Followinc the meetinc, Interior issued a request for proposals tc orgarizations anc individuals whos were believed to be interested in preperinc for us or a contract basis the medical plar requires by ley. The request for proposals was sent to, among others, all potentially interestec parties sucsested to us by Marshallese representatives. A contract was awarded in early October to the School of Health of Loma Linda University, located in Loma Linde, California. Giver the statutory deadline for the submission of the Interior plan to the Congress, the time available to our contractor was limited, early December. but the contractor met the deadline of At the request of the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy prepared proposals for the two other components of the plan that the statute requires: an environmental monitoring, research, and dose assessment program, and an education and information program. The three documents in question became available and were distributed to those interested, including August attendees, in early December, and a further meeting of the interested agencies and the Marshallese representatives was held on December 10 in Washington to discuss them. An opportunity to supply written comments through December 17 was afforded. The three proposals Attached are copies of the proposals that formed the basis of our December 10 discussions. In brief, 1. The Health Care Proposal, prepared by the Loma Linda University School of Health under contract with the Department of the Interior, presents the two alternative plans required by the Interior contract: a program of comprehensive health care for all of the Marshalls, and a program of comprehensive health care for the people of the four named atolls. Because the peoples of the four named atolls now reside throughout many of the islands and atolls of the Marshalls (it being estimated that they now live on 50% or more of the 26 atolls and hundreds of islands that constitute the Marshalls), and because of the ethical and practical difficulties of providing one kind of medical service to one individual while not providing it to others in the same community, the Loma Linda proposal outlines an upgrading of the overall health program and the provision of comprehenThis sive health care throughout the Marshall Islands. each of on assistants medical alternative would provide for professional a by supported the inhabited islands and atolls, medical staff that would provide secondary and some tertiary care at the two Marshall Islands hospitals on Majuro and =3-