The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract to North River Boats, Roseburg, Ore., for the procurement of up to 66 new cutter boats. The contract, valued at approximately $11.8 million, was awarded as a total small business set-aside.
The vessels, designated as Cutter Boat – Aids to Navigation – Small (CB-ATON-S), will support the Coast Guard’s aids to navigation (ATON) missions and other operations that help ensure the safety and security of the nation’s waterways.
The CB-ATON-S boats will be deployed with the Coast Guard’s future Waterways Commerce Cutters (WCC) and will also support shore-based aids to navigation teams. These teams maintain access to buoys, lighthouses, and other maritime navigational aids in smaller or shallow waterways where larger vessels cannot operate.
Each aluminum monohull boat will measure 21' in length and be powered by twin four-stroke outboard engines capable of speeds up to 25 knots. Designed specifically for ATON work, the boats will include 50 square feet of open deck space and the ability to hoist up to 3,000 lbs.
Each trailerable boat will feature a beaching plate and full fendering for shallow-water durability, including side fendering to protect the hull while towing buoys. Standard equipment includes the Coast Guard’s SINS-2 navigation system, AIS-2, and VHF radio.
The CB-ATON-S will serve as the standard cutter boat across all three variants of the WCC program: river buoy tenders (WLR), inland construction tenders (WLIC), and inland buoy tenders (WLI). The broader WCC initiative is part of a Coast Guard effort to replace an aging fleet of inland tenders — some more than 70 years old — that maintain over 28,000 aids to navigation across 12,000 miles of inland waterways.
Navigation aids are critical to the efficiency and safety of the Marine Transportation System, which facilitates more than $5.4 trillion in annual U.S. economic activity. Inland waterways alone move approximately 630 million tons of cargo each year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The contract was awarded under the federal government’s small business set-aside program, which is designed to provide opportunities for small businesses to contribute to major national infrastructure and defense projects.
North River Boats manufactures a range of commercial, law enforcement, and military vessels and has previously supplied boats to multiple state and federal agencies.
