(The following was submitted for the record :) The fourth project, shown on page 183 of the book, is for barracks with mess at the Naval Radio Station, Dixon, Calif., at an estimated cost of $165,000. The Dixon station is the transmitter component of the San Francisco Naval Communication Station. This line item will provide berthing and subsistence facilities for an increased number of personnel to be assigned to this station as a result of the recent transfer of communication functions from the Naval Air Station, Alameda, and relocation of broadcast facilities from the Mare Island Radio Station. There are no military or civilian facilities in or near Dixon which can be utilized to fulfill the requirement. This facility is required to house 40 additional enlisted men to be assigned to the station. Mr. SHEPPARD. What is the housing situation at Mather Air Force Base at this time Admiral VIRDEN. The situation in the entire area has been examined for this, Mr. Chairman. We have no housing available that is within reasonable distance. We have investigated the U.S. Information Agency at Dixon, the Army Primary Relay Station at Davis, and the Mather Air Force Base, and they all reported to us they have no available facilities. There are no excess facilities within 35 miles of Dixon that could meet the requirement. Mr. SHEPPARD. On surveys of this character, what is the area you can go out to to establish whether or not there is available housing? Is it 25 miles, or what? Admiral JOHNSON. Within about three-quarters of an hour driving time is one criterion. Thirty miles is sometimes taken as another criterion. Mr. SHEPPARD. Is there any criteria other than that? Mr. LAIRD. Why is the communication function at the Naval Air Station at Alameda being transferred? Admiral VIRDEN. That is a question of consolidation, sir, to avoid the difficult problem on the station itself. Mr. LAIRD. There are plenty of facilities at Alameda, are there not? Admiral VIRDEN. There are facilities there. This does not affect the manpower problem out there, sir. Mr. LAIRD. You are taking these people to Dixon from Mare Island? Admiral VIRDEN. We are taking them from Mare Island because that station at Mare Island has to be dismantled for safety purposes. It is an old station. We are going to have to tear that one down. It is a relocation. We will take those over; yes, sir. Mr. LAIRD. And this is to take care of 40? Admiral VIRDEN. Yes, 40 men. There are 24 now. By the end of 1962 there will be 45, and the ultimate is 66 people, 40 of whom will require these barracks. Mr. SHEPPARD. You mean 56, do you not? Admirał VIRDEN. Ultimate, at the end of 1963, 56 enlisted. NAVAL COMMUNICATION STATION, KODIAK, ALASKA Mr. SHEPPARD. We shall take up the next item, Kodiak, Alaska. The preliminary engineering report for this item was prepared by the district public works officer, 13th Naval District, and is complete. The final plans and specifications are being prepared by the district public works officer, 13th Naval District, and will be completed by September 8, 1961. NAVAL RADIO RESEARCH STATION, SUGAR GROVE, W. VA. Mr. SHEPPARD. We shall take up the next item, Naval Radio Research Station, Sugar Grove, W. Va. We shall insert page 187 in the record. NAVAL RADIO RESEARCH STATION, SUGAR GROVE, W. VA. LARGE STEERABLE ANTENNA The preliminary engineering and feasibility studies were begun in August 1936 by a joint venture of Frank Grad & Sons, Urbahn, Brayton, & Burrows; and Stevenson, Value & Knecht, all of New York City. This work was completed in April 1958. Fee amount, $1,480,985. The same joint venture commenced final designs in 1958 and continued to November 1960 at which time the contract was closed out. Completion of design is being undertaken by Amman & Whitney, New York City, Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, and Wall & Smoot, Washington, D.C., for a final cost yet to be determined. (The following was submitted for the record :) This project is for an increase of $36,600,000 in the previously authorized amount for construction of the large steerable antenna at the Naval Radio Re search Station, Sugar Grove, W. Va. This extremely unique device was authorized in our fiscal year 1959 program, by Public Law 85-685 for $60 million. Last year, in Public Law 86-500, this amount was amended to $77,800,000. The current amendment would further increase the authorized amount to $114,100,000. The extreme complexities and the lack of any precedence in engineering experience in the construction of this device have resulted in the need for this increase. Mr. SHEPPARD. It appears to me that every time I look at this station the cost jumps up another 25 or 30 percent. Last year you estimated the total cost at $89.8 million; now you are up to $126. 4 million. Just what is happening here? What made these figures go up as high as they have since the inception of this project? Admiral CORRADI. The general story behind the increased cost is attributable to its unusualness, and the fact no one has ever had any experience in the design, or construction of a device of this magnitude with its characteristics. The specific reason for the increased appropriation requests which you have before you today stems from our own bidding experience of approximately a year ago when, after developing the design and starting construction concurrently with a portion of the design, we reached a point where we were able to take bids on major components that had been designed to the point where performance specifications could be drafted and where competition could be attained. We put these performance specifications for specific components out to bid and we learned in the crucible of competitive bidding that, although we obtained prices from reputable firms and that the prices obtained were fairly close to each other, they were far above those which had been estimated. |