About this file

This document is a Business Opportunity Prospectus for a 10-year National Park Service concession contract at Blue Ridge Parkway's Julian Price Memorial Park. The contract requires the concessioner to provide non-motorized boat rentals, food and beverage services, and firewood sales from Memorial Day through October each year. The projected 2026 gross receipts range from $160,000 to $180,000, with an estimated initial investment of $82,000, and a minimum franchise fee of 5.0% of gross receipts.

Key operational details include mandatory rental of canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards with life vests, limited food and beverage offerings of prepackaged items, and firewood sales for the adjacent campground. The concession facilities are located at Price Lake, approximately 4 miles from Blowing Rock and 10 miles from Boone, North Carolina. The contract's effective date is January 1, 2026, with a site visit for potential bidders required, and a notification of intent to propose due by July 23, 2025. The existing concessioner, Price Lake Boat Rentals, Inc., has been identified as a preferred offeror for this contract opportunity.

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Other files

File Type Posted
BLRI010-26 AMENDMENT 1 20250902.pdf PDF
16 BLRI010-26 EXHIBIT I INSURANCE-amend.pdf PDF
20 BLRI010-26 Proposal Package.docx DOCX document
14 BLRI010-26 Exhibit G Concessioner LSI Template v4.2018A.pdf PDF
12 BLRI010-26 Exhibit F1 New Construction and Major Rehabilitation.pdf PDF
07 BLRI010-26 Exhibit A LSI Template v01.29.2024A.pdf PDF
23 BLRI010-26 Appendix D Most Recent Approved Concession Rates 9-18-24.pdf PDF
05 BLRI010-26 Proposal Package 20250604.pdf PDF
09 BLRI010-26 Exhibit C Nondiscrimination-CAT_I-Template v04.01.2025 (1).pdf PDF
13 BLRI010-26 Exhibit F2 Component Renewal Reserve.pdf PDF
10 BLRI010-26 Exhibit D Assigned Land and Real Property Improvements.pdf PDF
16 BLRI010-26 EXHIBIT I INSURANCE.pdf PDF
20 BLRI010-26 Proposal Package 05082025.docx DOCX document
06 BLRI010-26 Draft Cat I Contract OPEN (2).pdf PDF
04 BLRI010-26 Proposal Instructions 20250604.pdf PDF
11 BLRI010-26 Exhibit E Assigned Government PP.pdf PDF
01 BLRI010-26 Back and Front Cover.pdf PDF
02 BLRI010-26 Inside Cover v3.pdf PDF
18 BLRI010-26 EXHIBIT K IP Licensed Marks.pdf PDF
22 BLRI010-26 Appendix C Existing Concessioner Personal Property 9-18-24.pdf PDF
17 BLRI010-26 EXHIBIT J Transition Template v8.2013A.pdf PDF
21 BLRI010-26 PSF4 Forms 9-18-24.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet
08 BLRI010-26 Exhibit B Operating Plan 9-18-24_EER.pdf PDF
19 BLRI010-26 Appendices Table of Contents 9-18-24.pdf PDF
15 BLRI010-26 Exhibit H Maintenance Plan CRR.pdf PDF
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Blue Ridge Parkway

Part I

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Non-Motorized Boat Rentals, Food and Beverage, and Firewood Sales at Julian Price Memorial Park within

Department of the Interior

Concession Contract No. CC-BLRI010-26

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Table of Contents

Blue Ridge Parkway

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

SITE VISIT

NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO PROPOSE

INFORMATION REGARDING THIS SOLICITATION

PROPOSAL OVERVIEW

DOING BUSINESS WITH THE SERVICE

THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND ITS MISSION

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

CONCESSION OPPORTUNITY

DRAFT CONTRACT TERM AND EFFECTIVE DATE

REQUIRED AND AUTHORIZED SERVICES

OVERVIEW OF REQUIRED SERVICES

NON-MOTORIZED BOAT RENTALS

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

FIREWOOD SALES

REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS

EXPENSE ASSUMPTIONS

UTILITIES EXPENSES

POTENTIAL IMPACT ISSUES

INVESTMENT ANALYSIS

MAINTENANCE

MINIMUM FRANCHISE FEE

LEASEHOLD SURRENDER INTEREST

PREFERRED OFFEROR

HISTORICAL CONCESSION DATA

HISTORICAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

MARKET AREA OVERVIEW

LOCAL COMPETITIVE MARKET

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY VISITATION

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 1

U.S. Department of the Interior

Blue Ridge Parkway

INTRODUCTION

Site Visit

The National Park Service (“Service”) will host a site visit for organizations interested in bidding on this opportunity on the date listed on the inside front cover of this Prospectus. The site visit provides interested organizations an overview of the concession operation along with a tour of some of the facilities assigned to the Concessioner under the Draft Contract. Each interested Offeror is limited to five persons attending the site visit, and all attendees must be over the age of eighteen.

To attend the site visit, registration is required no later than one week in advance of the scheduled date. To register, please contact the Blue Ridge Parkway Concessions program, at blri_concessions@nps.gov, with the name of the organization you represent, the primary contact for the organization, including contact phone number, mailing address and email address, and the number of people in your party. All parties attending the site visit must disclose to the Service the names of the interested organizations engaging their services. The Service will provide further information and additional directions by return email message to the primary contact.

Site visit participants are responsible for obtaining their own lodging, meals, and transportation. Participants are encouraged to obtain lodging as soon as possible, as lodging in the area is limited. Attendance at the site visit is not required in order to submit a proposal for the Prospectus; however, attendance is encouraged.

Notification of Intent to Propose

If you plan to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation, you must notify William Gordon, Commercial Services Management Specialist, NPS Regional Office Serving Interior Region 2, via email at william_gordon@nps.gov no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern time on July 23, 2025. The Service will not accept proposals from entities that do not provide notice on or before this deadline.

Summary of Term and Conditions of the CC-BLRI010-26 Opportunity

Location

Blue Ridge Parkway

Draft Contract Term 10 Years

Projected Effective Date January 1, 2026

Required Services Boat Rentals, Food and Beverage, Firewood Sales

2026 Projected Gross Receipts $160,000 to $180,000

Estimated Initial Investment $82,000

Minimum Franchise Fee 5.0% of gross receipts

Component Renewal Reserve 1.0% of gross receipts

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 2

Blue Ridge Parkway

Information Regarding This Solicitation

The Prospectus describes in general terms the existing business operation and the business opportunity for services allowed pursuant to Concession Contract No. CC-BLRI010-26 (“Draft Contract”). It is comprised of five parts:

I. Business Opportunity (this document) II. Proposal Instructions III. Proposal Package IV. Draft Concession Contract Including Contract Exhibits V. Appendices Table of Contents

This Prospectus includes Service estimates of revenue and expenses to assist Offerors in developing financial projections. These estimates reflect Service assumptions based on planning decisions, historical concession operating data, industry standards, economic conditions, and comparable and competitive operations. The Service does not guarantee these projections will materialize and assumes no liability for their accuracy.

Offerors must compile and present their own financial projections based on independent assumptions, due diligence, and industry knowledge.

Offerors must review all sections of this Prospectus, especially the terms and conditions of the Draft Contract, including its exhibits (Part IV), to determine the full scope of a future concessioner’s responsibilities. In the event of any inconsistency between the description of the terms contained in this Prospectus and the Draft Contract, the Draft Contract will control.

Certain federal laws apply to this solicitation including the National Park Service Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998 (Title IV, Public Law 105-391, and hereafter referred to as “the 1998 Act”), as amended, and its implementing regulations at 36 C.F.R. Part 51. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Prospectus and 36 C.F.R. Part 51, 36 C.F.R. Part 51 will control. 36 C.F.R. Part 51 is available at the Government Printing Office’s Electronic Code of Federal Regulations website1.

Parts I, II, and III refer to Blue Ridge Parkway as “the Park” or “the Parkway”.

“Concessioner” refers to the entity that will be the concessioner under the Draft Contract.

“Existing Concessioner” refers to Price Lake Boat Rentals, Inc., the concessioner under Concession Contract CC-BLRI010-13 (“Existing Contract”). The term of the Existing Contract is from April 1, 2013, to December 31, 2025.

The Service intends to award the Draft Contract around November 1, 2025, or around two months prior to the anticipated effective date of January 1, 2026. Visitor services are open from Memorial Day weekend through October. The Service intends to announce the selected Offeror around September 1, 2025, or around two months prior to award. Award of a concession contract does not occur until the competitive process has been completed and both the selected Offeror and the Service have signed the concession contract. While the Service will make every effort to meet this schedule, it is subject to change.

1https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-I/part-51 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=d03628d94ca3851e02f00f86e5142962&mc=true&node=pt36.1.51&rgn=div5

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 3

Blue Ridge Parkway

Proposal Overview

Part II of this Prospectus contains the instructions for submitting proposals. Offerors must carefully read and comply with those instructions.

Part III of this Prospectus contains the proposal package Offerors must complete in its entirety. The proposal package contains a required transmittal letter, five principal selection factors, and two secondary selection factors. Each selection factor identifies the minimum and maximum points the Service may award depending on the quality of the response. The following paraphrases the information sought under each selection factor. The wording of the actual selection factors controls.

Principal Selection Factor 1 requires Offerors to describe how they will protect, conserve, and preserve the resources of the Park. Offerors must describe their maintenance program and procedures.

Principal Selection Factor 2 requires Offerors to describe how they would improve the visitor experience through their concepts for high quality non-motorized boat rental services.

In Principal Selection Factor 3, Offerors must describe their organizational structure and provide documentation to help the Service understand the Offeror and its relationship to other entities. The Service does not score the first portion of Selection Factor 3 but may use it to understand responses elsewhere in a proposal. Incomplete submissions may lead to a lower score elsewhere if the information submitted does not support claims made in response to specific subfactors in this and other selection factors. The Service provides forms Offerors must complete depending on their organizational structure. The rest of this principal selection factor, which is scored, requires Offerors to describe their experience providing similar services, strategies for employee recruitment and retention, and history of violations or infractions and overall strategy to minimize and resolve them.

In Principal Selection Factor 4, Offerors must provide documentation demonstrating that they have the financial resources to commence and carry-on operations under the Draft Contract, including a business history form. Offerors also must complete the provided Excel workbook and provide other information to demonstrate an understanding of the operations under the Draft Contract.

In Principal Selection Factor 5, Offerors provide the franchise fee they will pay on gross receipts generated under the Draft Contract. Failure to agree to pay at least the minimum franchise fee set out in this selection factor will result in the Service finding the proposal non-responsive and ineligible for award of the Draft Contract.

Secondary Selection Factor 1 requires Offerors to describe how they would implement environmentally friendly business practices.

Secondary Selection Factor 2 requires Offerors to describe their marketing plan.

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 4

Blue Ridge Parkway

Doing Business with the Service

The Service has worked with private parties to provide services to visitors dating back to the earliest times of national parks. Many of the iconic lodges and other structures found in America’s national parks were constructed and operated by private parties, and that relationship continues today.

We use the term “commercial visitor services” when generally describing services, benefits, and goods provided to visitors within an area of the National Park System by a third party for a fee. Simply put, the term “commercial visitor services” includes lodging, food and beverage, retail, marina operations, guided recreation, rental of equipment, experiential transportation, and similar services the National Park Service itself does not provide. Congress has passed several laws guiding the Service in contracting with third parties to provide these services, including the 1998 Act. The Service implemented regulations for many aspects of the law, primarily to set out the process for soliciting bids for new contracts and managing concessioners’ investment in structures owned by the United States.

Working with the Service in providing commercial visitor services differs from operating outside a park in several respects. By law, we approve rates to ensure park visitors do not pay higher fees for goods and services merely because such transaction occurs within a park. Section 4(B) of the Operating Plan (Exhibit B to the Draft Contract) lists the rate methods for all visitor services. As with the private sector, concessioners must develop and follow environmental management programs, risk management programs, and similar programs to ensure operations comply with applicable laws. Service employees review the quality of concession operations and compliance with contract requirements including the maintenance of facilities.

Even with those regulatory actions, concessioners in national parks enjoy significant benefits. Many parks function as unique visitor destinations. Concessioners frequently operate with few, if any, in-park competitors, even though we do not grant exclusive rights to provide any visitor services. Although we approve rates, our processes ensure the rates are competitive with similar services near the operating locations. Our contract oversight reflects the best management practices of the private sector industries. We developed operating standards based on similar ones in the private sector to reflect best industry practices for the services provided under the concession contracts.

The National Park Service and its Mission

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved legislation creating the National Park Service within the Department of the Interior. That legislation stated that Congress created America’s National Park Service to:

…conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. Pub. L. No. 64-235, § 1 (codified at 54 U.S.C. § 100101(a)).

Additionally, Congress has declared that the National Park System should be:

…preserved and managed for the benefit and inspiration of all the people of the United States. Pub.

L. No. 91-383, § 1 (codified at 54 U.S.C. § 100101(b)).

The Service has as its overall mission the preservation and public enjoyment of significant aspects of the nation’s natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about the Service, visit www.nps.gov. The website includes information about the Service’s mission, policies, and information on individual park units.

http://www.nps.gov/

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 5

Blue Ridge Parkway

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

In 1936, Congress formally authorized the construction of Blue Ridge Parkway, a designated National Scenic Byway and All-American Road intended to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Parkway, which was built over a period of 52 years, is almost 500 miles long and crosses through the states of North Carolina (NC) and Virginia (VA) along the Blue Ridge mountain range. Land alongside the Parkway is maintained by the Service and, in many places, borders land protected by the United States Forest Service.

The maximum speed limit never surpasses 45 miles per hour with no direct interchanges with interstate highways, making it possible for visitors passing through to leisurely and safely enjoy the passing scenery. The Parkway’s varied and scenic environment is designed to showcase the natural beauty and culture of the surrounding area.

From Milepost 0 at Rockfish Gap, VA to Milepost 355 near Mount Mitchell State Park, NC, the Parkway lives up to its name by following the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, averaging about 3,000 feet in elevation, and occasionally dipping down into the coves and hollows or crossing low-elevation water gaps. At Mount Mitchell, the Parkway veers westward through the Black Mountains, then into the Craggy Mountains before descending toward Asheville, NC. From there, the road climbs to elevations over 6,000 feet in the Balsam Mountains before entering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, NC.

Along this route an unsurpassed diversity of climate zones, vegetation zones, physiographic zones, and geological features are traversed. The more than 81,000 acres of Parkway lands pass through a highland area of five degrees longitude and approximately 3 degrees latitude, making it the third largest unit of the National Park Service in terms of area covered. Park resources include 600 streams (150 headwaters), 47 Natural Heritage Areas (areas set aside as national, regional or state examples of exemplary natural communities), a variety of slopes and exposures, and possibly 100 different soil types. The Parkway provides a home for both southern species at the lower elevations and northern species on the mountaintops.

Due to the varied topography, weather conditions can vary dramatically. The highest point on the Parkway (Richland Balsam Mountain at Milepost 431) is often closed from November to April due to inclement weather such as snow, fog, and even freezing fog from low clouds. A few facilities located on the Parkway are open year-round, although a large majority (such as visitor centers, campgrounds and picnic areas) begin opening on a staggered schedule in late April and stay open through the fall leaf color.

Exhibit 1 on the following page presents a map of the Parkway. Additional information about the Park can be found at www.nps.gov/blri.

http://www.nps.gov/blri

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 6

Exhibit 1. Map of Blue Ridge Parkway

Source: National Park Service

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 7

Blue Ridge Parkway

CONCESSION OPPORTUNITY

The Draft Contract requires the Concessioner to provide non-motorized boat rentals, food and beverage, and firewood sales at Price Lake during the operating season from Memorial Day weekend through October each year. Minimum operating hours are:

Exhibit 2. Minimum Operating Hours

Open Memorial Day Weekend through October 31*

Minimum Operating Hours

Weekdays Memorial Day through Labor Day 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (weather dependent)

Weekends in May, September, and October 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (weather dependent)

Weekends in June, July, and August 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (weather dependent)

*Concession operations are dependent on weather, lake water levels, and Parkway access being open.

Located at Milepost 297 approximately 4 miles from Blowing Rock and 10 miles from Boone, North Carolina, 47-acre Price Lake is located within Julian Price Memorial Park. The park is named after its former owner, insurance giant Julian Price. Price bought the 4,200 acres as a recreational retreat for his employees; after his death in 1946, his heirs donated the land to the Parkway as a memorial. Now Price Park is a popular Parkway destination, with opportunities to hike, fish, camp, and picnic. Concession facilities include a rental building, a firewood storage shelter, and a dock.

Draft Contract Term and Effective Date

The Draft Contract has a term of ten (10) years with an effective date of January 1, 2026. The effective date of the Draft Contract may change prior to award if necessary; however, in such event, the Service will change the expiration date of the Draft Contract, if necessary, to provide ten operating seasons.

Required and Authorized Services

The Draft Contract includes the following required and authorized services.

Exhibit 3. Required Services of the Draft Contract

Service Location

Non-Motorized Boat Rentals Julian Price Memorial Park

Food and Beverage Julian Price Memorial Park

Firewood Sales Julian Price Memorial Park

Exhibit 4. Authorized Services of the Draft Contract

Service Location

Retail: Merchandise related to camping, fishing, and boating Julian Price Memorial Park

Overview of Required Services

A summary of required services is provided below. Offerors should reference the Draft Contract and its exhibits for additional information. Minimum operating hours are specified in the Draft Contract Exhibit B Operating Plan. Rate methods are specified in the Draft Contract Exhibit B Operating Plan Section 4(B) Rate Determination and Approval Process.

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 8

Blue Ridge Parkway

Non-Motorized Boat Rentals

The Concessioner must provide non-motorized watercraft rentals including canoes, single and tandem kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards. The Concessioner must include personal flotation devices (life vests) with rentals.

Under the Draft Contract, non-motorized boat rental prices will be regulated under Competitive Market Declaration.

Food and Beverage

The Concessioner must provide limited food and beverage service including prepackaged drinks and snacks.

Under the Draft Contract, food and beverage prices will be determined using manufacturer’s suggested retail price (“MSRP”) where applicable. When not applicable, rates will be based on Competitive Market Declaration.

Firewood Sales

The Concessioner must provide firewood for sale for visitors to the adjacent campground. The Existing Concessioner offers firewood on an honor code system, allowing campers to purchase it 24 hours per day.

Firewood must be heat treated to fight invasive pests that kill native trees.

Under the Draft Contract, firewood prices will be under Competitive Market Declaration.

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 9

Blue Ridge Parkway

Revenue Assumptions

In developing prospective revenue estimates, the Service assumed changes from historical revenue in part, but not limited to, the following:

• An increase in approved non-motorized boat rental rates in 2024

• Use of the honor code system for firewood sales

Estimated Projections by Department

The following exhibit provides a summary of projected departmental revenues for the first operating season under the Draft Contract (2026).

Exhibit 5. Summary of Projected Departmental Revenues

Department 2026 Non-Motorized Boat Rentals $135,000 - $150,000 Limited Food and Beverage $5,000 - $7,000 Firewood Sales $20,000 - $23,000

TOTAL REVENUES $160,000 - $180,000

Less: Deductions* $0

GROSS RECEIPTS $160,000 - $180,000

* Authorized deductions (exclusions) are listed in the definition of “gross receipts” in Sec. 2 of the Draft Contract.

The following exhibit provides a projection of the number of boat rentals and average revenue per rental in the first year of the Draft Contract term.

Exhibit 6. Projected Non-motorized Boat Rental Operating Statistics

Number of Non-Motorized Boat Rentals 5,000 - 5,200 Average Revenue per Rental $27.00 - $29.00

Expense Assumptions

In developing projected expense estimates, the Service assumed adjustments of certain direct, indirect and fixed expenses to reflect costs associated with the changes in operations. The Service projects that most expenses will be within industry average ranges.

Utilities Expenses

The Concessioner must obtain all utilities (electricity, solid waste, telephone, internet, etc.) from out-of-park suppliers. The facility does not have water connections or plumbing.

Potential Impact Issues

The Concession operation could be adversely impacted by fluctuations in lake levels, nearby road construction projects, and campground maintenance activities that would reduce the number of campers.

Road construction projects to the north of Blowing Rock, between NC-16 and Deep Gap, as well as the replacement of the Laurel Fork Bridge to the north, are expected to be completed by mid-2025 (prior to the Draft Contract term).

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 10

Blue Ridge Parkway

INVESTMENT ANALYSIS

As shown in the following exhibit, the Concessioner’s total estimated required initial investment as projected by the Service is $82,000 in 2026 dollars. This includes personal property, inventory, supplies, start-up costs (staff hiring, training, etc.), and working capital (investment needed to cover expenses incurred in advance of offsetting revenues).

The Concessioner will incur start-up costs prior to commencing operations under the Draft Contract. Start-up costs include staff hiring, training that may involve compensation in addition to normal wages, systems implementation, legal support services, and marketing and advertising beyond normal annual expenditures.

A list of the Existing Concessioner’s personal property as of 2023 is provided as Appendix C to the Prospectus.

Exhibit 7. Estimated Initial Investment

Item Estimated Amount (2026 Dollars)

Initial Personal Property Investment $61,000

Inventory Investment $1,000

Start-up Costs $10,000

Working Capital $10,000

Total Initial Investment $82,000

In addition to the initial investment, the concessioner must cure Deferred Maintenance over the first two years of the Draft Contract term.

Deferred Maintenance

The Concessioner must cure, within the first two years of the Draft Contract’s term, all deferred maintenance ("DM") for all real property assets assigned under the Draft Contract. The Draft Contract requires the Concessioner to maintain buildings according to the Maintenance Plan (Exhibit H to the Draft Contract), which means DM will not accumulate. The Draft Contract lists DM projects in an attachment to the Maintenance Plan.

The following exhibit presents estimated DM costs. The Service has estimated these costs for illustrative purposes only; Offerors must develop their own estimates. In addition, the Concessioner must cure the DM to the satisfaction of the Service even if the actual cost total exceeds the estimates provided in this Prospectus.

Exhibit 8. Estimated Deferred Maintenance

Year Amount

2026 $7,000

2027 $7,000

Total $14,000

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 11

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Additionally, the Draft Contract has other financial requirements that are ongoing through the term of the contract, including the following. Your responses in the proposal package should address these items.

Maintenance

Assigned Facilities

The Draft Contract, Exhibit D, Assigned Land and Real Property Improvements (Concession Facilities), contains a complete list and maps of assigned land and real property improvements.

Component Renewal Reserve

The Draft Contract requires the Concessioner to establish a Component Renewal Reserve to ensure funds are available to accomplish certain component renewal and replacement activities. Please see Section 10(c) of the Draft Contract for guidance on the terms and conditions of the Component Renewal Reserve. The Service will require the Concessioner to fund the Component Renewal Reserve for the Draft Contract with one percent (1.0%) of gross receipts as defined in Section 2 of the Draft Contract. As further explained in the Draft Contract, the Concessioner must expend sufficient additional monies to maintain the Concession Facilities to the satisfaction of the Director, which may require the Concessioner to expend more than the amount that it pays into the Component Renewal Reserve.

Minimum Franchise Fee

Offerors must agree to pay the minimum franchise fee, as set out in Principal Selection Factor 5 of the Proposal Package (Part III of this Prospectus), although Offerors may propose higher franchise fees in accordance with terms of the Prospectus.

The following describes the minimum franchise fee acceptable to the Service for each year of the contract term:

5.0% of gross receipts

Leasehold Surrender Interest

The Concessioner will be eligible to obtain LSI as outlined in the Draft Contract and Exhibits A (“Leasehold Surrender Interest”) and F1 (“Concessioner New Construction and Major Rehabilitation Project Procedures”) to the Draft Contract, subject to all requirements set forth therein.

Preferred Offeror

The Director of the Service has determined that the Existing Concessioner is a preferred offeror for this Draft Contract pursuant to the terms of 36 C.F.R. Part 51, Subpart E.

A right of preference is the right of a preferred offeror, if it submits a responsive proposal for a qualified concession contract, to match in accordance with the requirements of this part the terms and conditions of a competing proposal that the Director has determined to be the best responsive proposal.

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 12

HISTORICAL CONCESSION DATA

This section presents information regarding historical revenue and operating data to assist Offerors in developing projections for future operations associated with the Draft Contract.

Historical Financial Information

The following exhibit presents gross revenues by department from 2021 to 2023 for the Existing Contract.

Exhibit 9. Existing Contract BLRI010 – Historical Gross Revenues by Department

2021 2022 2023

Non-Motorized Boat Rentals $99,681 $99,267 $96,616 Limited Food and Beverage $5,020 $5,884 $5,341 Firewood Sales $10,791 $15,929 $24,848 Total $115,492 $121,080 $126,805

The following exhibit presents franchise fees paid from 2021 to 2023 for the Existing Contract.

Exhibit 10. Existing Contract BLRI010 – Historical Franchise Fees Paid

2021 2022 2023 Franchise Fees Paid $3,443 $3,751 $3,804

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 13

Blue Ridge Parkway

MARKET AREA OVERVIEW

Price Lake is located near Blowing Rock, NC, in Watauga County. The Concession operation is at Milepost 297 within Julian Price Memorial Park, and near Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.

The Linn Cove Viaduct is located approximately 8 miles to the southwest along the Parkway.

The map below illustrates the location of Julian Price Memorial Park within the surrounding area.

Exhibit 11. Regional Area Map and Location of Concession Facilities

Source: National Park Service

Local Competitive Market

The Price Lake boat rental concession faces no direct competition in the immediate area and is the only concessioner providing boat rental services along the Parkway.

Blowing Rock is a mountain resort town that draws visitors from throughout the state and region. The boat rental concession is included in photos and videos on the main page of the Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority website (blowingrock.com). Boat rental is one of many outdoor activities that visitors to the area may choose to participate in.

The town of Boone, NC, is another destination community with its own tourism agency, the Boone Watauga County Tourism Development Authority. Its website, exploreboone.com, also promotes activities along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Boone is home to Appalachian State University, which enrolls over 18,000 students, another source of demand for concession boat rentals.

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 14

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Blue Ridge Parkway Visitation

Blue Ridge Parkway visitation numbers are among the highest in the National Park system and are based on a variety of counting procedures and formulas, including numerous traffic count locations along the entire Parkway. Between 2013 and 2023, Parkway recreation visitation increased at an average annual rate of 2.6%. Park visitation was only modestly impacted at the strart of the COVID-19 pandemic, with visitation declining by roughly 6% in that year. However, visitation rebounded significantly in 2021 to 15.9 million visitors, an increase of 13.1% over 2020 visitation. Vistation set a new record in 2023 at approximately 16.7 million visitors, 6.1% higher than in 2022.

Exhibit 12. Blue Ridge Parkway Recreation Visitation

Year Recreation Visitors Percentage Change

2013 12,877,368 - 2014 13,941,749 8.3%

2015 15,054,603 8.0%

2016 15,175,578 0.8%

2017 16,093,765 6.1%

2018 14,690,418 -8.7%

2019 14,976,085 1.9%

2020 14,099,485 -5.9%

2021 15,948,148 13.1%

2022 15,711,004 -1.5%

2023 16,667,164 6.1%

CC-BLRI010-26 Business Opportunity Page 15

-- END Part I: Business Opportunity --

INTRODUCTION
Site Visit
Notification of Intent to Propose
Information Regarding This Solicitation
Proposal Overview
Doing Business with the Service
The National Park Service and its Mission
Blue Ridge Parkway
CONCESSION OPPORTUNITY
Draft Contract Term and Effective Date
Required and Authorized Services
Overview of Required Services
Non-Motorized Boat Rentals
Food and Beverage
Firewood Sales
Revenue Assumptions
Estimated Projections by Department
Expense Assumptions
Utilities Expenses
Potential Impact Issues
Investment Analysis
Deferred Maintenance
Maintenance
Assigned Facilities
Component Renewal Reserve
Minimum Franchise Fee
Leasehold Surrender Interest
Preferred Offeror
HISTORICAL CONCESSION DATA
Historical Financial Information
MARKET AREA OVERVIEW
Local Competitive Market
Blue Ridge Parkway Visitation

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .