diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/factorys/ExecManagerFactory.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/factorys/ExecManagerFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6cac7e1f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/factorys/ExecManagerFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) The Apache Software Foundation. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This software is published under the terms of the Apache Software License
+ * version 1.1, a copy of which has been included  with this distribution in
+ * the LICENSE.txt file.
+ */
+package org.apache.myrmidon.framework.factorys;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import org.apache.aut.nativelib.ExecException;
+import org.apache.aut.nativelib.impl.DefaultExecManager;
+import org.apache.avalon.excalibur.i18n.ResourceManager;
+import org.apache.avalon.excalibur.i18n.Resources;
+import org.apache.myrmidon.services.ServiceException;
+import org.apache.myrmidon.services.ServiceFactory;
+
+/**
+ * A Factory responsible for creating the ExecManager service.
+ *
+ * @author <a href="mailto:peter@apache.org">Peter Donald</a>
+ * @version $Revision$ $Date$
+ */
+public class ExecManagerFactory
+    implements ServiceFactory
+{
+    private static final Resources REZ =
+        ResourceManager.getPackageResources( ExecManagerFactory.class );
+
+    /**
+     * Create the ExecManager Service.
+     */
+    public Object createService()
+        throws ServiceException
+    {
+        final File home = getHomeDirectory();
+        try
+        {
+            return new DefaultExecManager( home );
+        }
+        catch( final ExecException ee )
+        {
+            throw new ServiceException( ee.getMessage(), ee );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Utility method to retrieve home directory.
+     */
+    private static File getHomeDirectory()
+        throws ServiceException
+    {
+        final String home = System.getProperty( "myrmidon.home" );
+        if( null == home )
+        {
+            final String message = REZ.getString( "missing-home-dir.error" );
+            throw new ServiceException( message );
+        }
+
+        return new File( home );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/factorys/Resources.properties b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/factorys/Resources.properties
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..275097c8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/framework/factorys/Resources.properties
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+missing-home-dir.error=Cannot locate antRun scripts: Property 'myrmidon.home' not specified
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/services/ServiceException.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/services/ServiceException.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..11c6e0364
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/services/ServiceException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) The Apache Software Foundation. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This software is published under the terms of the Apache Software License
+ * version 1.1, a copy of which has been included with this distribution in
+ * the LICENSE.txt file.
+ */
+package org.apache.myrmidon.services;
+
+import org.apache.avalon.framework.CascadingException;
+
+/**
+ * ServiceException thrown when a service can not be created for
+ * some reason.
+ *
+ * @author <a href="mailto:peter@apache.org">Peter Donald</a>
+ */
+public class ServiceException
+    extends CascadingException
+{
+    /**
+     * Basic constructor for exception that does not specify a message
+     */
+    public ServiceException()
+    {
+        this( "", null );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Basic constructor with a message
+     *
+     * @param message the message
+     */
+    public ServiceException( final String message )
+    {
+        this( message, null );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor that builds cascade so that other exception information can be retained.
+     *
+     * @param message the message
+     * @param throwable the throwable
+     */
+    public ServiceException( final String message, final Throwable throwable )
+    {
+        super( message, throwable );
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/services/ServiceFactory.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/services/ServiceFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8fd15ac44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/myrmidon/services/ServiceFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) The Apache Software Foundation. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This software is published under the terms of the Apache Software License
+ * version 1.1, a copy of which has been included  with this distribution in
+ * the LICENSE.txt file.
+ */
+package org.apache.myrmidon.services;
+
+/**
+ * A ServiceFactory is used to create a service for use in the
+ * Myrmidon runtime. The factory is responsible for creating and
+ * preparing the service for use.
+ *
+ * @author <a href="mailto:peter@apache.org">Peter Donald</a>
+ * @version $Revision$ $Date$
+ */
+public interface ServiceFactory
+{
+    /**
+     * Create a service that coresponds to this factory.
+     * This method is usually called after the factory has been
+     * prepared and configured as appropriate.
+     */
+    Object createService()
+        throws ServiceException;
+}
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/manifest/core-services.xml b/proposal/myrmidon/src/manifest/core-services.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9cc54aefd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/manifest/core-services.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+<services>
+  <service role="org.apache.aut.nativelib.ExecManager"
+           factory="org.apache.myrmidon.framework.factorys.ExecManagerFactory"/>
+</services>
\ No newline at end of file