DESIGN OF NOAA VESSELS.

SEC. 605. [33 U.S.C. 891c] DESIGN OF NOAA VESSELS. (a) Design Requirement.—Except for the vessel designs identified under subsection (b), the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Administrator of NOAA for Marine and Aviation Operations, shall— (1) prepare requirements for each class of vessel to be constructed or converted under the Plan; and (2) contract competitively from nongovernmental entities with expertise in shipbuilding for vessel design and construction based on the requirements for each class of vessel to be acquired. (b) Exception.—The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Administrator of NOAA for Marine and Aviation Operations, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, as part of the annual update of the Plan required in section 604, any existing vessel design or design proposals that meet the requirements of the Plan.