Ship Acquisitions

GAO reviewed the Maritime Administration's (MarAd) management of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF), focusing on its procurement of 12 cargo ships for RRF. GAO found that: (1) MarAd has selected an excellent mix of ships that will meet the Department of Defense's needs at a reasonable cost; (2) MarAd should develop a clearer, more comprehensive solicitation that would provide the most suitable ships and save time and money during the procurement process; and (3) MarAd should develop additional evaluation criteria for assessing the ships' military capability and utility.