Aquatic Equipment Rental Contractor

The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation, and Marine is seeking a qualified commercial operator to provide, operate, and maintain a public rental concession for non-motorized boating equipment at aquatic locations in Long Beach, with proposals due August 9, 2022, and an anticipated award in October 2022. The City issued RFP PR-22-084 on June 27, 2022; questions were due July 12, 2022. No pre-proposal meeting was scheduled.

The scope covers rental, operation, and maintenance of kayaks and paddleboards at two existing locations in Alamitos Bay: Bay Shore Walk (Ocean Boulevard at 54th Place) and Marine Park (San Marco Way at Appian Way), with potential expansion to additional waterfront locations. Operating hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. April through September and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. October through March. Safety is the primary performance priority. Contractors must document at least three years of continuous experience in watercraft or aquatic sports equipment rental, maintain U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices, implement a robust training and emergency response program, and achieve zero emergency-response incidents. Monthly gross-receipts statements and annual reports are required.

The initial contract term is five years with options to renew for two additional two-year periods, not to exceed nine years total. The City will award to one private commercial operator for exclusive rental rights, though it reserves the right to award multiple operators for specific locations. Pricing is submitted via Contract Payment Form (Appendix M), specifying an annual minimum payment and a percentage of gross annual receipts. Fee schedules must be submitted with the proposal and annually thereafter for City approval. Contractors bear all operational costs, equipment maintenance, equipment storage, and public space cleanliness.

Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million in general aggregate; workers' compensation coverage as required by California Labor Code with $1 million employer's liability limits per accident; and commercial automobile liability insurance with combined single limits of $500,000 if vehicles are used. The City and its officials must be named as additional insureds. Contractors must satisfy the City's Equal Benefits Ordinance if the contract value exceeds $100,000 or gross annual receipts from City property leasing exceed $350,000. Proposals must remain valid for 90 days from submission. The selection committee evaluated proposals using seven criteria: minimum qualifications, prioritization of safety, reasonableness of cost, organizational capacity and experience, method of approach, evaluation of business plan, and conformance with RFP terms. California Aquatics of Long Beach was selected for award in October 2022.