Australia seeks bids from private companies for next phase of search . The chosen contractor will have 300 days to cover a vast swath of ocean . Score: 6 An Australian official says he remains `` cautiously optimistic '' the plane will be found .
Australia seeks bids from private companies for next phase of search . The chosen contractor will have 300 days to cover a vast swath of ocean . Authorities are still determining the exact search area in the Indian Ocean . An Australian official says he remains `` cautiously optimistic '' the plane will be found .