6909 Z1 Attachment 2 - Reservation Business Rules 07032024.pdf

Request for Proposal 6909 Z1

Attachment 2

RESERVATION BUSINESS RULES

These are examples of current business rules. Note: Dates are approximate.

1. Reservation Window

Nebraska parks are in both Central and Mountain Time Zones. Reservations are accepted one

(1) year in advance of arrival for lodging and cabins, one hundred eighty (180) days in advance for camping, and thirty (30) days in advance for beach camping at Lake McConaughy SRA. For some special events the agency reserves the right to reserve two (2) years in advance of arrival at the park level by administrative approval. Reservations become available each day at 9 a.m.

CT (8 a.m. MT).

a. Camping

Reservations are accepted one hundred eighty (180) days to three (3) days in advance of arrival. At Lake McConaughy SRA reservations are accepted for beach camping thirty (30) days in advance. At Lake McConaughy reservations for camping and beach camping are accepted until 6 p.m. CT (5 p.m. MT).

b. Cabins, Lodge Rooms, Meeting Rooms, Picnic Shelters, Group Day Use Lodge, Horse Stalls Reservations are accepted one (1) year to three (3) days in advance of arrival. Cut-off is 8 p.m. CT (7 p.m. MT) the day before the intended arrival.

2. Reservation Hours

Reservations begin at 9:00 a.m. CT (8 a.m. MT), by phone, in person, and Internet. Once the reservation period commences, the opportunity to reserve remains available 24/7 over the Internet and can be made at the Park Field Office and the Call Center during regular operating hours.

3. Cut Off Day

a. Camping and Horse Stalls Three (3) days prior to the intended arrival date is the latest a reservation will be accepted for camping and horse stalls. For example, Tuesday at midnight would be the cut off time for making a reservation for the following Friday. After the cutoff date, reserved units are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

b. Cabins, Lodge Rooms, Meeting Rooms, Day Use Group Lodges, and Picnic

Shelters Reservations are accepted up to 8 p.m. CT (7 p.m. MT) prior to the day of arrival for these units. After 8 p.m. CT (7 p.m. MT), all units are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

December 1 through April 9 Niobrara State Park has three (3) days in advance of arrival cut-off date for cabins. November 1 through April 1 Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area has three (3) days in advance of arrival cut-off for cabins.

4. Minimum/Maximum Stay Policy

a. Camping

i. A minimum stay of two (2) nights on weekends (Friday and Saturday night) is generally required. The exception is at Fort Robinson and Chadron State Parks, where the minimum is one (1) night.

ii. A minimum stay of three (3) nights is required for Holiday weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights) at most parks. Exceptions: at Niobrara a two (2)-night stay is required, and at Fort Robinson and Chadron State Parks, a one (1)-night stay is required.

a) Holiday weekends include: Memorial Day, 4th of July (if the 4th falls on a weekend), and Labor Day.

iii. Campers cannot reserve a campsite for more than fourteen consecutive days within a thirty day period.

b. Cabins

i. During the peak season: A two (2) night minimum stay is required, unless there is a one (1) night stay positioned between two (2) prior reservations or a walk-in registration for that day's business.

ii. During the non-peak season: One (1) night stays are allowed on weekdays (Sunday

– Thursday nights). During the holiday period (defined each year), peak season rules apply.

5. Payment Policy

Payment is required, in full, at the time the reservation is made by MasterCard, Visa, Discover, check, cash, or money order except as described below.

a. Credit card payment is required if the intended reservation arrival date is within 30 days of the reservation date and the System should provide an alert message. However, System must allow users to override this policy for extenuating circumstances for reservations made, by phone or walk-in, at a staffed park facility.

b. Several units may be reserved during a single transaction, and payment of all fees for all reserved units is required at the time the reservation is made, except as described in 5.c.

c. By phone or at the counter - If the guest is making their reservation in advance the requirements in 5.a. apply. However, for those guests who do not have a MasterCard, Visa, or Discover NGPC allows the guest the option to pay by check, cash, or money order. If paying by check, cash, or money order, the guest will have ten (10) days to forward payment in full to the park which holds the reservation.

d. Via the Internet - If the guest is making an online Internet reservation, the guest will be required to make payment in full with a MasterCard, Visa, or Discover at the time the reservation is made.

6. Reservation Fee

The reservation fee applies to each unit reserved, whether for one (1) day or any number of days and is non-refundable.

7. Change Fee Changes are not currently permitted on the Internet.

If there is a change fee, the following will apply: All changes/transfers requested by the guest at the Call Center or park locations involve changing dates, units, or shortening the stay might be assessed a fee for this service. If the guest only wants to add days on to an existing reservation by calling the Call Center or at the Park Field Office, there will be no change fee assessed. If the change/transfer is required by NGPC, no fee will be charged.

8. Cancellation and Refund Guidelines

If a guest makes a reservation and wants to cancel, a refund is given less the reservation fee, cancellation fee, and the first night’s unit charge if the cancellation is within thirty (30) days of the arrival date.

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to the park where the reservation is held, the call center, or guests may process their cancellation via the internet.

a. Cabins/Lodge Rooms

i. The per-unit reservation fee is not refundable.

a) 0-30 days prior to reserved arrival date: the guest will lose the first night’s rental charge.

b. Meeting Rooms/Group Day Use Lodge Rooms

a) At the discretion of the Park Superintendent or NGPC Administration, additional cancellation fees may be imposed on a case-by-case basis.

b) At Fort Robinson State Park; 0-7 days prior to reserved arrival date: the guest will lose the first night’s rental charge.

c. Camping Sites

a) 0-7 days prior to reserved arrival date: the guest will lose the first night’s rental charge.

d. Boat Slips/Picnic Shelters/Horse Stalls

i. The per-site reservation fee is not refundable.

a) 0-7 days prior to reserved arrival date: the guest will lose the first day/night’s rental charge.

e. Mare Barn Campgrounds and Mare Barn Horse Stalls at Fort Robinson State Park

a) 0-7 days prior to reserved arrival date: the guest will lose the first night’s rental charge.

f. Check-In and Check-Out Schedule

If the guest checks out early, the unused portion of the guest’s payment will be forfeited.

i. Cabin/Lodge Rooms: Checkout time is 11 a.m.

Exception: Fort Robinson State Park checkout time is 10 a.m.

ii. Camping -Checkout time is 2 p.m.

9. Reservation Season

a. Cabin/Lodging Seasons

i. Year Round

a) Eugene T. Mahoney State Park

b) Platte River State Park

c) Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area (5 units are available November 1 through April 1)

d) Niobrara State Park (5 units are available December 1 through April 9)

e) Ponca State Park

ii. Approximately Mid-April through Mid-November

a) Chadron State Park

b) Fort Robinson State Park

iii. Approximately Mid-May through Mid-November

a) Victoria Springs State Recreation Area

iv. Approximately Mid-April through September 30

a) Two Rivers State Recreation Area

v. Approximately April 1 through December 31

a) Medicine Creek SRA

vi. Approximately Mid-October through Mid-April, outside the reservation season;

shower facilities and dump stations are closed. At some areas, the park field staff will close the campsites due to inclement weather.

10. Peak and Non-Peak Schedule

i. Non-Peak – Approximately Mid-October through Mid-April

a) Camping fee is at a reduced winter rate.

b) Branched Oak State Recreation Area, Indian Cave and Ponca State Parks begin non-peak rates in November.

ii. Peak Season – Approximately Mid-April through Mid-October

a) Camping fee is at full rate with a two (2) night minimum weekend requirement (Friday and Saturday), except for Fort Robinson and Chadron, where there is a one

(1) night minimum weekend requirement year-round.

Branched Oak State Recreation Area, Indian Cave, Niobrara, Fort Robinson, and Ponca State Parks have an extended season until October 31 due to fall colors and activities.

b. Lodging

i. Peak Season

a) Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area, Eugene T. Mahoney, Platte River, and Ponca State Parks: May 1 through September 30 and every Friday and Saturday year-round. A two (2) night minimum stay is required for all dates reserved within lodging peak season dates.

b) Chadron, Niobrara, and Fort Robinson State Parks: Mid-April through Mid- November (coinciding with spring and fall hunting seasons). A two (2) night minimum stay is required for all dates reserved within lodging peak season dates.

c) Victoria Springs State Recreation Area: Mid-May through Mid-November. A two (2) night minimum stay is required for all dates reserved within lodging peak season dates.

d) Two Rivers State Recreation Area: Mid-April through September 30. A two

(2) night minimum stay is required for all dates reserved within lodging peak season dates.

e) Medicine Creek State Recreation Area: April 1 through December 31. A two

(2) night minimum stay is required for all dates reserved within lodging peak season dates.

ii. Non-Peak Season

a) Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area, Eugene T. Mahoney, Platte River, Niobrara, and Ponca State Parks: October 1 through April 30 (Sunday through Thursday). A one (1) night minimum stay is required for all dates reserved within lodging non-peak season dates.

b) Chadron and Fort Robinson State Parks: Lodging Closed – Mid-November through Mid-April.

c) Victoria Springs State Recreation Area: Lodging Closed – Mid-November through Mid-May.

d) Two Rivers State Recreation Area: Lodging Closed – October 1 through Mid- April.

11. Holidays

i. A three (3) night minimum stay is required for all outlined holidays in the System except for Fort Robinson and Chadron State Parks where there is a one (1) night minimum requirement and two (2) nights at Niobrara State Park.

ii. Camping holidays include:

a) Memorial Day weekend

b) Labor Day weekend

c) Fourth of July weekend (if the fourth falls during the weekend)

b. Lodging

i. A two (2) night minimum stay is required for lodging during holiday periods. If a holiday period falls during a non-peak range of season dates, it then becomes a peak period. The following are holiday periods for cabins:

a) Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day weekends,

b) Thanksgiving week; beginning on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving.

c) Christmas break: usually begins December 21 through January 3rd.

12. Facilities reservable through the Individual Parks only

a. The Riverview Lodge and picnic pavilion at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park

b. The day use lodge, picnic pavilion, and suites in Comanche Hall at Fort Robinson State

Park

c. Lodges, amphitheater, and picnic shelters at Platte River State Park

d. Meeting Rooms

13. Facilities reservable through the Internet

a. Campsites

b. Cabins

c. Lodge Rooms

d. Horse Stalls

e. Boat Slips

14. Facilities reservable through the Call Center and Individual Parks

a. Campsites

b. Cabins

c. Lodge Rooms

d. Picnic Shelters

e. Group Lodge

f. Mare Barn Horse Stalls at Fort Robinson State Park

g. Boat Slips

h. Ranch House at Niobrara State Park

i. Day use lodge at Fremont State Recreation Area

15. Collection of Rate Increases

a. Normally, all fee increases approved by NGPC Board of Commissioners each October go into effect on January 1st. Fee increases are collected as follows:

i. All reservations made prior to January 1st are honored at the old rate at check-in.

ii. All changes to an existing reservation’s arrival date will be charged the difference of the rate increase. NGPC will collect the rate increase for each night the unit is reserved.

Example: If a guest wants to change their existing arrival date to a new arrival date, the System should alert the guest or staff there has been a rate increase and the guest will be charged for the difference if the guest makes the transfer, requiring verification the guest understands there will be an additional charge before making the change. The System must add the fee increase to this reservation and request payment for the additional fee per night. If a guest made a reservation in November, 2023, for a June 1, 2024, arrival and now wants to change the arrival date to August 1, 2024, the System must request collection of the price increase.

iii. Guests who wish to add nights to their stay (in the new rate period but reserved and paid for at the old rate) are not charged the rate difference for nights reserved prior to the rate increase; however, they will be charged the new rate for any new additional night(s).

16. Optional Discounts

a. At the discretion of the Parks Division Administrator, a discount may be permitted for a specified period for a given park and for specified unit types.