BREMERTON — A team of 14 current employees and one former worker at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility was selected by the Naval Sea Systems Command to receive NAVSEA’s 2016 Commander’s Award for Innovation.

The group, whose members work in various PSNS & IMF shops and offices, was nominated for the award for its efforts to pilot the use of portable cold-cutting technology to replace thermal cutting methods.

According to the nomination package for the team, the team’s research, development and use of cold-cutting “has resulted in significant cost and schedule savings to the Navy, reduction in risk and improvement in the quality of work environment for the workforce.”

“I’m very proud of this group for its creativity and determination to improve the quality of our work, the safety of our work force and the value we bring to the Navy and the nation,” said Capt. Howard Markle, PSNS & IMF commander. “It’s always gratifying to know that your efforts are being noticed at higher levels of command, and NAVSEA’s recognition of  our team reinforces what we’ve known all along — that PSNS & IMF is home to the best and the brightest in our business.”

NAVSEA manages the organizations and efforts to engineer, buy, build and maintain Navy ships, submarines and combat systems. These awards are presented annually to employees who “inspire and implement these innovative achievements.” This year’s results were announced Tuesday.

Members of the PSNS & IMF team named in the award are:

• Bryan P. Derr of the Nuclear Engineering and Planning Department;

• Noreen M. Sell, of the Engineering and Planning Department;

• Joseph A. Bedell of the Product Line Department;

• Ricky D. Lukkasson of the Product Line Department;

• Stephen K. Burley of the Inside Machine Shop;

• Michael C. Church of the Inside Machine Shop;

• Nicholas R. Lane of the Inside Machine Shop;

• Todd A. Wiktorek of the Shipfitter Shop;

• John P. Vandeman of the Shipfitter Shop;

• Michael Q. Mouser of the Shipfitter Shop;

• Jason D. Taylor of the Shipfitter Shop;

• Jon R. Tacey of the Shipfitter Shop;

• John D. Robinett of the Product Line Department;

• Linda J. Schroeder, retired in 2015 from the Environmental Safety and Health Office.

• Paul A. Wims of the Welding Shop.