AS27-122 Willard Bay State Park Concession Operations

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing is soliciting proposals under RFP AS27-122 on behalf of the State of Utah Division of State Parks for a five-year concession at Willard Bay State Park, with a mandatory site visit on November 17, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. and proposals due December 1, 2026. Attendance is required: vendors must be verified on the official state sign-in sheet to be responsive.

The concessionaire must operate a turnkey motorized watercraft rental fleet (personal watercraft and multi-passenger powerboats or pontoons) with an online booking platform, guest check-in staff, and mandatory boater safety orientations. It must also run an inflatable Aqua Park with certified lifeguard supervision and timed-entry sessions, from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends. Non-motorized rentals, retail, slip rentals, public fueling, and vessel storage remain Division-managed. All temporary infrastructure must be mobile with no permanent construction and removed within 30 days of contract conclusion. Vendors must demonstrate the capability to move Aqua Park operations to Willard Peak Pond if reservoir levels decline.

Mandatory qualifications include five years of documented experience operating a high-volume motorized watercraft fleet or equivalent commercial water-based facility, and no contract defaults or terminations for cause within the past ten years. The vendor must provide a $20,000 performance bond or irrevocable letter of credit upon execution, maintained throughout the term. Required coverage includes commercial general liability of $2 million per occurrence and $4 million aggregate, naming the Division and the Bureau of Reclamation as additional insureds. The vendor must also hold a Utah livery permit, equip rentals with U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, and achieve FedRAMP or GovRAMP compliance for any technology that processes state data.

The fee is a percentage of gross receipts with a 13.0% minimum, guaranteed firm for the five-year initial term. Vendors submit fee percentages on Attachment D separately, and including them in the technical proposal results in disqualification. Historical concession revenue ranged from approximately $150,000 in 2021 to $503,378 in 2024, with 2025 and 2026 affected by temporary reservoir drawdowns for federal infrastructure repairs. The park attracts over half a million visitors annually. The term is five years with one five-year renewal, contingent on the Division's master agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. All operations are subordinate to Reclamation purposes and subject to federal closure authority.

Proposals are scored on 1,000 points: 850 technical points across four plan sections, with a 595-point (70%) minimum to qualify, and 150 fee points. The highest responsive fee percentage receives full fee points, and other responsive vendors receive proportional credit. Questions close seven calendar days after the site visit, on November 24, 2026. Annual rate approval is due by March 1 each year.