Future USCGC Pickering (Image: Austal USA)
I have to apologize because I somehow lost the comment that brought this to my attention, so I can not thank the source by name, but thank you.
The Department of Homeland Security has submitted a Request For Information that I believe could only be in reference to the OPCs.
This is the description of the vessel:
It apparently refers to a request to tow a vessel from its current location to shipyard, followed by an assessment and presumably completion.
“Note the vessels may require repairs to facilitate towing and technical assessment. These repairs may include, but are not limited to, lighting and temporary structural ensure watertight integrity. Discuss your company’s ability to quickly mobilize to do this work on a vessel that may not have an operational powerplant or a completed electrical distribution system.”
Technical Assessment: Provide capabilities, pricing structures, and timelines to assess the vessel while docked to produce:
a. Scope of work necessary to complete all remaining construction activities, technical scope, systems integration, and testing and trials for the vessel to ensure the vessel meets performance requirements.
b. Holistic execution strategy that would enable a complete assessment and would produce a final work completion plan within 30 days of vessel arrival at your facility.
Specifically discuss the following:
o Size and skillset of technical workforce including designers, tradesmen, technical writers, engineers, etc. available to assess the vessel.
o Ability to rapidly translate as-built physical conditions onboard the ship to 2D and 3D documents, models and drawings as appropriate to facilitate creation of repair specifications.
o Familiarity with government vessel requirements including USCG, USN and ABS NVR rule sets for new construction and overhauls to facilitate creation of repair specifications.
o Ability to identify long-lead items (requiring greater than 30 days from order) that may be needed to complete work.
o Capacity to perform the work, to include time when the work would start, competing demands, and space availability
No current location is listed, but sounds like this could be either OPC #1 or #2.
Responses were due by June 10, 2025..
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
It’s been an interesting week for USCG shipbuilding programs.
First, the delayed NSC is cancelled and now this with the OPC.
I wonder where they would be towing it to? Is there an expectation that someone else is now going to take over the remaining construction of these 2 hulls?
Clearly the intent is to complete the ship(s). It only talks about one ship so until they put OPC #2 in the water that has to be OPC#1.
At this point it is only an RFI so no commitment on the CG’s part.
This may just be looking at alternatives to completing them at Eastern, but it is a clear signal they do not have much confidence in Easter.