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Navy awards $5 million ship contract to small business (9/28)

The U.S. Military Sealift Command today issued the following news release concerning SIU-contracted 3PSC, LLC. The release also is available on MSC's web site here Navy awards $5 million ship contract to small business The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command awarded a one-year contract to 3PSC, LLC, a small business based in Cape Canaveral, Fla., for the operation and maintenance of two of nineteen large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships, which all moved combat cargo for the global war on terrorism. Each of these government-owned, civilian-crewed ships is designed to rapidly deliver more than 300,000 square feet of equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces around the world. The $5.2 million contract contains four one-year options. If all options are exercised, the total value of the contract will exceed $27.2 million. Under this contract, 3PSC will be responsible for operating, maintaining, repairing and crewing the ships with qualified U.S. civilian marine officers and crews, as well as providing ashore and afloat technical support. The contract was awarded under MSC's Small Business Utilization Program, which gives small businesses the opportunity to compete for government contracts. As a federal agency, MSC encourages small and disadvantaged businesses to participate in its procurements, allowing them to be competitive in their field and gain experience working on large projects. The two LMSRs under contract to 3PSC – USNS Gordon and USNS Gilliland -- are usually kept pier side in reduced operating status in Newport News, Va., with cadre crews onboard to keep the ships ready for action, should they be needed. Gordon and Gilliland are two of nine ships in MSC's 19-ship LMSR fleet dedicated to the rapid transport of combat equipment to U.S. forces around the globe. These ships can be activated and underway in 96 hours or less, each able to deliver more than six football fields of equipment to U.S. military war fighters in the field abroad. The LMSRs have been the prime movers of combat cargo for U.S. military units involved in the global war on terrorism. An estimated 95 percent of the equipment and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces moves by sea. MSC operates more than 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance and strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world. -USN-