CBP may procure up to 70 new coastal interceptor vessels

Customs and Border Protection is planning to purchase as many as 70 high-speed “Coastal Interceptor Vessels,” which would operate off the coastline of the United States and perform patrol, interdiction, special operations and port security missions.

Each vessel, which will be powered by four gasoline-driven outboard engines, will be operated by CBP’s Office of Air and Marine (OAM).

“It will be used to pursue suspect vessels for the purpose of boarding, searching, and when necessary arresting violators and seizing the vessel and or contraband,” explains a statement of work issued by CBP on July 2.

CBP says it is planning to acquire the vessels to meet its own requirements, but since the same vessel will be used by the U.S. Coast Guard, “additional vessels may be acquired to accommodate the needs of that agency.”

During the initial base period of performance on the first contract (which will run through September 30, 2011), CBP plans to purchase a minimum of one vessel and a maximum of 16 additional vessels. Follow-on vessels would be procured in subsequent option years, says CBP.

Typically, a Coastal Interceptor Vessel (CIV) will be operated by a three-person crew, but on certain occasions, the crew might grow to four persons.

“The vessel shall have shock mitigating seating and the ability to mount two MK 48 machine guns for a combined azimuth of a 360 degree of fire,” says the statement of work.

CBP is planning this hefty acquisition because OAM’s fleet of existing high-speed interceptor vessels “are approaching the end of their service life,” says the border protection agency.

The first new CIV must be delivered to the National Marine Center in St. Augustine, FL, within six months of the contractor’s receipt of the initial order. After that vessel has successfully completed its operational test and evaluation (OT&E), the second vessel will be due within 120 days of its order, and subsequent vessels will be delivered every 30 days thereafter, says CBP. Additionally, Each CIV must be capable of operating 1,000 hours per year during the course of its service life.