By Geoff Fein
Industry responses to the draft Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) request for proposals (RFP) have led the Navy to delay releasing the final RFP until January, according to the service.
The two industry teams vying to build LCS had expected to see a final RFP by the end of 2009.
The Navy issued the draft RFP on Nov. 10.
“The Navy has received comments and input on the draft RFP from both industry teams. In order to fully review and incorporate the comments, the Navy, in concurrence with the industry teams, has determined it would be more appropriate to release the formal RFP in early January, rather than over the holiday period, according to a statement provided to Defense Daily.
In September the Navy said it planned to issue the final RFP by the end of 2009 (Defense Daily, Sept. 18).
Under a new acquisition plan unveiled in September, the Navy is going to hold a competition between teams led by General Dynamics [GD] and Lockheed Martin [LMT] with the winner building a total of 10 ships. The plan is to award two ships with an option for eight more between FY ’11 and FY ’14.
The service could award an LCS contract by mid 2010.
A second competition would be held in 2012 to determine a second builder for LCS. The new acquisition strategy would prohibit the winning prime contractor and shipyard from competing in FY ’12 (Defense Daily, Sept. 18).
The winner of the second competition will get a contract to build one ship in FY ’12 and options for four additional ships between FY ’13 and FY ’14, for a total of five LCS. This will result in an ongoing competition between the two shipbuilders, beginning in FY ’15.
The Navy will also buy a single combat system from one of the two companies that will become government furnished equipment.