Contract: VT Halter, $8.4M

VT Halter Marine, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded an $8,436,603 firm-fixed-price contract for infrastructure improvements to their shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. This contract is for infrastructure improvements at VT Halter Marine's Pascagoula, Mississippi shipyard, which was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in calendar year 2005. The infrastructure improvements are for shipyard paving, utility improvements, crane rail extensions and the procurement of additional crawler and overhead cranes. The contracted improvements at VT Halter Marine facilities are part of a series of contracts with Gulf Coast shipbuilders to be awarded under Section 2203 of Public Law 109-234, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Hurricane Recovery 2006. The purpose is to expedite recovery of shipbuilding capability in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina by repairing and / or replacing shipbuilding facilities, to make lasting improvement in shipyard facilities that would result in measurable cost reductions in current and future Navy shipbuilding contracts, and to improve the ability of shipbuilding facilities on the Gulf Coast to withstand damage from potential hurricanes or other natural disasters. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to be completed by July 2012. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/27/10)