NAVAL AVIATION DEPOT CHERRY POINT, N.C. --The Navy announced April 14 that it will retain in-house industrial maintenance services functions at Naval Air Depot Cherry Point.

As a result of efficiencies identified in this study, the Navy will implement its Most Efficient Organization. Transition of the current organization to the MEO will begin May 14. The transition is expected to be completed by October 2005.

The Industrial Maintenance Services study began Aug. 30, 2000. The study involved 107 positions. Under the MEO, the depot will have 80 federal and 20 contractor positions. These positions include industrial controls, production machinery, air conditioning equipment, powered support systems and sheet metal mechanics, as well as welders, painters, woodcraftsmen, pipe fitters, three supervisors and one program manager. Currently, permanent federal employees hold 73 of those positions. The decision for the government to continue to perform functions was made after a detailed study indicated it was more cost effective for the work to be done by government personnel than by contractors.

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