b'FOGHORN FOCUS Given that much of my operating experience is on theAll yards should strive public side, I couldnt help but ask if public operators were able to waive or modify certain competitive bid- towards making sure the ding requirements, what specifically would you suggest? vessel is ready for service Bay Ship & Yacht Co. Lowest bidder. Some projects need to be looked at from thewith a customer thatbest value approach. Sometimes the cheapest is not the best answer; pricing may be missing parts, skilled labor and/oris satisfied and lookswork processes to perform the work scope requested. forward to working with Gladding-Hearn ShipbuildingFederal grants programs are beneficial to a municipalitythe yard again. howevertheybringwiththemadditionalrequirements that increase costs.BAY SHIP & YACHT CO. As stated above the requirement to accept the low-price bid as opposed to best value usually lowers risk and improvesAn experienced person familiar with Coast Guard small the end product. passenger vessel regulations and inspection expectations is important. A naval architect or engineer with 30 years of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders deep sea or navy ship experience does not necessarily meet The bidding process should focus on selecting the mostthesecriteria.Fornewconstruction,afull-timeon-site qualifiedandcompetitiveshipyard,ratherthanspecificinspector is not necessary, however a predetermined sched-retainage terms. Shipyards rely on timely payments to man- ule, say bi-weekly or monthly, is important for coordinat-age their cash flow and cover expenses, and unfavorableing with QC and Coast Guard inspections. Stated another payment terms can lead to financial strain and the possibil- way, random and unplanned visits are not helpful. ity of reluctance to bid on the project. Often the retainage payment is delayed due to subcontractors not filing outNichols Brothers Boat Buildersstate paperwork in a timely fashion and puts further strainIt is highly beneficial to have a project manager on-site for sev-on the shipyards cash flow. eral reasons; it provides a centralized point of contact, facili-tates effective coordination, enhances oversight, and enables Do you feel it is beneficial that an owner has a projectprompt decision making, which contribute to successful ex-manager on-site?ecution of the project. A lack of an owners project manager on-site can create points of disagreement, where there is no Bay Ship & Yacht Co.owner to witness progress or problems as they arise.Highlybeneficial,especiallyiftheprojectmanagerhas knowledge of the vessel. It helps to have the project manag- Do you have a particular client (vessel owner/operator) er onsite for inspections/discovery of unknown issues thatwho you wish others would emulate? If so, what is it often arise. The project manager and yard can work togeth- this client does, or doesnt do that makes them more er to find solutions for complicated repairs, and the projectdesirable to work with?manager will also interact with the regulatory agencies to advocate for the owner. Bay Ship & Yacht Co. For Bay Ship & Yacht Co. there is no one customer that Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding we would put above another, just as there is no one type Yes, it can be beneficial to have a person on site that is expe- of vessel that we would only prefer to repair. Each vessel rienced, capable, and/or responsible for getting decisions.andcustomerhavetheirownuniquechallengeswhich This is particularly important for a fast-paced repair projectkeep our yard from being stagnant or unable to adapt to where the extent of repairs is determined after inspection.something new.FOGHORN 22'