PRESS RELEASE

March 25 Update: The below press release was updated to reflect the extended application period for interested organizations to submit proposals for consideration to acquire a lifeboat. The application period has been extended from March 25 to April 25.

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach is currently seeking bids from qualified museums, preservation groups and developers interested in acquiring and preserving the historic lifeboats from the RMS Queen Mary, providing them the unique opportunity to preserve and feature a piece of history at their place of choice. Now through April 25, 2022, interested organizations may submit proposals for consideration through the City’s Request for Qualification (RFQ) Vendor Portal, PlanetBids.

Selected proposers must provide evidence of their organization’s capacity and experience in preserving historic relics and also provide descriptions of the method(s) in which they intend to preserve the lifeboats. Awardees will need to execute an indemnity agreement and acquire necessary loading and transportation for the lifeboats they acquire.

Organizations who submit a proposal or who are seriously interested in submitting a proposal may participate in a site walkthrough on Friday, March 4, 2022, so that proposers may assess the state of the lifeboats prior to acquisition. A previous site walk for bidders was hosted on Feb. 25. Additional information about the bidding process is available at longbeach.gov/purchasing.

The deteriorated lifeboats were removed from the Queen Mary earlier this month as part of a series of critical repairs being conducted on the ship.

To keep the public informed, the City created a Queen Mary Updates webpage, which includes the Queen Mary’s economic impacts on the City, a historical overview, the City’s stance on preserving the historic integrity and structural safety of the ship and the City’s short- and long-term goals in the preservation process.

Media inquiries may be directed to Johnny Vallejo, Business Operations Manager, Economic Development Department, at Johnny.Vallejo@longbeach.gov or 562.570.6792.