The Alaska Industrial Development and Energy Authority (AIDEA) owns the Ketchikan Shipyard. For 20+ years, AIDEA has leased operations at the Shipyard to a private operator.
March 2025: AIDEA announces it is looking to move on from Vigor Alaska and for a new Shipyard operator, and that it would “soon issue a Request for Information (RFI) to identify new opportunities and potential operators for the Shipyard to ensure a seamless transition once Vigor’s operations under its present contract conclude.”
May 2025: At a public meeting at the Ted Ferry Civic Center, AIDEA Executive Director Randy Ruaro backs off of the agency’s commitment to issue an RFI and shares that AIDEA would proceed directly to a Request for Proposal (RFP). Ruaro notes that “[t]here are a number of entities interested in a transition with the shipyard.”
July 2025: Layoffs at the Shipyard begin. The Chilkat Valley News reports that “[a]s of [July 4, 2025], neither an RFI nor Request for Proposals has been issued. AIDEA, with the exception of general but still uncertain comments made during a public meeting in early May, has not released information about its process for, or progress in, securing a new operator for the Ketchikan Shipyard.”
July 23, 2025: Articles of incorporation for JAG Ketchikan LLC are filed with the Alaska Secretary of State.
August 15, 2025: AIDEA’s Board of Directors passes a resolution approving a “transfer of control of the operator of the Ketchikan Shipyard from Vigor to JAG [Alaska],” and authorizing Executive Director Ruaro to execute an operator agreement with JAG. The resolution states: “AIDEA regulations [3 AAC 100.050(b)(1)] and Alaska statutes, AS 36.30.85(5) and (6), and other state laws exempt an agreement to operate or lease the shipyard from the procurement code.”
Despite its earlier assurances, AIDEA never issued an RFI or RFP to solicit competitive bids from other potential operators.
READ ABOUT LOCAL 23’S ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN A COPY OF AIDEA’S CONTRACT WITH JAG