BOSTON — The U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) has awarded GE Power Conversion an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to maintain the electric and hybrid electric power and propulsion systems aboard its vessels, the company said Nov. 10. The five-year contract potentially could be worth $125 million.
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 MSC after commissioning. The vessels operate throughout the world, and GE’s support is expected around the clock, 365 days per year.
The contract also includes planned maintenance industrial assist for shipyard maintenance, industrial control system cybersecurity services support and hardware and software configuration management.
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 contractors past performance rating system.
“We have demonstrated in the past that we are a responsive and knowledgeable service provider, long after equipment delivery,” said Mike Kircher, MSC fleet manager for GE Power Conversion. “This long-term contract is the result of customer confidence earned over years of demonstrated value for the range of service support we can provide.”
One benefit of the GE contract is the modernization upgrades it supports. “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,” Kircher said. “Looking ahead, the advantage our equipment gives to future ship classes is significant.”
