1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Smart Ship Repair Act of 2024 or the SSRA of 2024 . 2. Definition of short-term work for purposes of Navy construction of combatant and escort vessels and assignment of vessel projects Section 8669a(c)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 10 months and inserting 18 months . 3. Study on price differentials used in Navy ship repair solicitations (a) In general Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Navy shall seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to conduct a study to assess whether relevant price differentials used by the Navy in ship repair solicitations accurately reflect the true market value of the activity undertaken to complete the repair work involved in the absence of any such differential. (b) Elements The study under subsection (a) shall address all relevant price differentials used by the Navy in ship repair solicitations, including— (1) the use of Government-owned and operated dry docks; (2) the use of inter-port differentials