BACKGROUND Program needs in the Marshall Islands led the Department of Energy (then ERDA) into an agreement with the Army whereby DOE acguired use and control of LCU-26 which was renamed the R.V. Liktanur in i975, The vessel was operated out of Kwajalein with crew and material support provided by the Kwajalein support contractor, Global Associates, Inc., under an Interagency Support Agreement. Costs for this support averaged close to $400,000 annually with sailing days scheduling at an ambitious 240 for FY 1978. environmental efforts by BNL, LLL, DOE bio-medical and U of Washington, U of Hawaii, to mention a few, were successfully supported under very difficult circumstances by the R. V. Liktanur until December 1977, when old age and storm damage rendered her inoperable for future Open sea use. In the interim period, in order to meet ongoing program commitments, PASO twice arranged with the TTPI Government for the loan of vessels on a reimbursable basis. This has proven very unsatisfactory for three reasons. First, the reimbursable daily loan rate and the costs associated with modifying the M.V. Caroline Islands on the April-May 1978 mission approached $100,000 or one-fourth of the total annual funds available. Secondly, and in spite of the efforts to modify the vessel satisfactorily, the scientific personnel were subjected to unusually harsh conditions as to accommodations and sanitation. Third, the Marshall Islands press made critical remarks as to why the DOE got priority use of a TITPI ship while other vital program needs involving use of a ship were being neglected. SEARCH FOR REPLACEMENT VESSEL NVO, PASO and Holmes & Narver immediately undertook the task of searching various commercial and governmental systems for a suitable replacement within reasonable cost parameters, both as to acquiring and/or activating a ship, and for operating costs. The ideal vessel overall is one which has @ beaching capability to satisfy loading and unloading requirements at remote atolls. It should be classified as "ocean going” which an LCU is not. One main thrust of the search involved an effort to get a commitment from the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands for the long term use of the "M.V. Caroline Islands" on a reimbursable basis. The High Commissioner advised the Assistant for Pacific Operations, NV, in his letter dated May 5, 1978, that this vessel was needed for TTPI use. He did offer the use of an Islander class vessel, the M.V. Robert DeBrum but we found this to be unsuitable because of her age, poor condition and lack of beaching capability. Another potentially satisfactory vessel,. namely the FS-411, was located at the Charleston, S.C. Property Disposal area. This vesse’ Pat “ oo Ci co ~~ Enciosure