(1) In addition to the requirements of RCW 47.60.385(1), initial requests for, and substantial modification requests to, vessel acquisition funding must be submitted with a predesign study that:

(a) Includes a business decision case on vessel sizing;

(b) Includes an updated vessel deployment plan demonstrating maximum use of existing vessels, and an updated systemwide vessel rebuild and replacement plan;

(c) Includes an analysis that demonstrates that acquiring a new vessel or improving an existing vessel is more cost-effective than other alternatives considered. At a minimum, alternatives explored must include:

(i) Alternatives to new vessel construction that increase capacity of existing vessels;

(ii) Service level changes in lieu of adding vessel capacity; and

(iii) Acquiring existing vessels or existing vessel plans rather than wholly new vessels or vessel plans; and

(d) Demonstrates that the vessel proposed for improvement, construction, or purchase, if intended to replace an existing vessel or to place an existing vessel into inactive or reserve status, is consistent with the scheduled replacements in the rebuild and replacement plan.

(2) In addition to the requirements of RCW 47.60.385(1), initial requests for, and substantial modification requests to, vessel improvement funding must be submitted with a predesign study that includes:

(a) An explanation of any regulatory changes necessitating the improvement;

(b) The requirements under subsection (1) of this section, if the improvement modifies the capacity of a vessel;

(c) A cost-benefit analysis of any modifications designed to improve fuel efficiency, including potential impacts on vessel maintenance and repair; and

(d) An assessment of out-of-service time associated with making the improvement and ongoing preservation of the improvement.

Findings—Intent—Effective date—2010 c 283: See notes following RCW 47.60.355.