Annual Contract to Provide the Operation of Water Recreation Services for Various Chatham County Locations

Chatham County, Georgia is seeking qualified vendors to provide comprehensive water recreation services across seven county locations through an annual contract. The Request for Proposals (RFP) aims to maximize public use and enjoyment of recreational areas while encouraging tourism by offering water-based activities including equipment rentals (paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddle boards, sailboats) and services such as lessons, instruction, guided trips, and tours. Target locations include Lake Mayer, Rodney J. Hall Boat Ramp, Tom Triplett Park, Frank O. Williamson Lake, Turner's Creek, L. Scott Stell Park, and Kings Ferry. The proposal evaluation will be based on multiple criteria: experience and qualifications (25 points), proposed equipment and services (30 points), local minority/women business enterprise participation (15 points), financial proposal (20 points), and references (10 points), with potential interviews worth an additional 30 points. A pre-proposal virtual conference is scheduled for January 21, 2026, at 10:00 A.M., with proposal submissions due by 5:00 P.M. on February 10, 2026, through the County's online procurement portal.

The contract opportunity emphasizes minority and women-owned business enterprise (M/WBE) participation, with specific guidelines and tracking requirements outlined in the solicitation documents. Vendors must obtain current Chatham County or Georgia business licenses and maintain insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 in commercial general liability and $500,000 in workers' compensation. The selected vendor will be required to submit a monthly fixed fee payment schedule, with all revenue payments due by the 10th of each month to the Parks and Recreation Department, and late payments beyond two instances will incur a 10 percent penalty. The contract term is one year with potential renewal options for four additional one-year terms. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, vendors must provide detailed pricing for customer charges at each location and complete a financial proposal form outlining monthly fee amounts. The County reserves the right to award the contract in whole or in part, selecting the proposal deemed most advantageous based on both price and qualitative factors.