Hornbeck Offshore Services, Covington, La., has been awarded a contract that allows it to continue the operation and maintenance of four Transportation Auxiliary General Submarine Escort (T-AGSE) vessels for the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC), the Defense Department announced.

The ships included under the $48,360,544 firm-fixed-price award are the Black Powder-class submarine an special warfare support vessels USNS Black Powder (T-AGSE-1), USNS Westwind (T-AGSE-2), USNS Eagleview (T-AGSE-3), USNS Arrowhead (T-AGSE-4).

The 250'x54' sister vessels were built in 2008 and 2009 by Leevec Industries, Jennings, La., for Hornbeck Offshore Services, who chartered the ships to MSC in support of the Navy's nuclear submarine fleet from Kings Bay, Ga., and Bangor, Wash.

In 2015, the Navy acquired the vessels and awarded Hornbeck a 10-year operations and maintenance contract, which included an initial term and options for annual renewals.

The new contract, which was awarded earlier this month as the previous deal was set to expire, is a sole source bridge and was not competitively procured, under the authority of 41 U.S. Code 3304(a)(2), as implemented by FAR 6.302-2 unusual and compelling urgency, the Pentagon said.

The deal includes a six-month base period with a six-month option. The contract will begin March 1, 2025, based on the availability of funds clause at Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.232-18 and will utilize fiscal 2025 working capital funds (Navy), and will conclude Feb. 28, 2026, if the option is exercised.

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