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Updated June 1, 2021
Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program:
Background and Issues for Congress
Introduction
central and eastern United States, the rivers in question are
The Coast Guard’s Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC)
referred to by the Coast Guard as the western rivers.
program envisages procuring 30 replacements for the Coast
Guard’s 35 aging river buoy tenders (WLRs), inland
As of 2019, the 13 WLICs were based at cities along the
construction tenders (WLICs), and inland buoy tenders
U.S. East and Gulf coasts in Alabama, Florida (three
(WLIs). The Coast Guard wants to award the first contract
cutters), Louisiana (two cutters), Maryland, North Carolina,
for constructing the new WCCs in FY2022, and to have the
South Carolina, Texas (three cutters), and Virginia. As of
first new WCC be in service by 2025. The Coast Guard’s
2019, the four WLIs were based at locations in Alaska,
proposed FY2022 budget requests $67.0 million in
Michigan, Oregon, and North Carolina.
procurement funding for the WCC program. The issue for
Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast
Figure 1. Coast Guard River Buoy Tender (WLR)
Guard’s proposed acquisition strategy and funding requests
for the WCC program.
Terminology
Cutters are Coast Guard vessels that are more than 65 feet
long and have accommodations for a crew. (Those less than
65 feet long are called boats.) Waterways refers here to the
intra-coastal waterways along the U.S. East and Gulf
coasts, and to U.S. inland waterways such as the
Mississippi River. Tenders are vessels whose primary
mission is to maintain or repair something. Coast Guard
tender designations begin with WL, meaning Coast Guard
Source: Coast Guard photograph.
vessel (W) and tender (L). (The W in the acronym WCC,
however, stands for waterways.)
Rationale for Building New WCCs
The Coast Guard states in its FY2022 budget submission
WCC Missions
that it wants to replace the 35 existing waterways cutters
WCCs perform three primary missions under the Coast
with new WCCs because “in addition to age concerns and
Guard’s statutory role of providing aids to navigation
the associated equipment obsolescence issues, the legacy
(ATON): river buoy tending; inland construction tending
fleet presents other sustainment challenges, including
(which involves driving and removing piles and erecting
hazardous materials stemming from the use of asbestos and
and repairing range towers and major lights ); and inland
lead paint during construction of these assets, some of
buoy tending. WCCs are used for maintaining more than
which are over 55 years old. Outdated technology and
28,200 marine aids to navigation on 12,000 miles of inland
vessel designs have led to crew safety concerns,
waterways on which 630 million tons of cargo move each
maintenance cost increases, and non-compliance with
year. Additional WCC missions include search and rescue
environmental regulations. Finally, legacy vessel
(SAR), marine safety, marine environmental protection, and
configuration does not allow the assignment of mixed
ports, waterways, and coastal security.
gender crews in accordance with the Coast Guard’s
workforce goals.”
Existing Waterways Cutters
The Coast Guard’s 35 existing WCCs (one of which is
WCC Program
shown in Figure 1), are built to nine different designs, and
include 18 WLRs, 13 WLICs, and 4 WLIs. As of 2020, the
Program Initiation and Name
35 vessels were an average of 56 years old, with the oldest
The WCC program was initiated in the Coast Guard’s
two being 76 and 75 years old, the youngest two being 30
FY2018 budget submission. It was earlier called the Inland
years old, and the others 44 to 66 years old.
Waterways and Western Rivers Tender (or Cutter) program,
and some budget documents may continue to use that name.
Geographic Distribution
As of 2019, the 18 WLRs were based at cities along the
Acquisition Strategy
Mississippi and other inland rivers in Alabama, Arkansas,
The Coast Guard wants to replace the 35 existing waterway
Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky (two cutters), Mississippi (three
commerce cutters with 30 new WCCs, including 16 WLRs,
cutters), Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and
11 WLICs, and 3 WLIs. The Coast Guard wants the first
Tennessee (four cutters). Although these locations are in the
new WCC to enter service by 2025, and for all the WCCs to
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Coast Guard Waterw ays Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Iss ues for Congress
be in service by 2030. The Coast Guard states that the WCC
Figure 3. Coast Guard Notional Designs for WLR,
program
WLIC, and WLI
partnered with the [U.S. Navy’s] Naval Sea
Systems Command to conduct an independent
alternatives analysis to evaluate materiel and non-
materiel solutions to meet mission needs within cost
and schedule constraints. Additionally, the WCC
Program released nine requests for information to
conduct market research and has conducted
engineering trade studies and design analysis,
including development of indicative designs.
Based on this analysis, the program has determined
that three WCC variants will best meet mission
needs. All three variants will be monohull ships,
meaning self-propelled cutters instead of tug and
barge configurations. The river buoy tender and
inland construction tender variants will be acquired
on one contract; these variants are expected to be
common except for hull length, working d eck
layouts, and deck equipment, including the crane.
The inland buoy tender will be procured separately
from the other two variants.…
The WCC Program is working under an accelerated
Source: Coast Guard il ustration showing indicative (i.e., notional)
program schedule to reach initial operational
designs for the WLR (top), WLIC (middle), and WLI (bottom).
capability by 2025…. Full operational capability …
Request for Proposals (RFP)
is planned for 2030, although this date may change
On April 30, 2021, the Coast Guard released a request for
based on Coast Guard capital investment planning.
proposals (RFP) for the design and construction of an
(U.S. Coast Guard, “Waterways Commerce
estimated 27 WLRs and WLICs, with responses due by July
Cutter,” accessed May 12, 2021.)
30, 2021. The RFP is a small business concern set-aside
solicitation. The Coast Guard plans to award one Indefinite
Figure 2 and Figure 3 show notional Coast Guard designs
Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Fixed-Price (FP) with
for the WCCs. Vessels of this size can be built by smaller
Economic Price Adjustment contract resulting from the
U.S. shipyards. The WLR/WLIC acquisition is to be a smal
solicitation. The Coast Guard anticipates awarding the
business set-aside. Large businesses could team with a
contract in early 2022.
small business for the WLR/WLIC acquisition, but the
small business would need to be responsible for at least
FY2022 Funding
51% of the total cost of the contract. The winner of the
The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2022 budget requests $67.0
WLR/WLIC contract would be able to compete for the WLI
million in procurement funding for the WCC program. The
contract as well.
funding would be used for, among other things, awarding
the detail design and construction (DD&C) contract for
Figure 2. Coast Guard Notional Designs for WLR,
WLR/WLIC (first articles).
WLIC, and WLI
Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs
IF11672
Source: Coast Guard il ustration showing indicative (i.e., notional)
designs for the WLR (right), WLIC (middle), and WLI (left).
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Coast Guard Waterw ays Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
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