The U.S. Navy has awarded contracts worth up to $650 million to eight small business shipbuilders for the construction of rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIB), the Pentagon announced on Friday.
The eight awardees are ASIS Boats USA LLC (dba Ocean Craft Marine) of Annapolis, Md.; Brig USA LLC (dba Fluid Marine Response), Franklinton, N.C.; Ghostworks Marine Inc., Holland, Mich.; Ribcraft USA LLC, Marblehead, Mass.; St. Johns Ship Building Inc., Palatka, Fla.; Structural Composites Inc., Melbourne, Fla.; United States Marine Inc., Gulfport, Miss.; and The Whiskey Project Group USA LLC, Edenton, N.C.
The contracts cover the procurement of up to 474 composite RHIBs in 7-, 9-, and 11-meter hull sizes for both the Navy and Foreign Military Sales partners. Navy RHIBs support missions, including search and rescue, personnel and cargo transport, force protection, maritime interdiction, and visit, board, search, and seizure operations.
The awards were issued by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) through the Portfolio Acquisition Executive organization. The contracts are structured as firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) multiple-award agreements with a base value of $325,944,120. If all options are exercised, the total value could reach $650,102,911 over a 10-year period.
The contract scope also includes Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Expeditionary Response Craft (EOD MERC), which support Navy EOD units, including Mobile Diving and Salvage Units, in locating and recovering submerged objects and ordnance, as well as conducting expeditionary salvage operations.
The procurement was conducted competitively through the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment and drew 15 offers. Each awardee receives a $1,000 minimum contract guarantee, with additional funding obligated at the delivery order level. The first orders are expected to be completed by July 2026.
The multi-award IDIQ structure allows the Navy to issue orders to any of the eight vendors, promoting ongoing competition and reducing reliance on a single supplier.
In addition, NAVSEA has indicated that the competitive pool may expand over time, with opportunities to add additional qualified small business shipbuilders as requirements evolve.
