HI Superferry: JHSV Design Contract Award

I am a little slow in getting this up. A bunch of others posted news of this yesterday when it was announced. I learned about it first from Sally Raisbeck. I do think it is interesting on the week that HSF is having damage problems, the extent and design of which the public has not yet been told, the Navy awards a joint design contract to the builder of this vessel, for this type of vessel:

FW: Press Release: Navy awards preliminary design contracts for JHSV
From: Sally Raisbeck
Sent: Thu 1/31/08 3:57 PM

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Press Release: Navy awards preliminary design contracts for JHSV
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:29:36 -0500
From: Roberts, Kathleen D CIV SEA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 31, 2008

NAVY AWARDS PRELIMINARY DESIGN CONTRACTS FOR JHSV WASHINGTON -- The Navy awarded contracts to Austal USA, Bath Iron Works, and Bollinger Shipyards Inc., for a firm fixed price of $3 million each for the preliminary design of Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) concepts on Jan. 31. “Once delivered, the Joint High Speed Vessel will be a key component of the U.S. military’s expeditionary warfare capability,” said Rear Adm. Charles Goddard, program executive officer for ships.

“This high speed transport will carry soldier or Marines, with their gear, to harbors that would normally be unusable by conventional maritime assets.” Once preliminary design is complete, the Navy will receive detail designs and construction proposals from the three teams. The Navy intends to award a single Phase Two detail design contract with construction options in late 2008.

The first ship, an Army vessel, is expected to be delivered in 2011. The JHSV program is a joint effort between the Army and the Navy to acquire high-speed vessels for the two branches of the U.S. military. JHSV will be used for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment.

Currently the U.S. military leases two HSVs each capable of achieving speeds of more than 30 knots. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) allows the U.S. Navy to use its surface ship acquisition expertise in acquiring these vessels for the Army, which will assume full responsibility post acquisition.

The JHSV program merges the Army Theater Support Vessel (TSV) and the Navy High Speed Connector (HSC), taking advantage of the inherent commonality between the two programs. The current program calls for a total of eight ships, three to be operated by the Navy and five to be operated by the Army. The Army will own and operate the Army-funded vessels after procurement. Army responsibilities for their vessels will include crew training and vessel maintenance. The Navy will have the same responsibilities for the Navy-funded vessels.

--NAVSEA-- Public Affairs Contact: Kathleen Roberts

-----Original Message-----
From: Sally Raisbeck
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 18:00
To: Blagg, Suzanne CIV NAVSEA, SEA
Subject: Solicitation N00024-07-R-2219

January 10, 2008

Suzanne Blagg
Naval Sea Systems Command
Washington Navy Yard, DC

Dear Ms. Blagg:

Re: Solicitation N00024-07-R-2219

I understand that Solicitation N00024-07-R-2219, for the Joint High Speed Vessel design (JHSV) was released on 31 Aug 2007 and closed on 31 Oct 2007. I also understand that offers were received, but no contract has yet been awarded.

The solicitation is quite lengthy, as it is 254 pages. The criteria for awarding the contract specifically include many non-price factors, so that low bid is not the controlling factor. The maximum price for the offer is $3 million.

As a very interested member of the American public, and a Maui resident, I would like to know how many offers were received, and from whom, though I do not expect to be told the price they are bidding. Or can you direct me to the appropriate documents that would contain this information?

I am particularly interested in whether an offer has been received from the Hawaii Superferry group. It was built at the Austal Shipyard in Mobile Alabama. Is the Navy in the process of negotiating and evaluating these offers? When may we expect a decision from the Navy? Is there a deadline for the decision?

Sincerely yours,
Sarah V. Raisbeck


Aloha, Brad