Page 41: of Marine News Magazine (November 2023)

40 42

Philly Shipyard “[The VCM model] helped us build vessels. That’s what we do best.” – John Bond, Project Director and NSMV Program Manager,

Philly Shipyard, Inc. “The IDIQ approach,” Linares explained, “provided the right ? exibility to support the initial funding/construction of the ? rst two vessels and then later for the remaining vessels to complete the NSMV State-Class. By working with a single shipyard as opposed to multiple shipyards, we have been able to achieve greater ef? ciency and cost savings through con? guration control, with vessels of an identical design and equipment.”

Linares called the NSMV program “a new chapter in federal shipbuilding, a historic new commitment to mari- time education, shipbuilding best practices, and the U.S. maritime industry.” She said the government bene? ted from the ability to leverage commercial entities’ acquisi- tion processes to maximize competition and experience.