STRATEGIC SEALIFT FLEET VESSEL.

SEC. 128. STRATEGIC SEALIFT FLEET VESSEL. (a) In General.—Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Navy shall seek to enter into a contract for the construction of one sealift vessel. (b) Delivery Date.—The contract entered into under subsection (a) shall specify a delivery date for the sealift vessel of not later than September 30, 2026. (c) Design and Construction Requirements.— (1) Use of existing design.—The design of the sealift vessel shall be based on a domestic or foreign design that exists as of the date of the enactment of this Act. (2) Commercial standards and practices.—Subject to paragraph (1), the sealift vessel may be constructed using commercial design standards and commercial construction practices that are consistent with the best interests of the Federal Government. (3) Domestic shipyard.—The sealift vessel shall be constructed in a shipyard that is located in the United States. (d) Certificate and Endorsement.—The sealift vessel shall meet the requirements necessary to receive a certificate of documentation and a coastwise endorsement under chapter 121 of tile 46, United States Code, and the Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that the completed vessel receives such a certificate and endorsement. (e) Executive Agent.— (1) In general.—The Secretary of the Navy may seek to enter into a contract or other agreement with a private-sector entity under which the entity may act as executive agent for the Secretary for purposes of the contract under subsection (a). (2) Responsibilities.—The executive agent described in paragraph (1) may be responsible for— (A) selecting a shipyard for the construction of the sealift vessel; (B) managing and overseeing the construction of the sealift vessel; and (C) such other matters as the Secretary of the Navy determines to be appropriate (f) Use of Incremental Funding.—With respect to the contract entered into under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy may use incremental funding to make payments under the contract. (g) Sealift Vessel Defined.—In this section, the term “sealift vessel” means the sealift vessel constructed pursuant to the contract entered into under subsection (a).