Ocean Research Vessels

NOAA Fleet Modernization Plan Gao ID: T-RCED-94-52 October 21, 1993

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) $1.9 billion fleet modernization plan calls for acquiring 24 new or refurbished vessels during a 15-year period. Several reports, including those from GAO and the Department of Commerce, have encouraged NOAA to use more private sector ship services to cut costs. So far, however, NOAA has used contracting on a very limited basis, and its fleet modernization plan makes few provisions for vessel contracting. NOAA needs to experiment with contracting and leasing options to determine whether the private sector can effectively meet NOAA's mission requirements. In experimenting with contracting, NOAA will need to grant contractors flexibility in how they do the work so that NOAA obtains the cost and operational data it needs to determine the extent that contracting can meet mission needs.



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