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9 Appendix A Committee on Polar Icebreaker Cost Assessment: Statement of Task SEC. 604. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES COST ASSESSMENT. (a) Cost Assessment.âThe Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall seek to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences under which the Academy, by no later than 365 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an assessment of the costs incurred by the Federal Government to carry out polar icebreaking missions. An ad hoc committee shall: (1) describe current and emerging requirements for the Coast Guardâs polar icebreaking capabilities, taking into account the rapidly changing ice cover in the Arctic environment, national security considerations, and expanding commercial activities in the Arctic and Antarctic, including marine transportation, energy development, fishing, and tourism; (2) identify potential design, procurement, leasing, service contracts, crewing, and technology options that could minimize life-cycle costs and optimize efficiency and reliability of Coast Guard polar icebreaker operations in the Arctic and Antarctic; and (3) examine: (A) Coast Guard estimates of the procurement and operating costs of a Polar icebreaker capable of carrying out Coast Guard maritime safety, national security, and stewardship responsibilities including: (i) economies of scale that might be achieved for construction of multiple vessels; and (ii) costs of renovating existing polar class icebreakers to operate for a period of no less than 10 years. (B) the incremental cost to augment the design of such an icebreaker for multiuse capabilities for scientific missions; (C) the potential to offset such incremental cost through cost-sharing agreements with other Federal departments and agencies; and (D) United States polar icebreaking capability in comparison with that of other Arctic nations, and with nations that conduct research and other activities in the Arctic. (b) Included Costs: For purposes of subsection (a), the assessment shall include costs incurred by the Federal Government for: (1) the lease or operation and maintenance of the vessel or vessels concerned; (2) disposal of such vessels at the end of the useful life of the vessels;
10 (3) retirement and other benefits for Federal employees who operate such vessels; and (4) interest payments assumed to be incurred for Federal capital expenditures. (c) Assumptions: For purposes of comparing the costs of such alternatives, the Academy shall assume that: (1) each vessel under consideration is (A) capable of breaking out McMurdo Station and conducting Coast Guard missions in the Antarctic, and in the United States territory in the Arctic (as that term is defined in section 112 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111)); and (B) operated for a period of 30 years; (2) the acquisition of services and the operation of each vessel begins on the same date; and (3) the periods for conducting Coast Guard missions in the Arctic are of equal lengths. (d) Use of Information.âIn formulating cost pursuant to subsection (a), the National Academy of Sciences may utilize information from other Coast Guard reports, assessments, or analyses regarding existing Coast Guard Polar class icebreakers or for the acquisition of a polar icebreaker for the Federal Government.