WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressmen Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) and Steve Kagen (D-Appleton) were notified Monday by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that Marinette Marine’s protest of a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) contract has been denied.

On September 26, 2008, the Coast Guard awarded a contract to Bollinger Shipyards in Mississippi to design and build the first Fast Response Cutter – Sentinel Class patrol boat.  Marinette Marine had submitted a lower bid for the contract but the Coast Guard has provided no explanation for its decision. 

Marinette Marine filed a formal protest of the contract award.  Stupak and Kagen wrote to the GAO in October seeking a thorough review and investigation of the Coast Guard’s awarding of the contract.  The congressmen also wrote to the Coast Guard seeking detailed information about the contract award and a full analysis of each bid. 

“Even with the GAO review of the contract complete, Congressman Kagen and I are still awaiting answers to questions we asked three months ago,” Stupak said.  “I continue to question why Marinette Marine’s lower bid was rejected for the Fast Response Cutter contract.  To date, the Coast Guard has provided no response to our request for a full analysis of each bid submitted for the project.  While receiving answers for the hard working men and women of Marinette Marine is our first priority, this is also about ensuring the Coast Guard is spending our tax dollars wisely and appropriately.”

“I am extremely disappointed that they will not have the opportunity to build these Coast Guard ships,” Kagen said.  “I am working hard to bring more higher-wage jobs back to Marinette Marine and all of our communities as soon as possible.  I will continue to push for our tax dollars to be spent here at home, investing in our region's future and the great ships built by the workers at  Marinette Marine.”

The full text of Stupak and Kagen’s Oct. 10 letters to GAO and the Coast Guard are available at: http://www.house.gov/stupak/FRCleters.pdf