United States Coast Guard RFI for Northeast Commercial Ice-Breaking Capabilities
- Client
- UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
- Solicitation No.
- —
- Posted
- 10/22/2026
- Category
- US Federal
- Budget
- —
- NAICS
- 488330
- Set-aside
- —
- Contact
- Brady Gariano
Description
AI GeneratedThe United States Coast Guard is issuing a Request for Information to identify commercially available icebreaking capabilities in the Coast Guard District Northeast area of responsibility. The agency seeks information on commercial vessels and operators capable of performing domestic icebreaking operations to maintain the Marine Transportation System, facilitate critical cargo movement, and mitigate navigational risks during seasonal ice conditions.
Key solicitation details
AI-extracted from RFI - USCG District Northeast_Ice Breaking.pdf. Confirm against the original documents before bidding.
The United States Coast Guard is seeking information on commercially available icebreaking capabilities to support domestic icebreaking operations in the Coast Guard District Northeast area of responsibility. The effort seeks commercial vessels and operators to maintain safe Marine Transportation System operations, facilitate critical cargo movement, and mitigate navigational risks during seasonal ice conditions. Commercial operators and owners of qualified U.S.-flagged vesse…
- Issued by
- UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
- Response Due Date
- November 13, 2026, by 5:00pm ET
- Mobilization Date
- January 2, 2027
- How to submit
- Submission details
- Submit via email to specified USCG contacts in Word or PDF format with subject line RFI Response – Northeast Ice-Breaking – [Company Name].
- Contract term
- Minimum 7-day window of operations for continuous support with 72-hour notification for services
- Place of performance
- Northeast waterways including Boston Harbor, Cape Cod Canal, Buzzards Bay, Hyannis, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Narragansett Bay, Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven, and tributaries
Scope of work
- Maintain commercial channels to ensure vessel transit and delivery of cargo
- Break ice jams to prevent severe localized flooding
- Assist isolated communities requiring emergency supplies
- Break 4 to 18 inches of ice from initial point of contact through delivery point
- Perform track breaking, track maintenance, convoy escort, and channel clearing
- Provide labor, transportation, equipment, and supervision to mobilize within the Northeast by January 2, 2027
- Provide availability for icebreaking operations up to 12 hours per day during daylight hours
Minimum qualifications
- Hold a valid U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection with proper routes and conditions
- Compliance with applicable U.S. laws and regulations, including manning and Classification Society requirements
- Must be U.S.-flag, coastwise-qualified (Jones Act) vessels
Documents to include with the bid
- Company Information
- Vessel Information
- Operational Capability details
- Notional Cost Information (Optional)
Official SAM.gov notice
- Solicitation number
- RFI_Northeast_Ice_Breaking
- Agency
- Department of Homeland Security
- Buying office
- US Coast Guard › Base Boston
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Responses due
- Nov 13, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
- Posted on SAM.gov
- Oct 21, 2026
- NAICS
- 488330 · Navigational Services to Shipping
- Product/service code
- V124
- Place of performance
- Boston, MA
- Contracting contact
- Brady Gariano
brady.a.gariano@uscg.mil - Additional contact
- Jeff Center
jeffery.a.center2@uscg.mil
Read the official notice description
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to better understand commercially available icebreaking capabilities that may support emergent domestic icebreaking operations within the Coast Guard District Northeast area of responsibility. The USCG seeks information on commercial vessels and operators capable of supporting icebreaking operations necessary to maintain a safe and operational Marine Transportation System for Northeast ports, facilitate the movement of critical cargo, and mitigate navigational risk during seasonal ice conditions. Please see attached RFI for additional information.
Source: SAM.gov contract opportunities data (U.S. federal public data).
Incumbent
No incumbent history found for this requirement. The notice does not cite a current contract, and no earlier award from this buying office matches it.
Market context
Awards in the same category (Navigational Services to Shipping). This is not this requirement's award history.
Recent similar awards: Department of Homeland Security, NAICS 488330
| Vendor and award | Value | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| POLE STAR SPACE APPLICATIONS USA INC70Z0G326FOIPL0025 · TASK ORDER ISSUED UNDER POLE STAR IDIQ ORDERING PERIOD 1 FOR TASK FIVE US-LRIT-NDC DC TO D | $2.5M | Jul 29, 2027 |
| POLE STAR SPACE APPLICATIONS USA INC70Z0G326FOIPL0026 · TASK ORDER ISSUED UNDER POLE STAR IDIQ ORDERING PERIOD 1 FOR TASKS 1, 2, 3, 4AA, 4AB, 6, A | $14.3M | Jul 29, 2027 |
| KATCHATAG SHELDON I70Z04526PKODI0057 · USCG UNALAKLEET RIVER BUOY PLACEMENT AND OPERATIONS | $30,000 | Jun 1, 2027 |
| TRUESTONE, LLC70Z04526PKODI0059 · USCG KOTZEBUE RIVER BUOY PLACEMENT AND OPERATIONS. | $45,000 | May 31, 2027 |
| JOHN, DARREL T.70Z04526PKODI0056 · USCG KWIGILLINGOK RIVER BUOY PLACEMENT AND OPERATIONS. | $68,000 | May 31, 2027 |
Top vendors in this category: Department of Homeland Security, NAICS 488330, since Oct 1, 2024
104 contract awards in this NAICS over the period.
- 1. POLE STAR SPACE APPLICATIONS USA INC$34.6M
- 2. ALPHA MARINE SERVICES LLC$27.3M
- 3. MARINE EXCHANGE OF ALASKA, INC.$7.1M
- 4. MCLEAN CONTRACTING COMPANY$1.3M
- 5. CABRAS MARINE CORPORATION$666.6K
Source: USAspending.gov federal award data (U.S. federal public data). A contract is called the incumbent only when the notice or its documents cite it by number.
Verify important details
Document checkConfirm submission instructions and amendments with the issuing agency before responding.
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