Hull Form Licenses for Offshore Patrol Cutter

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) intends to procure exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide Hull Form Licenses (HFL) for the proprietary hull design of the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) from Vard Marine Inc. (VARD) on a sole-source basis. These licenses are required for hulls 1, 2, and 6 through 25, enabling the USCG to continue uninterrupted construction of up to 25 OPC cutters and to maintain full control over the vessel's lifecycle, including future maintenance, modernization, and technical evaluations. VARD is the sole design authority and owner of the OPC hull form intellectual property. Market research has confirmed that VARD is the only vendor capable of providing these licenses and authorizing their use without infringing on proprietary rights. This sole-source procurement is necessary due to the proprietary nature of the technology, the need for compatibility with the existing OPC program and construction process, and VARD's unique qualifications as the original designer. The estimated cost for this procurement is $16,750,000.00, which the USCG has determined to be fair and reasonable. This acquisition is expected to reduce the risk of future cost growth and provide long-term cost stability for the program.