RFI - Seasonal Great Lakes Ice-Breaking

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Contract Opportunity

DESCRIPTION

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting market research to identify sources capable of providing vessels, including all labor, vessel equipment and supervision, to conduct domestic ice breaking in support of USCG District Great Lakes (D-GL). Domestic ice-breaking capabilities include navigable waterways and commercial channels impacted by seasonal ice from January 2, 2027 through April 1, 2027.

The vessel must hold a valid U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection with the proper routes and conditions to operate in the Great lakes and must be in compliance with applicable U.S. laws and regulations, including manning and Classification Society requirements (if applicable).

For ice-breaking planning purposes, the intended capability for a vessel includes the ability to break 1st year freshwater ice plates of 12” or greater and can ideally break freshwater ice plates up to 36”.

The contractor shall provide all labor, transportation (including locking fees), equipment, and supervision necessary to be in the Great Lakes by January 2, 2027, and be available as follows for daily operations:

• Vessel shall be available for ice breaking operations up to twelve (12) hours per day during daylight hours. Operations exceeding twelve (12) hours require prior approval from the Contracting Officer.

The vessel will operate under Coast Guard tasking and prioritization while the contractor retains responsibility for safe vessel operations in accordance with applicable flag-state, class, and regulatory requirements. Depending on mission requirements and vessel capabilities, the vessel would be utilized along St. Mary’s River, Straights of Mackinac, Lake Michigan, and northern Lake Huron as well as southern Lake Huron through Lake Erie) to ensure continuous minimum domestic ice capacity.

PURPOSE

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting market research to identify qualified sources capable of providing appropriate vessel platforms with competent officers and crew to service the Coast Guard’s domestic ice-breaking operations in the Great Lakes.

The purpose of this RFI is to obtain capability information on this urgent requirement.

This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation (RFQ), and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. Respondents are encouraged to provide detailed information regarding vessel capabilities, crew qualifications, prior experience with ice-breaking or similar deployment timelines, and any constraints that would affect performance in an emergency environment.

BACKGROUND

Domestic ice-breaking cutters facilitate the safe and secure flow of maritime commerce that is vital to our economic prosperity throughout the winter. They ensure commercial shipping movements proceed through the ice without delay, free commercial vessels beset in ice, and maintain channels through the ice for ferries that serve as lifelines for isolated communities. The specific services requested include:

• Marine Transportation: Maintain commercial channels to ensure vessel transits and delivery of cargo.


• Urgent Vessel Response: Assisting transit-locked vessels before their structural integrity degrades (e.g., preventing hull breach under shifting ice pressure).


• Exigent Community Services: Breaking ice jams to prevent severe localized flooding or to assist isolated communities requiring emergency supplies.


• Search and Rescue (SAR): Assist with saving lives or responding to exigent hazards on ice-locked waters.

REQUESTED INFORMATION

Interested parties are invited to submit responses that include, at a minimum, the following information:

1. Company Information

• Company name, address, point of contact, email, and phone number


• UEI and CAGE code


• Business size status under the relevant NAICS code, such as small or large

2. Vessel Information

• Vessel name(s), type, flag, ownership, build (including year built and place of build), and whether the vessel is Jones Act / coastwise qualified. The Government is only interested in U.S.-flag, coastwise‑qualified vessels.


• Principal dimensions, including length overall, beam, and draft


• Fuel capacity and endurance


• Crew accommodations and manning levels


• Availability to house 1 (one) Coast Guard ship-rider to facilitate comms with Tactical Commander


• Confirmation that the vessel can be in the Great Lakes by 02 January 2027.

3. Operational Capability

• Ice Breaking Specific


• Food/fuel endurance for seven days


• Break 12” or greater 1st year freshwater ice


• Navigational draft 18’; actual draft 13’6”

4. Notional Cost Information (Optional, for Planning Purposes Only)

• High-level, non-binding pricing information, such as typical daily rate ranges, mobilization and demobilization concepts, and any key cost drivers, sufficient to support Government market research.

5. Additional Information

• Any constraints, risks, assumptions, or innovative approaches that would inform the Government’s planning for domestic ice-breaking operations

DISCLAIMER

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a solicitation, and no contract will be awarded directly from this announcement. The Government is not obligated to issue a solicitation or award any contract as a result of this RFI. The Government will not reimburse any costs incurred in responding to this notice. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the review of their submissions. Information submitted in response to this RFI will not be returned. Respondents are responsible for clearly marking any proprietary or business-sensitive information.

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