Request for Information HSC-M.docx
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- Solicitation number
- 70Z02325RFIICE002
About this file
This document is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Coast Guard seeking icebreaker vessel designs for the Homeland Security Cutter-Medium Icebreakers program. The RFI targets U.S. and allied maritime industrial base entities to identify vessel designs that meet specific parameters, including a vessel length of 140 feet or less, a draft of 14 feet, ability to break 22-inch thick freshwater ice at three knots, and seven-day endurance for 19 crew members. The program aims to recapitalize the existing 140' WTGB fleet to facilitate safe navigation and commerce on the Great Lakes and Northeast.
Respondents are required to submit detailed information by November 10, 2025, at 5:00 PM EDT, including vendor type, business categorization, vessel design characteristics, design maturity, shipyard capabilities, execution strategies, and cost estimates. The RFI seeks responses limited to five pages per design, with additional appendices allowed for schedule and cost information. Potential contract award is being considered for mid-2026, with the goal of producing up to eleven vessels within 24 months of contract award. The Coast Guard is exploring alternative acquisition approaches, such as designing to commercial standards and using a vessel construction manager to reduce costs and expedite delivery.
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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)
Homeland Security Cutter –Medium Icebreakers Icebreaking Vessel Designs and Builders
PURPOSE
This RFI seeks available icebreaker designs from the U.S. and allied nation maritime industrial bases, including an understanding of the level of maturity of each design.
This RFI requests information regarding industry capability to produce icebreaking-capable vessels from within the U.S. maritime industrial base.
This RFI extends to the U.S. and allied nation maritime industrial base with vessel designs that pertain to existing or production-ready icebreaking capable vessels which satisfy or closely satisfy the below preliminary capability parameters necessary to accomplish the Homeland Security Cutter-Medium Icebreakers missions.
| Parameter |
| Requirement |
| Length |
| 140 feet or less. |
| Draft |
| 14 feet or less in full load condition: 95% liquid load. |
| Icebreaking |
| The vessel shall be capable of independently breaking freshwater ice with a thickness of no less than 22 inches at a continuous speed of three knots ahead. |
| Endurance |
| The vessel shall be capable of conducting unreplenished icebreaking operations for at least seven days with 19 crew members, to include: fuel, potable water, sewage, greywater, and food. |
Additionally, the USCG would like to gain insight into recently proven execution and build strategies as well as the current capability, capacity, and availability of domestic shipyards to support the construction and subsequent launch of an existing icebreaking-capable vessel design within twenty-four months of a potential contract award.
For RFI planning purposes, the potential contract award is being considered as early as mid-2026.
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
The program seeks to recapitalize the existing 140’ WTGB fleet. This fleet facilitates safe navigation and commerce on the Great Lakes and in the Northeast. The program was previously known as the Domestic Icebreakers Program.
REQUESTED INFORMATION
In response, the USCG requests the following information:
1) Vendor Type – interested parties should confirm their role within the maritime industrial base and whether the interested party is U.S. or allied nation-based (e.g., a design or engineering firm, vessel owner or operator, maritime services company, vessel construction manager, shipyard, and other within the U.S. or an allied nation).
2) Vendor Categorization – please indicate size status and representations of your business, including socioeconomic categories, using the size standards associated with NAICS codes 541330 Engineering Design Services and/or 336611 Ship Building and Repair.
3) Placemat or “One-Pager” – please detail the general design characteristics and capabilities of an existing vessel or a production-ready / mature vessel design(s) that satisfies or closely satisfies the above parameters.
4) Design Maturity – if your response describes a vessel design, please identify when the vessel design was last produced at a shipyard. If the vessel design has not been produced at a shipyard, please describe the current level of maturity of the vessel design (e.g., concept, preliminary, functional, detailed, production-ready). Lastly, please address your approach, list of changes and associated risks with modifications to meet or nearly meet the desired capability parameters.
5) Contract Design Considerations – for interested U.S. shipyards, if the government were to ultimately provide a contract design as part of the request for proposal (RFP) for a production-ready design and production contract, what would be the pros and cons of that approach? See Section 4.0 Contract Design Reports and Diagrams for proposed list of provided information within the contract design.
6) Shipyard Availability, Capacity, and Capability – for interested U.S. shipyards, please confirm and demonstrate (with supporting documentation) how your facility or facilities have the availability, capacity, and capability to produce and launch a vessel designed to the above parameters within 24 months of a potential contract award.
7) Execution Strategy – for interested U.S. shipyards, please demonstrate experience (with supporting documentation) where your facility or facilities have the capacity and capability to produce and launch a vessel designed similarly to the above parameters within 24 months of a potential contract award. Please include your customer type (e.g., government), level of external oversight, cost, schedule, and risks or concerns associated with your experience that may affect your planned execution strategy (e.g., procurement of long lead equipment). Please include your future shipyard availability.
8) Execution Experience – for interested U.S. shipyards, please describe experience producing a vessel of similar size and complexity, including whether the vessel was delivered on time and within budget, to what customer (e.g., the government), and with what level of external oversight.
9) U.S. Partnership – for interested parties other than U.S. shipyards, do you have an established partnership or previous production experience with a U.S. shipyard(s)? If so, which shipyard(s) and when?
10) Contract Considerations –What other contract considerations might the government contemplate as part of its acquisition strategy?
11) Acquisition strategy – The Coast Guard is considering alternative acquisition approaches and requirements tailoring, such as designing and building to commercial standards, where practical, and/or the use of a vessel construction manager or streamlined government quality assurance processes. Please share your perspective on the potential impacts associated with these approaches. Do you have suggestions for how the Coast Guard could modify its acquisition approach to reduce costs, minimize risks, and/or expedite delivery schedule?
12) Schedule – please provide a notional schedule to complete a production ready design and by hull production duration for a fleet of up to eleven vessels (e.g., a Gantt chart).
13) Cost Estimate – please provide a rough order of magnitude cost estimate for design (parent craft design modification, if proposed, or production-ready design). Please provide a separate rough order of magnitude cost estimate for production of up to eleven vessels. Please include relevant assumptions (e.g., inflation, labor rates). Note: This ROM is non-binding and for planning purposes only.
CONTRACT DESIGN REPORTS AND DIAGRAMS
Below is a notional list of artifacts provided as part of the contract design.
1. List of Drawings & Reports
2. Placemat
3. Hull Lines Plan
4. Baseline Weight Estimates (3-digit SWBS)
5. Hydrostatics, Intact and Damage Stability
6. Critical Equipment List
7. Equipment List
8. Speed, Power, and Endurance Analysis
9. Structural Design Report
10. Structural Drawing Package
11. General Arrangement
12. Machinery Arrangement
13. Shafting Arrangement
14. Machinery Cooling System Diagram
15. Exhaust System Diagram
16. Fuel System Diagram
17. Hydraulic Systems Diagram
18. Hydraulic Systems Report
19. Fire Protection System Design Report
20. Fire Protection System Diagram
21. Bilge, Ballast and Drainage System Diagram
22. Electrical One-Line Diagram
23. Electrical Power Load Analysis (EPLA)
24. Machinery Controls and C5I Schematic Block Diagram
25. Topside Antenna Arrangement
26. HVAC Load Calculations
27. HVAC System Diagram
RESPONSES
Interested parties should respond to this RFI no later than 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EDT), on November 10, 2025. RFI responses shall be submitted electronically via email to:
· Sara Andrukonis – Sara.K.Andrukonis@uscg.mil
· Heather Amaral – Heather.A.Amaral@uscg.mil The subject line must read “Homeland Security Cutter – Medium Icebreakers: RFI RESPONSE - [Company Name] - RFI #70Z02325RFIICE002” Responses shall be submitted as searchable PDFs.
Responses shall be limited to a total of five pages per design/vessel proposed, including cover page, for questions 1-11.
Answers to questions 12-13 may be submitted as appendices (no page limit).
1.1 Additional Guidance
Submission of proprietary information is not requested. If proprietary content is submitted voluntarily:
· The information shall be clearly and appropriately marked as proprietary.
· The information shall be provided separately from unrestricted materials as an appendix.
The USCG will not return submissions but will safeguard any proprietary information included in a response to this RFI.
The following type of responses will not be accepted as part of this RFI:
1) Responses submitted as marketing brochures or general capability presentations.
2) Responses submitted via telephone or voicemail.
3) Responses received after the listed due date.
RFI DISCLAIMER
This notice is an RFI only. This RFI is issued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for information and planning purposes, pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10, Market Research. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Participants are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs that result from responding to this RFI; costs associated with responding to this RFI will be at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in a future RFP.
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