Federal Contract Alert: USS RUSHMORE (LSD-47) 7C1 SRA 52pkg — DEPT OF DEFENSE.DEPT OF THE NAVY.NAVSUP.NAVSUP GLOBAL LOGISTICS SUPPORT.NAVSUP FLC YOKOSUKA.NAVSUP

USS Rushmore (LSD-47) 7C1 SRA 52pkg: What This Contract Actually Is

This is a Navy ship repair and alteration (SRA) contract for the USS Rushmore, an Austin-class dock landing ship homeported in Japan. The 7C1 designation indicates mechanical/engineering work; the 52 packages likely break down into discrete repair or maintenance scopes. You're looking at a parts, labor, and technical services procurement to keep this vessel mission-ready.

The work location is Japan (NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka), which matters: logistics are long, your crew or quality reps may need to travel, and the contracting officer's authority runs through a Navy regional supply center, not a typical continental U.S. shipyard. This is not a new construction award. It's sustainment work, which typically repeats and can be more stable than one-off bids—but only if you win the first package and perform cleanly.

Eligibility: NAICS Code and Who Can Bid

NAICS 336611 covers ship building and repair. There is no small business set-aside on this notice, meaning you compete head-to-head with large primes and established ship repair yards. If you are small, you must clearly demonstrate you can execute ship repair work at a Navy facility overseas or subcontract intelligently to someone who can. Large businesses often win these because they already have facilities, skilled labor, and security infrastructure in place.

Check your system for prior Navy work, particularly any ESAL (Estimated Shipping Address List) history or facility certifications. If you've never touched a Navy vessel or worked within a secure facility, this bid is likely not winnable for your shop—and that's not pessimism, that's realism.

Key Deadlines and Critical Dates

Deadline is 29 July 2026, 10:00 a.m. Japan Standard Time. Note the time zone; convert this to your local time immediately and set two alarms. This is a firm, non-negotiable close. Questions must go through SAM.gov and EDMS (if used). Assume a 5-7 business day turnaround on CO responses during summer.

Posted 24 July gives you five days to analyze 52 packages, price labor, secure subcontractor quotes, and write a coherent offer. If you don't have ship repair experience and labor rates locked in already, you will miss this deadline.

How to Respond: Step-by-Step Approach

Step 1: Obtain and Decode the 52 Packages. Download the full solicitation and RFQ attachments from SAM.gov. Each of the 52 packages will specify labor hours, material, and any Navy-furnished equipment. Separate what you can execute yourself from what requires subcontracting.

Step 2: Build Your Subcontractor Team. If you lack in-house ship repair capacity, contact established yards in Japan or the region immediately. Request quotes, lead times, and facility certifications. A phone call beats email when time is short.

Step 3: Price Labor and Materials. Use historical Navy labor rates and Navy-approved supplier lists (NASL) for parts. Factor in Japanese customs, VAT, and transport. Yokosuka is a deployed environment; overhead is real.

Step 4: Write Your Technical Approach. Explain how you'll execute each package, who does what, and how you'll meet Navy quality and schedule standards. The Navy reads these; a vague answer gets you rejected.

Step 5: Submit Early. Upload to SAM.gov at least 4 hours before close. Network outages happen on deadline day.

Competitive Intelligence: Should You Even Bid?

Use GovWin IQ and Bloomberg Government to search for prior awards on USS Rushmore and similar LSD-class vessels. If the same contractor won the last three SRA packages, you're looking at a relationship the Navy already trusts. Your bid may not be winnable even if your price is lower. That doesn't mean skip it, but it means your approach must be exceptional—faster schedule, superior quality assurance, or a subcontractor the Navy already knows.

Check whether the CO has a history of awarding incremental work to single vendors or spreading packages. This is visible in contract history on SAM and FPDS.

CMMC & DFARS Compliance Checklist

CMMC Level Required: Ship repair work often involves controlled unclassified information (CUI) and basic cybersecurity requirements, so expect CMMC Level 1 minimum. If any packages touch fire control, combat systems, or classified material, you'll need Level 2. Check the RFQ for the specific CMMC assessment language.

Key DFARS Clauses to Verify: Search the contract terms for FAR 252.204-7012 (Safeguarding Unclassified CUI), 252.204-7019 (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification), and 252.204-7020 (CMMC compliance). These are standard on Navy awards. If you spot them, you must have a current CMMC assessment before you bid—or a credible plan to complete one before contract award.

SPRS Self-Assessment: Navy contractors must maintain a Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) score. Log into SPRS and pull your current rating. A low score (below 65) flags you as high-risk and makes award difficult. If yours is low, address it now or accept that this contract will not be awarded to you.

Pre-Bid Requirements: Before submitting, confirm you have: a valid CMMC Level 1 assessment on file (or a binding commitment to complete it), a clean SPRS score (or a documented improvement plan), a Facilities Clearance if needed, and a CAGE code registered in SAM. Missing any of these is a disqualification.

Three Actionable Tips for Small Contractors

1. Partner With a Proven Subcontractor Early. If you lack ship repair history, find a mid-size or large prime with Navy Yokosuka experience and propose them as your primary technical subcontractor. The Navy is more likely to trust the bid if the execution team has a track record.

2. Price for Profit, Not Volume. Navy work is slow-pay (Net 30-60) and requires extensive documentation and rework if specs aren't met perfectly. Bid margins that cover your overhead and profit, not just labor recovery. If the numbers don't work at 15% margin, they won't work at 8%.

3. Read the Quality Clauses Carefully. Navy solicitations include inspection, testing, and certification requirements. If you bid without fully understanding them, you will overrun cost and schedule. Allocate time and budget for quality assurance upfront—it's non-negotiable on Navy ship work.

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