associated with CLIN 0008 or with production/support CLINs, and whether Offerors should price shipping/installation assumptions separately.

System stock and consumables associated with Section C.2.5 will be associated with CLIN 0002AB Production. Training materials will be associated with CLIN 0004 Crew Familiarization Training. Additional system stock, consumables, and training materials required by the government will be ordered via technical instruction associated with CLIN 0008 Special Studies and Events.

Q82

Section F.2 identifies “Technical Data Submission-3 and Physical Configuration Audit” together as a C.2.7 major deliverable, with the due date “In accordance with the delivery order.” Please clarify whether TDS-3 and the Physical Configuration Audit are intended to be included under the same delivery order/SLIN and price, or whether the PCA is to be separately scheduled and priced.

Section F.2 will be amended to remove PCA.

Q83 Please provide additional guidance on assumptions Offerors should use for pricing CLIN 0008 Special Studies and Events, including whether costs should be treated as Government-directed allowances or priced based on a defined scope.

The government has entered cost data for CLIN-0008 in the Offeror Pricing tab of Section J-07 Pricing Schedule. The offeror should not modify this cost, but should fill out the Special Studies tab showing its hourly rate and loading rate for personnel and materials/subcontracts overhead used in Special Studies.

Q84 Please clarify whether ceremony-related costs should be priced under CLIN 0008, included in vessel production CLINs, or separately identified in Attachment J-7.

Ceremonies will be required via technical instruction (see response to Q83).

Q85 Please clarify whether the 3 percent threshold and 10 percent cap are applied at the CLIN, SLIN, delivery order, ordering period, vessel, or overall contract level.

EPA thresholds will apply to CLIN 0002AA and to the material portion of production (CLIN 0002AB) in accordance with Section H.5.

Q86 Please confirm whether the workforce loading plan should include only production labor resources or also design engineering, program management, logistics, testing, quality, and other indirect support labor.

Workforce loading plan, as part of the "Production Approach", should include production labor resources needed to execute the proposed build strategy.

Q87 Please clarify whether the Teaming Overview and Sub-contractor Management narratives are required only for covered subcontractors or for all proposed subcontractors and teaming partners with major or critical HSC-L roles.

Teaming Overview and Sub-Offeror Management is only required for "Covered SubOfferors" as defined in L.14.

Q88 Please confirm whether draft, unsigned, or memorandum-of-understanding-style teaming agreements are acceptable where final subcontract terms will be negotiated after award, or whether executed binding teaming agreements are required at proposal submission.

Draft, unsigned, or memorandum-of-understanding-style teaming agreements are acceptable. Offerers are reminded to provide details necessary to evaluate each factor per Section L and M requirements.

Q89 Please confirm whether teaming agreements required by Section L.12 are also excluded from the page count, since Section L.12 states they are excluded but Section L.5 does not list them among the exclusions.

Confirmed. Teaming arrangements required by Section L.12 are excluded from the applicable page count limitations.

Section L.5 will be revised accordingly.

Q90 Please confirm whether the Government intends to provide responses to Phase 2 questions by solicitation amendment and, if so, the anticipated response date to allow Offerors adequate time to incorporate responses before the October 16, 2026 proposal deadline.

See the response to Q1.

Q91

Please confirm whether Government Drawing 69-HSCL-573-001, Working Deck Arrangement, is intended to serve as the Contract Design predecessor to CDRL 580-001, Working Deck Arrangement and Details Drawings, and may therefore be developed, updated, and supplemented, including through additional sheets as necessary, to satisfy CDRL 580-001 rather than requiring creation of a separate ESWBS 580 drawing set.

This approach would be acceptable.

Q92

Section C.2.4 requires the Contractor to identify all Long Lead Time Material (LLTM), including items exceeding the specified cost and/or lead-time criteria. Attachment J-8 separately identifies specific HSC-L LLTM. Please clarify whether the LLTM identified in Attachment J-8 represents the complete list of LLTM to be proposed, or whether Offerors are expected to identify and propose additional LLTM meeting the criteria of Section C.2.4.

Items in attachment J-8 are insurance spares for Coast Guard sustainment purposes. The offeror shall develop the list of LLTM items and propose them accordingly, as required in C.2.4.

Q93

The Contract Design/TDP appears to reference an ESWBS 256 Machinery/Engine Cooling System drawing;

however, the file provided appears to duplicate Government Drawing 69-HSCL-259-001, Exhaust System Diagram, and a separate ESWBS 256 machinery cooling drawing does not appear to have been provided. Please confirm the intended drawing and provide the correct ESWBS 256 Contract Design drawing, if applicable.

See response to Q5.

Q94

The HSC-L vessels may incorporate equipment, components, or materials manufactured outside the United States and subject to tariffs or other import duties. Please clarify whether any tariff or import-duty exemption, waiver, duty-free entry process, or other Government relief will be available for materials and equipment procured for the HSC-L contract. If so, please identify the applicable process and any documentation or approval requirements Offerors should consider in preparing their proposals. If no such exemption or relief applies, please confirm that Offerors should include applicable tariffs and import duties in their proposed pricing.

Offerors are advised that additional tariff relief is not applicable. See Section I, FAR 52.212-2(k) regarding Taxes and 52.225-8 providing for duty-free entry for items delivered to the government. Offerors should include all taxes known at the time of proposing in accordance with these clauses, including tariffs applicable at that time. Any future tariff changes may be addressed through the contract claims process.

Q95 Attachment J-8, Insurance Spares List, identifies a quantity of two (2) “Rudder Stock” spares. Please clarify whether this requirement is for the rudder stock only, or for a complete rudder assembly, including the rudder stock, rudder blade, and associated components.

Confirmed. The requirement for CLIN -0005AI is for a complete rudder assembly, which includes the rudder stock, rudder blade, and all associated components.

Q96

Where the HSC-L System Specification, Contract Design drawings, or other Contract requirements identify a material or product by a military specification (MIL-SPEC/MIL-DTL/MIL-PRF), please clarify whether the Contractor is required to furnish material formally manufactured, qualified, certified, and/or marked to the cited military specification, as applicable, or whether a commercially available product demonstrated to meet the technical and performance requirements of the cited military specification is acceptable. For example, MIL-DTL- 24696 is specified for certain gasket applications. Commercial products such as Garlock Style 3125SS are identified by the manufacturer as meeting the technical requirements of MIL-DTL-24696 Type I. Please clarify whether HSC-L materials identified by military specification must be furnished with the applicable military-specification qualification, certification, marking, and supporting documentation, or whether documented technical equivalency is acceptable unless the Contract specifically requires qualification or certification.

HSC-L System Specification and associated contract design attachments define the technical requirements. Equivalency and engineering change process are defined in the RFP. See J-1 Section 042.

Q97 The current System Specification appears to have removed the previously specified whole-body vibration requirements for crew comfort/habitability. Please confirm that this removal was intentional and that no separate whole-body vibration acceptance criteria apply.

No separate whole-body vibration criteria are required.

Q98

The vibration specification in J-1 Section 073.4 includes various frequency avoidance metrics. Would it be acceptable to use a forced response analysis instead of a frequency avoidance analysis to assess compliance with the requirements of Section 073.4, specifically to avoid “vibration that could damage the vessel structure, machinery, or systems; endanger vessel personnel; or interfere with operation or maintenance of vessel machinery and systems” as well as the 0.6 in/s mast vibration criterion?

See response to Q10.

Q99

1. Ceiling Finishing The Phase II RFP package does not appear to identify the required interior ceiling finish materials, construction, or installation requirements.

Request for Clarification:

Please provide the specifications and finish requirements for all interior ceiling systems.

J-1 will be updated for clarification in Amendment A00007.

Q100

2. General Arrangement Drawing The General Arrangement (GA) drawing does not appear to include the interior arrangement details that are shown on the Space Arrangement drawings. CDRL 601-001 indicates that the General Arrangement should include interior components.

Request for Clarification:

Please confirm whether an updated GA drawing with interior arrangement information will be provided or using the space arrangement drawing instead of CDRL 601-001.

The CDRL 601-001 submission is required to follow the requirements in J-4. The contract and informational drawings provided in the RFP can be used as a basis for these CDRLs. An updated GA drawing will not be provided.

Q101

3. Drawing 69-HSCL-640-001, Joiner Bulkheads Drawing 69-HSCL-640-001 appears to depict exterior hull and deckhouse boundaries as exposed structure without finish panels.

Request for Clarification:

Please confirm whether these spaces are intended to have applied wall panel systems or if the structure is intended to remain exposed, painted, and insulated.

Structure is not required to have finish panels; however, the specification requires some equipment to be concealed:

621.3.3.8 Piping, wiring and ductwork in habitability and sanitary spaces shall be concealed either behind the bulkhead, within bulkhead posts, or in casings finished to match surroundings.

Q102

4. Drawing 69-HSCL-640-001 Revision - Berth Storage The berth arrangements shown do not identify type of storage (drawers or compartments) above the berths.

Request for Clarification:

a. Please confirm what type of above-berth storage is required.

b. Does this cover section 670.2 or is additional storge required under berth or in other areas.

The stowage shown in 640-001 is intended to meet the stowage requirements of the specification 670.2. Details of stowage, to include stowage type, is up to the offeror to determine the final furnishings that meet the Specification in detailed design.

Q103

5. Ship Service Switchboards and Breakers “Ship service switchboards/ breakers” listed as “as recommended” on the J-08 Deep Insurance Spares list.

Request for Clarification:

Please provide exact equipment and quantities for the J-08 Deep Insurance Spares.

J-8 will be updated for clarification in Amendment A00007.

Q104

6. Air Conditioning (AC) Plant The “AC Plant” on the J-08 Deep Insurance Spares document does not appear to be identified in the MEL.

Request for Clarification:

Is the “AC Plant” on the J-08 Deep Insurance Spares document the same as “Chiller” as defined on the MEL

Yes, the "Chiller" is the same as the "AC Plant."

Q105

7. Steering Gear J-08 Deep Insurance Spares lists “Steering Geat Motor/Pump.

Request for Clarification:

a. Spelling correction “ Steering Gear Motor/Pump”

b. Steering Gear Motor/Pump is not called out on the MEL

The Steering Gear Motor/Pump is the same as the Steering Gear HPU.

Q106

8. Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) The J-08 Deep Insurance Spares document references a Hydraulic Power Unit; however, multiple HPUs apply within the vessel design.

Request for Clarification:

Please confirm whether this J-08 Deep Insurance Spares requirement refers to the deck machinery HPU, steering system HPU, or both.

The hydraulic power unit (HPU) is the same as the "deck machinery HPU."

Q107

9. Major Maintenance Kits Major Maintenance Kits are referenced in the J-08 Deep Insurance Spares document but do not appear on the

MEL.

Request for Clarification:

Please identify the applicable MEL line items and required quantities.

The offeror is responsible for determining what is in the major maintenance kit based on maintenance information from selected vendors. The intention is for this kit to serve as the six-month OEM system stock and consumables in accordance with SOW C.2.5. Clarification will be reflected in Amendment A00007.

Q108

10. Buoy Deck Winch The MEL identifies a Cross Deck Winch but does not specifically reference a Buoy Deck Winch as listed in the J- 08 Deep Insurance Spares document.

Request for Clarification:

a. Please confirm whether the Cross Deck Winch fulfills the Buoy Deck Winch requirement or if separate equipment is required.

b. If a Buoy Deck Winch is different than the cross deck winch, please update the MEL

The "cross deck winch" is the same as the "buoy deck winch."

Q109

Electrical System

11. Shore Power Receptacle Reference: System Specification J-1 300.3.2 [A00005] The specification requires one (1) shore power receptacle located on the forward side of the deckhouse near centerline. The device does not appear to be listed on the MEL, and the location is only identified on AC One- Line Drawing 69-HSCL-301-1-1.

Request for Clarification:

a. Please identify the required shore power receptacle type, manufacturer, and rating, or confirm if a standard USCG-approved design is intended.

b. Please confirm whether additional drawings will be revised to reflect the required installation location.

a. J-1 requirements will be updated in Amendment A00007.

b. The offeror is responsible for providing a final location that meets J-1 requirements. No additional drawing revisions are planned at this time.

Q110

12. Shore Power Cable Reference: System Specification J-1 300.3.12 [A00005] The specification requires a 100-foot shore power cable terminating with lugs on the shore-side end.

Request for Clarification:

Please specify the required lug size and termination configuration for connection to shore-side power stations capable of providing up to 200 amps.

The offeror is responsible for providing a shore power cable that meets J-1 requirements. USCG plans to be responsible for providing shore side infrastructure compatible with the selected shore power cable.

Q111

13. Drawing 69-HSCL-640-001, Section View 30-R Section View 30-R appears to identify an electrical panel as a "Halon Fire Extinguisher."

Request for Clarification:

Please verify whether this is a drawing labeling error and provide corrected documentation if applicable.

This item is mislabeled. Drawing 69-HSCL-640-001 is not contractual and is provided for information. Updates to the informational drawings will be provided at contract award.

Q112

14. Halon Fire Extinguisher Production of new Halon was banned globally under the Montreal Protocol because it harms the ozone layer.

Notated on drawing 69-HSCL-640-001 section 30-E Request for Clarification:

May the shipyard substitute an alternative fire-suppression system for the Halon fire extinguisher because environmental restrictions limit the procurement and handling of Halon?

This item is mislabeled. J-1 Section 555 defines requirements for firefighting systems. Drawing 69-HSCL-640-001 is not contractual and is provided for information. Updates to the informational drawings will be provided at contract award.

Q113

15. Lighting Requirements Reference: System Specification J-1 section 330.1.2 States the use of ABS Crew Habitability on Workboats Section 6/Table 1 Request for Clarification:

Should tables 2 through 6 should also be called out.

J-1 will be updated for clarification in Amendment A00007.

Q114

16. Interior Furnishings The RFP package does not clearly identify required construction materials for interior furniture and cabinetry.

Request for Clarification:

Please confirm whether berths, lockers, vanity cabinets, medicine cabinets, settees, and similar furnishings are required to be aluminum construction or if alternative materials are acceptable.

J-1 section 640.2.2 defines requirements for furnishing materials: "Unless otherwise approved, materials used for furnishing specified herein shall be in accordance with 46 CFR Part 164."

Q115

17. After Delivery Support The CLIN for After Delivery Support appears optional.

Request for Clarification:

If the CLIN is not exercised, please define the Contractor's post-delivery support responsibilities, if any.

This will be an IDIQ contract. There will be no optional CLINs.

Q116

18. Inspection Criteria Reference: System specification J-1 Paragraph 074.1 The RFP requires verification of workmanship and quality of construction.

Request for Clarification:

Please confirm that workmanship and construction…