Dec. 11, 2017 —
A 47-foot motor lifeboat (MLB) shown here is operating out of its homeport in Bodega Bay, California. The MLB fleet is approaching the end of its planned 25-year service life. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
A request for information (RFI) was released by the Coast Guard on Nov. 21, 2017, for the 47-foot motor lifeboat (MLB) service life extension program (SLEP). The Coast Guard is seeking industry comments on the draft statement of work and specification before making a formal solicitation for the contract, which has an estimated value of over $100 million.
The MLB is the Coast Guard’s primary search and rescue platform in surf and heavy weather conditions. The fleet of more than 100 MLBs is approaching the end of its planned 25-year service life, and operational availability has been limited by parts availability and obsolescence issues. The SLEP will extend the useful life of the MLB by 20 years. The original operational capabilities and characteristics of the MLB will effectively remain the same, while efforts to enhance human systems integration will be made where practical.
“This is an excellent opportunity for the Coast Guard to gather industry feedback on the MLB draft statement of work and specifications,” said Kevin Chan, assistant program manager for the MLB SLEP.
The RFI can be found here. The deadline to submit responses is Dec. 15, 2017.
For more information: In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program page