DPR_RFI_Pahaska Concession 2025_FINAL.pdf

RFI 2025: Pahaska Concession Services

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Pahaska Concession Services

Department of Parks and Recreation

May 12, 2025 Contents

1. Introduction

2. Designated Contact

3. Informational Meeting and Site Tour

4. Key Dates

5. Concession Overview

6. RFI Response Requirements

5. Questions & Answers

6. Site Maps and Pictures

1. Introduction The City and County of Denver (“City”) and the Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”) desire to solicit responses from companies with the interest, capability, and financial backing to operate indigenous-focused food and beverage, retail marketplace, and cultural programming concession services at Denver Mountain Parks’ historic Pahaska facility located at Lookout Mountain Park, 987 Lookout Mountain Road, Golden, CO 80401 (“Concession Site”). This opportunity seeks Statements of Interest from vendors focused on providing a food and retail experience that honors and celebrates contemporary indigenous culture in keeping with the historical theme of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West traveling show.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. The City will use responses to this RFI to inform next steps for an anticipated formal Request for Proposal (RFP) that will be issued in 2025 prior to awarding a contract with an anticipated term of three to five (3-5) years to one (1) successful company (“Concessionaire”) later in the year.

Companies who are interested in submitting proposals for the upcoming formal RFP are highly encouraged to respond to this RFI (see below Section 6: RFI Response Requirements for details).

2. Designated Contact Jennifer Simmons, Department of Parks and Recreation Contract Administrator, is the Designated Contact for this Request for Information (RFI). All inquiries and questions regarding the RFI should be submitted in writing to dpr.proposals@denvergov.org.

Respondents that send communications regarding any aspect of the RFI or subsequent process outside of the Designated Contact risk disqualification from the RFI and subsequent RFP or other procurement.

mailto:dpr.proposals@denvergov.org

3. Informational Meeting and Site Tour Interested parties are encouraged to attend the informational meeting and site tour which will take place in-person on Thursday June 5, 2025 at 1:00pm MT at 987 Lookout Mountain Road, Golden, CO 80401.

4. Key Dates

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

RFI Issued & Advertised May 12, 2025

Informational Meeting 1:00 PM MT June 5, 2025

Deadline to Submit Questions 12:00 PM MT June 9, 2025

Questions & Answers Uploaded to BidNet June 12, 2025

RFI Responses Due 12:00 PM MT June 16, 2025

RFP Issuance & Full Proposals Submissions Summer 2025

Contract Execution Fall 2025

5. Concession Overview Background Information For over 100 years, Denver’s Mountain Parks have connected people with some of Colorado’s most scenic landscapes, spanning nearly 15,000 acres across 5 counties. Lookout Mountain Park, home to the popular Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, is located outside of Golden in Jefferson County, Colorado. The park is visited by more than 500,000 people per year and holds historical significance with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes. The Buffalo Bill Museum is open to the public year-round and hosts 80,000 museum guests. The park is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody died in 1917 and was buried in Lookout Mountain Park overlooking Denver. The site soon became overrun with visitors and tourists, and the historic “Pahaska Tepee” building was constructed in 1921 to serve visitors to the site. Now known as just “Pahaska,” the building housed museum exhibits, a restaurant, public bathrooms, and a gift shop until the construction of the current museum in 1977.

Pahaska continued to operate as a restaurant and large gift shop through the end of 2024, generating an average of over $1,500,000.00 in reported annual gross revenues for 2022 through 2024.

Denver Mountain Parks is undertaking a long-range planning effort to reimagine the future of Lookout Mountain Park and to improve the visitor experience. As part of this effort, the City seeks a Concessionaire to operate Pahaska on a more limited scale than in previous years during this interim planning phase.

https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Parks-Recreation/Urban-Parks-Trails/Mountain-Parks/Lookout-Mountain-Park-Pahaska-Tepee https://buffalobill.org/

Concession Services Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show sought to connect people around the world with the culture of the American West, and Denver Mountain Parks seeks to continue this tradition by offering Native American cuisine and an indigenous-focused retail marketplace at Pahaska. The City seeks a Concessionaire with a mission aligned with Denver Mountain Parks’ objectives and a vision for enhancing the visitor experience through sharing contemporary indigenous food and culture in a manner appropriate for the general public.

The City will consider contracting with a single vendor to provide all services or with a primary vendor who has subcontractor partners to fulfill partial services. Proposed organizational structures including any subcontractors will be requested for submissions to the upcoming formal RFP.

• Food and Beverage Services: The Concessionaire will provide food services that showcase Native American cuisine and offer a culinary experience that connects visitors to indigenous culture. Food offerings should reflect traditional and/or contemporary Native American dishes, utilizing purposefully sourced ingredients whenever possible. Approved menus will need to feature Native American cuisine options, but not exclusively.

The Concessionaire may also sell pre-packaged food in the facility’s marketplace.

The Concessionaire may apply for a liquor license through Jefferson County to serve beer and wine.

Proposed menus and pricing will be requested for submissions to the upcoming formal RFP.

• Retail Marketplace: The Concessionaire will operate a retail marketplace that emphasizes indigenous-made products, locally sourced and/or crafted goods, and educational and park-related materials. The retail area will include merchandise such as:

o Native American art, jewelry, and crafts o Books and publications related to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, indigenous history and culture, and Denver Mountain Parks o Apparel and accessories that reflect the themes of the park and indigenous culture o Outdoor gear and park-related souvenirs that enhance the visitor experience, such as reusable water bottles, plush bison, etc.

All retail products sold must align with Denver Mountain Parks' mission of connecting visitors to the natural and cultural heritage of the region and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Merchandise should be visually appealing, mission-oriented, and tied to the themes of conservation, outdoor recreation, western history, and indigenous culture.

Proposed products and pricing will be requested for submissions to the upcoming formal RFP.

• Educational and Cultural Programming: The Concessionaire is encouraged to offer cultural programming that enhances visitor understanding of indigenous foodways and the history and culture of the American West, such as food demonstrations, storytelling, bead craft classes, or other proposed methods. Special events or programs that serve a public benefit may be scheduled outside of regular park hours with prior DPR approval.

Proposed programming will be requested for submissions to the upcoming formal RFP.

Operational Requirements Space available to the Concessionaire will include the kitchen, dining room, public bathrooms, identified storage rooms, and main lobby of the building (approximately 3,278 square feet). The southeast wing will be utilized as shared programmatic space between the Concessionaire, the Buffalo Bill Museum, and Denver Mountain Parks (approximately 1,062 square feet). The lower and upper levels of the facility will not be available. On-site housing for Concession staff will not be available.

The City will place a ranger caretaker within a private apartment on the ground floor. The caretaker will have full access to the building during and outside of business hours.

The City may perform improvements to the facility during the term of the Concession License. The Concessionaire must accommodate building inspections and evaluations on the part of historic preservation specialists, architects, and engineers.

The restaurant and marketplace must operate seven (7) days per week from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. For the remainder of the year, the Concessionaire may set their operating schedule based on volume and demand subject to City approval.

The Concessionaire will be responsible for improvements to the dining and food service area subject to City approval, and will supply, install, and maintain all equipment necessary for concession operations, such as restaurant and kitchen equipment, Point-of-Sale system, telephone system, stove, refrigerator, ice machines, dishwasher, food preparation units, tables and chairs, as well as all minor equipment, small wares, and utensils needed.

The City will provide a stainless steel 3-compartment sink in the kitchen, a hand washing station, and a range hood extinguisher.

The Concessionaire will be responsible for general maintenance and repair services for their assigned areas of the Pahaska building and all public bathrooms, including regular cleaning and stocking of materials, safe storage of supplies, minor repairs under $1,000.00, rodent and pest control, and snow removal for the walkways into the building.

The City will be responsible for all structural maintenance and repairs; fire and safety system monitoring, inspections, maintenance and repairs; and all snow removal for the parking lot, other sidewalks, and grave site path.

Utilities The Concessionaire will be responsible for account maintenance and all costs for phone, internet, and cable services for their assigned areas of the building.

The City will pay the remainder of utility costs for Pahaska and will bill the Concessionaire for reimbursement on a quarterly, biannual, or annual basis depending on the frequency of services. The Concessionaire will be responsible for reimbursing the City for utilities and services as follows:

• 70% of Electric costs

• 70% of Natural Gas costs

• 45% of Water costs Average annual 45% cost for 2022-2024: $12,700.00

• 50% of Septic costs Average annual 50% cost for 2022-2024: $5,000.00

• 100% of Grease Trap costs

• 50% of Trash Removal and Recycling costs

Compensation In consideration for the right to operate the Concession Site, the City will require monetary compensation in the form of a Guaranteed Annual Minimum Payment (GAMP) as well as monthly payments equal to a percentage of gross revenues. Annual CPA audited gross revenues reports and monthly itemized revenues reporting will be required. Proposed GAMP and percent of sales payment amounts will be requested for submissions to the upcoming formal RFP.

Capital Improvements Prospective vendors may also propose additional capital improvement investment and/or performance to be taken into consideration in the subsequent formal RFP proposal evaluation process. The City reserves the exclusive right to approve, reject or modify any such proposed capital improvements. The City shall not be financially responsible for any capital improvement expenses incurred by the Concessionaire unless, and only to the extent, otherwise provided in the Concession License. The length of the contract term may potentially be extended if the Concessionaire commits to capital improvements at the Concession Site.

Bonding Satisfactory performance and/or payment bond(s) or letters of credit to assure performance, contracted maintenance and repair work, and all financial obligations under the Concession License may be required in amounts to be determined based on proposed scope, costs, and staffing for services and improvement projects. The Concession License will not be effective until the required payment and performance guarantees have been provided to the Executive Director of DPR if applicable.

6. RFI Response Requirements RFI Letter of Interest responses must be submitted electronically through BidNet® no later than Monday June 16, 2025 at 12:00pm MT.

Note that additional financial documentation and business plan information will be required for proposal submissions to the upcoming formal RFP. Prior to finalization of RFP award and contracting, the selected Concessionaire will be required to furnish a Certificate of Good Standing from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office as proof that they are properly registered to do business in the State of Colorado.

Letters of Interest should include the following elements:

1. Qualifications & Experience

a. Provide the name and address of your company, the number of years your company has been in operation, and the size of your staff. Provide the name and contact information for the individual authorized to represent your company and execute contracts. Indicate unique features of your company that make you best suited to fulfill the requested services.

b. Describe your qualifications and experience managing food and beverage concession services for the public, including any food service permits held.

c. Describe any relevant experience you have with making capital improvements to restaurant interiors, including any associated bonding requirements.

d. Describe your qualifications and experience with Native American cuisine and merchandising, including purposefully sourced ingredients, indigenous-made products, and locally crafted goods. Describe your qualifications and experience managing cultural programming if applicable.

2. Approach

a. Describe your proposed concession services for the site, including staffing plans, customer service philosophy, marketing strategies, and preliminary site set-up and improvement plans.

b. Describe your approach to retail merchandising, including sourcing and display of local and indigenous products.

c. Describe your approach to cultural programming that enhances visitor understanding of indigenous foodways and the history and culture of the American West.

d. Provide a list of the entity names and contact information for any partnerships and/or subcontractors you may anticipate utilizing to fulfill the concession services.

3. Financial Backing

a. Describe your ability to fund the initial set-up, ongoing management of the Concession Site, and payment of compensation to the City.

b. Describe your ability to meet bonding requirements if applicable.

c. Describe your potential interest in capital improvement investment if applicable.

d. Indicate if your company or any of its partners, owners, or principals have ever filed Chapter

7, 11, and/or 13 in Bankruptcy Court. If so, provide the date, court jurisdiction, amount of liabilities and assets, and current status.

4. Questions

a. Describe the challenges you may anticipate for operating the Concession Site, including questions you may have for the City in anticipation of preparing a formal proposal submission to the upcoming RFP.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN E-PURCHASING (BidNet®):

The City is collaborating with Rocky Mountain E-purchasing System (BidNet®) in the advertisement and facilitation of Requests for Information (RFI), Formal Bids, and Requests for Proposals (RFP) administered by the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

It is a requirement of this RFI that interested parties familiarize themselves and register with BidNet®;

respondents who do not register may be considered non-responsive.

Registration with BidNet® is available at no charge and allows access to view governmental bids posted on BidNet®; they offer additional service options with an associated fee. It is the responsibility of the respondent to evaluate and select the service option of their choice.

The City is not responsible for the actions or lack thereof on the part of the respondent in regards to their interaction with BidNet®, or any other third-party bid notification service in relation to this RFI.

More information is available at: www.rockymountainbidsystem.com or by calling 1-800-835-4603.

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS:

Submission of responses to this RFI may only be done electronically through BidNet®. Responses must be submitted at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com no later than the date and time indicated in the RFI.

Respondents who feel they are unable to prepare and submit an electronic submittal should submit a request in writing to the RFP Designated Contact no later than the informational meeting date and time for permission and instructions for submitting a hardcopy proposal.

Respondents must identify in each portion of their response any information that the respondent deems confidential, or which contains proprietary information, patents, copyrights, or trade secrets. The respondent must provide justification of what information, upon request, should not be disclosed by the City under the Colorado Open Records Act (C.R.S. §§ 24-72-201 through 205) (“CORA”). The City may otherwise use or disclose the information submitted by the respondent for any purpose, unless its use is so identified and restricted by the respondent. The respondent’s opinion of what constitutes confidential information under CORA is not binding upon the City.

5. Questions & Answers All inquiries and questions regarding the RFI should be submitted in writing to dpr.proposals@denvergov.org by Monday June 9, 2025 at 12:00pm MT.

Questions and answers will be published as an addendum to the RFI in BidNet by Thursday June 12, 2025. www.rockymountainbidsystem.com Solicitation #20250512 mailto:dpr.proposals@denvergov.org http://www.rockymountainbidsystem.com/

6. Site Maps and Pictures