CONSIDERATION OF VESSEL LOCATION FOR THE AWARD OF LAYBERTH CONTRACTS FOR SEALIFT VESSELS.

SEC. 375. CONSIDERATION OF VESSEL LOCATION FOR THE AWARD OF LAYBERTH CONTRACTS FOR SEALIFT VESSELS. (a) Consideration of Vessel Location in the Award of Layberth Contracts.—As a factor in the evaluation of bids and proposals for the award of contracts to layberth sealift vessels of the Department of the Navy, the Secretary of the Navy shall include the location of the vessels, including whether the vessels should be layberthed at locations where— (1) members of the Armed Forces are likely to be loaded onto the vessels; and (2) layberthing the vessels maximizes the ability of the vessels to meet mobility and training needs of the Department of Defense. (b) Establishment of Location as a Major Criterion.—In the evaluation of bids and proposals referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy shall give the same level of consideration to the location of the vessels as the Secretary gives to other major factors established by the Secretary. (c) Applicability.—Subsection (a) shall apply to any solicitation for bids or proposals issued after the end of the 120-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.