US Navy awards maintenance contract to GE, potentially worth $125 million

The US Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) has awarded compatriot engineering firm GE Power Conversion an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to maintain the electric and hybrid electric power and propulsion systems aboard its vessels.

As informed, the contract covers maintenance, modernization and upgrades, training, repairs, parts, remote technical support, and program management on 35 vessels, with more ships to be added as they are built and turned over to US Navy MSC after commissioning. The vessels operate throughout the world, and GE’s support is expected every day.

The contract also includes planned maintenance industrial assist (PMIA) for shipyard maintenance, industrial control system (ICS) cybersecurity services support, and hardware and software configuration management.

The major systems and components of the machinery plant and machinery centralized control system (MCCS) onboard the T-AKE, T-ESB, and T-ESD class vessels covered under the contract include but are not limited to: MCCS, propulsion control system, propulsion motor/generator, propulsion motor converter, propulsion transformers and heat exchangers, bow thruster, transformer and converter, ship’s service transformers, switchboards, and harmonic filters.

Furthermore, the agreement includes the major systems/components of the power take off (PTO)/power take in (PTI) systems onboard T-AO vessels covered covering PTO generator system, PTI system, and interfaces to the switchboard and PTO/PTI systems and Machinery Control.

The five-year contract potentially could be worth $125 million.

“This contract covers the most technologically advanced electric and hybrid power and propulsion systems in the MSC fleet; these systems allow a level of vessel control and agility that is without parallel, increasing ship handling confidence and safety,” said Mike Kircher, MSC fleet manager for GE Power Conversion.

As the original equipment manufacturer, GE Power Conversion received a three-year maintenance contract from MSC in 2012 covering just a few ships. Later, the contract was renewed, and more ships added, with GE earning excellent reviews for both contracts in the contractor’s past performance rating system.

Last week, the company scored a contract to provide propulsion systems for the French Navy’s logistic support ships (LSS).