The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) is seeking innovative engineering, technical, production and management solutions for the disposal of multiple obsolete vessels located in the reserve fleet sites in the James River (Virginia). From the overall list of ships included in this program some ships may be subject to a "hold" or "not available" status due to commitments for sales, loans, and donations which were made prior to procurement actions associated with this announcement. MARAD anticipates that the obsolete vessels in the worst condition, many of which are located in the James River Reserve Fleet, may be disposed of using traditional competitive contracting practices, depending on the availability of funding.

In an effort to obtain maximum program flexibility, the US Government is seeking from public and private concerns innovative solutions for the disposal of the remaining obsolete vessels by the statutory deadline of September 30, 2006. The following are criteria for evaluating/selecting proposals:

• Innovative engineering/technical/production/management approaches for the disposal of obsolete vessels
• Environmental and worker safety/health considerations associated with the disposal of obsolete vessels and the abatement of hazardous materials
• Production throughput/capacity with schedule and funding/cost relationships
• Offerors' requisite and relevant experience with the disposal of obsolete vessels
• Funding requirements associated with the proposed approach