Lincoln_CG Prospectus Q and A ver 1_508.pdf

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Original Published Date: March 17, 2026

Version: 1 – March 17, 2026

Lincoln National Forest Campground Prospectus

Questions and Answers

1. Can you confirm the complete list of recreation sites included in this prospectus?

Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln National

Forest, I. Business Opportunity, A. Introduction, Table 1. Site List

Apache Campground Campground

Aspen Group Campground Area Group Campground

Black Bear Group Campground Group Campground

Deerhead Campground Campground

James Canyon Campground (optional) Campground

Lower Fir Group Campground Area Group Campground

Pines Campground Campground

Saddle Campground Campground

Silver Campground and Amphitheater Campground and

Amphitheater

Silver Overflow Campground Campground

Sleepy Grass Campground Campground

Sleepy Grass Picnic Area Picnic Area

Slide Group Campground Area Campground

Upper Fir Group Area Group Campground

Upper Karr Canyon Dispersed

Campground (optional)

Campground

Karr Canyon Picnic Area (optional) Picnic Area

Oak Grove Campground Campground

Skyline Campground (optional) Campground

Three Rivers Campground Equestrian Campground

Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area Day Use

2. Are any facilities currently closed or undergoing repair that are expected to reopen during the permit term?

See Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, II. Forest Service Concession Programs and Policies, O. Other

Pertinent Information, Future Additions to Campground Concession Permit

“Oak Grove Campground, on the Smokey Bear Ranger District, sustained excessive fire damage during the 2024 South Fork Fire. The Forest Service will complete repairs and bring the campground up to agency standards before turning the site over to the permit holder. The anticipated completion of repairs is 2028. Upon completion of repairs the campground will be added to the special use permit.”

3. What are the required operating seasons and minimum days/hours of operation for each site?

See Appendix 9: Minimum Content of the Proposed Annual Operating Plan, 1. Annual

Operating Season.

The minimum operating season is May through September, though applicants may propose a longer season. Table 1 in Appendix 9 lists the minimum operating season for each site.

4. Are on-site hosts or full-time staffing required at specific locations?

Please see Appendix 9: Minimum Content of the Proposed Annual Operating Plan, 2.

Staffing.

Applicants must provide for sufficient staffing to meet the requirements for operating and maintain the concession opportunity as described in the campground concession prospects and provided for in the campground concession permit. The proposed annual operating plan should provide for site managers “hosts” to be located at the sites listed in

Table 2: Recommended Number of Hosts by Location. A history of operations experience that having personnel at the listed sites is useful given the complexity of operations at the sites.

5. What utilities are currently active at each site (water systems, electrical, dump stations)?

Please see Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, I. Business Opportunity, F. Utilities and Waste Management, Table 3 –

5.

A list of utilities for each district is provided in the prospectus document. See Appendix

3: Inventory of Government-Furnished Property for specific government owned improvements for each site.

6. Are there known infrastructure deficiencies or deferred maintenance items?

Please see Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, II. Forest Service Concession Programs and Policies, O. Other

Pertinent Information, Future Additions to Campground Concession Permit

“Oak Grove Campground, on the Smokey Bear Ranger District, sustained excessive fire damage during the 2024 South Fork Fire. The Forest Service will complete repairs and bring the campground up to agency standards before turning the site over to the permit holder. The anticipated completion of repairs is 2028. Upon completion of repairs the campground will be added to the special use permit.”

All sites have routine deferred maintenance needs; however, such maintenance needs are common and reflect the normal course of facility use and aging. The Forest and the holder will work together to address these issues through the permit terms. Annually the

Forest Service and the holder will enter into a written Granger-Thye fee offset agreement that specifies the Government maintenance, reconditioning, renovation and improvements (MRRI) to be used to offset the land use fee.

7. Can historical gross revenue figures (3-5 years) be provided for each site?

Site Name & Site Type 2025 2024 2023

Sitting Bull Falls Recreation

Area $48,515.00 $37,451.40 $44,555.00

Apache Campground $32,215.53 $21,031.00 $10,601.00

Aspen Group Area $893.76 $8,000.00 $4,094.00

Black Bear Group $4,825.26 $7,621.00 $5,633.00

Deerhead Campground $32,750.26 $24,754.00 $12,660.00

James Canyon (optional) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Lower Fir Group Area $6,966.96 $9,202.00 $8,047.00

Pines Campground $35,811.87 $27,386.00 $9,079.00

Saddle Campground $18,293.37 $15,447.00 $7,164.00

Silver Campground $25,616.76 $35,753.00 $22,671.00

Silver Overflow

Campground $4,426.89 $8,700.00 $4,221.00

Sleepy Grass Campground $25,635.57 $25,319.00 $10,051.00

Sleepy Grass Picnic $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Slide Group Area $6,698.17 $8,544.00 $8,284.00

Upper Fir Group Area $9,410.33 $9,013.00 $8,785.00

Upper Karr Canyon

Campground (optional) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Karr Canyon Picnic Area

(optional) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Oak Grove Campground $0.00 $426.80 $8,447.79

Three Rivers Campground $7,857.88 $5,807.00 $0.00

Skyline Campground

(Optional) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

8. What is the minimum acceptable fee percentage of gross revenue.

The 30-year Treasury bond rate is used as the minimum.

9. Are there required capital investments at start-up?

Please see Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, IV. Application, C. Application Package Requirements, 3. Financial

Resources.

10. How are Recreation.gov transaction fees handled?

Recreation.gov is a separate reservation service and charges a reservation fee to the customer. The reservation fee is in addition to the camping/activity fee the concessionaire charges. Disbursements of camping/activity revenue owed to the concessionaire are made on a biweekly basis. Recreation Use Fee is charged by concessionaire for camping/activity use while Reservation Service Fee is retained by recreation.gov system operator.

11. Are historical occupancy rates by month available?

This documentation is currently not available.

12. Are any fee adjustments anticipated during the permit term.

Please see Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, II. Forest Service Concession Programs and Policies, M. Fees Charge to the Public

Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln National

Forest, IV. Application, C. Application Package Requirements, 4. Fees Charged to the

Public

Applicants must provide a list of all fees they propose to charge to the public for the first three years of operation, including fees for required and optional services. The permit holder may charge the public fees only to the extent that the Forest Service can charge recreation fees under the Recreation Enhancement Act. All recreation fees must be specified per developed recreation site. If a permit holder proposes a price increase, they must provide documentation on comparable marketing pricing as part of the fee request.

The Forest Service will evaluate the proposed price increase based on comparable opportunities.

13. What maintenance or capital improvements are eligible for fee offset?

Please see Appendix 10, Special Use permit for Campground, V. Land Use Fees and Debt

Collection, D. GT Fee Offset and E. Holder-Performed Fee Offset Work.

14. Is there a list of priority projects identified by the Forest?

Please see Appendix 10, Special Use permit for Campground, V. Land Use Fees and Debt

Collection, D. GT Fee Offset, 2. GT Fee Offset Agreement.

Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln National

Forest, III. Special Use Permit, C. Granger-Thye Fee Offset Agreement.

Annually the Forest Service and the holder shall enter into a written GT fee offset agreement that specifies the government maintenance, reconditioning, renovation and improvement to be used to offset the land use fee. Appendix 12: Potential Government

MRRI Projects includes a list of anticipated Government MRRI projects.

15. What is the approval and documentation process for fee offsets?

Please see Appendix 10, Special Use permit for Campground, V. Land Use Fees and Debt

Collection, D. GT Fee Offset, 2. GT Fee Offset Agreement.

Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln National

Forest, III. Special Use Permit, C. Granger-Thye Fee Offset Agreement.

Annually the Forest Service and the holder shall enter into a written GT fee offset agreement that specifies the government maintenance, reconditioning, renovation and improvement to be used to offset the land use fee. An example of the FS-2700-4h, Appendix B, Granger-Thye Fee Offset Agreement is shown as Appendix 11.

16. Is there a cap on annual offset percentages?

Please see Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, IV. Application, C. Application Package Requirements, 5. Fee to the

Government.

Applicants must propose the fee to Government as a percentage of the concession’s adjusted gross revenue. The proposed percentage is the “cap”. The minimum percentage is the 30-year Treasury bond rate.

17. Which sites operate regulated public water systems?

Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area, Apache Campground, Deerhead Campground, Lower

Fir Group Area, Pines Campground, Saddle Campground, Dilver Campground and

Amphitheater, Silver Overflow Campground, Sleepy Grass Campground, Slide Group

Area, Upper Fir Group Area, and Three Rivers Campground

18. Are recent inspection and compliance reports available [Water Systems and Compliance]?

These documents are not currently available. All documentation will be provided to the selected holder to support site operations.

19. Who currently manages testing and reporting [Water Systems and Compliance]?

The current permit holder manages these operations.

20. Are there any known compliance issues or required upgrades [Water Systems and

Compliance]?

There are currently no known compliance issues or required upgrades.

21. Is there an expectation for local office or manager presence?

See Appendix 9: Minimum Content of the Proposed Annual Operating Plan, 2. Staffing.

The applicant must provide sufficient on-site supervisory staff to provide direction and oversight of hosts and other field personnel during the operating season.

22. Are background checks required for employees?

Applicants must comply will all federal, state, and local laws for hiring employees.

23. What reporting schedule is required (monthly, quarterly, annually) [Staffing and Reporting]?

See Appendix 9: Minimum Content of the Proposed Annual Operating Plan, 2. Staffing.

The holder will submit annually an operating plan that addresses staffing.

24. Are ADA upgrades anticipated or required during the permit term?

Any improvements constructed or installed on National Forest System lands must comply with applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

25. What minimum insurance levels are required?

Please see Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, III. Special Use Permit, D. Insurance.

The successful applicant must have liability insurance covering losses associated with the use and occupancy authorized by the permit arising from personal injury or death and third-party property damage in the minimum amount of $100,000 for injury or death to one person per occurrence; $300,000 for injury or death to more than one person per occurrence; and $25,000 for third-party property damage per occurrence, or in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 as a combined single limit per occurrence. Insurance policies must name the USDA Forest Service as an additional insured (see Appendix 10 of the prospectus and FS-2400-4h, clause III.K).

26. How frequently do wildfire closures impact these sites?

Over the past four years, three sites have experienced periods of closure.

27. What are the standard protocols for emergency evacuations?

See Appendix 9: Minimum Content of the Proposed Annual Operating Plan,9. Fire

Prevention and Suppression Plan.

Applicants must include a proposed fire prevention and suppression plan that addresses evacuation plans.

28. Has vandalism been a recurring issue at specific locations?

Vandalism has not been a recurring issue at the developed sites identified in this offering.

29. Will any government-owned equipment transfer with the permit?

No government-owned equipment will transfer with the permit.

30. Are storage facilities or caretaker residences included?

Sleepy Grass Campground includes a storage shed. Caretaker residences are not included.

31. Who is responsible for major structural repairs?

Please see Appendix 10, Special Use permit for Campground, V. Land Use Fees and Debt

Collection, D. GT Fee Offset, 1. Definitions, (d) and (e).

(d) Holder Maintenance, Reconditioning, or Renovation. Maintenance, reconditioning, or renovation (MRR) that neither materially adds to the value of the property nor appreciably prolongs its life and that serves only to keep the facility in an ordinary, efficient operating condition, such as, from an accounting or tax perspective, work that may be expensed, but not capitalized, including but not limited to interior decorating, interior painting, vandalism repair, repair of broken windows, light bulb replacement, cleaning, unplugging drains, drive belt replacement, preventive maintenance, lubrication of motors, greasing, servicing, inspecting, oiling, adjusting, tightening, aligning, watering, weeding, sweeping, waxing, refinishing picnic tables, routine housekeeping, and general snow removal.

(e) Government Maintenance, Reconditioning, Renovation, or Improvement.

Maintenance reconditioning, renovation, or improvement (MRRI) that arrests deterioration, improves and upgrades facilities, and appreciably prolongs the life of the property, including but not limited to installing a new roof, new floor, or new siding;

rebuilding boilers; replacing pipes, pumps, and motors; repairing or maintaining the paths, lands, walks, walls, or landscaping adjacent to other federally owned structures;

replacing vault toilets with flush facilities, paving interior roads, upgrading facilities, and installing utilities; and performing exterior painting and refinishing (other than repair of unsightly visual marks caused by everyday use) and that is performed at the sole discretion of the authorized officer.

32. What are the weighted evaluation criteria?

See Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, IV. Application, D. Evaluation of Applications.

A Forest Service evaluation panel will evaluate applications utilizing the non-fixed weight method.

33. Is prior Forest Service concession experience required or preferred?

See Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, IV. Application, D. Evaluation of Applications.

While not required, applicants must demonstrate in their application that they understand and are capable of meeting the requirements for operating and maintaining the concession opportunity as described in the campground concession prospectus and the concession permit.

34. Is there a site tour planned for prospective applicants?

See Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, IV. Application, A. Instructions for Submitting Applications.

A site tour is not being offered. During the Pre-Solicitation bidders were strongly encouraged to visit facilities during the summer of 2025. That would have allowed interested parties to view the sites during peak-season and ensure that sites were accessible without the risk of snow impact and road closures. Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit the sites at least once before submitting an application.

35. What is the anticipated award timeline?

The current permit for concession expires on December 31, 2026. The Forest anticipates selecting an application and making a decision in the fall of 2026. The selection decision is subject to administrative appeal pursuant to 36 CFR §214, as amended.

36. Are there common proposal deficiencies applicants should avoid?

See Prospectus for Campground and Related Granger-Thye Concessions, Lincoln

National Forest, IV. Application, A. Instructions for Submitting Applications.

Please submit a complete application.

37. Updated prospectus documents.

All updates or errata’s will be posted to the sam.gov advertisement.

(https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/0f76f4a52deb4b6ebdfd157c00a5bfdf/view)

38. Site maps and boundary descriptions.

Please see Appendix 2.

39. Current fee schedules.

Please see Appendix 20, page 22- 25.

https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/0f76f4a52deb4b6ebdfd157c00a5bfdf/view

40. Visitor use statistics.

Forest visitor statistics/demographic data can be found at the National Visitor Use

Monitoring results page (https://apps.fs.usda.gov/nvum/results/) and the Forest Service external NVUM webpage (https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/nvum).

41. Maintenance inspections reports [request to access].

These documents are not currently available. All documentation will be provided to the selected holder to support site operations.

42. Capital improvement plans.

Annually the Forest Service and the holder shall enter into a written GT fee offset agreement that specifies the Government maintenance, reconditioning, renovation and improvement to be used to offset the land use fee. Appendix 12: Potential Government

MRRI Projects includes a list of anticipated Government MRRI projects.

https://apps.fs.usda.gov/nvum/results/ https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/nvum

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