Carousel Operation and Management

The City of Santa Monica is seeking proposals for the operation and management of the Santa Monica Pier Carousel, a historic 1922 hand-carved Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel located at the pier. This Request for Proposals (RFP) aims to secure a qualified operator for an initial three-year contract, with two optional one-year renewals at the city's discretion. The selected vendor will be responsible for daily management, maintenance, and operation of the carousel, including staffing, ticket sales, and maintaining the facility in a clean and safe condition. Proposers will be evaluated based on customer service, managerial capacity, experience, responsiveness, cost, and references, with a minimum qualifying score of 60 points required. The RFP was released on January 19, 2024, with a deadline for questions on January 25, 2024, and a proposal submission deadline of February 16, 2024, at 5:00 pm. The city will provide reimbursement for minimum operating hours and a reasonable management fee, with the operator expected to collect ride revenues to partially offset operating costs.

The RFP does not specify any specific set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond. The carousel is not only a public attraction but also a venue for private events, film productions, and special occasions, with the city having engaged a separate facility booker for event coordination and a separate concessionaire for the carousel gift shop. Contractors must provide comprehensive insurance coverage, including Commercial General Liability ($3,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 per accident), and Workers' Compensation insurance. The insurance requirements specify that policies must be from insurers authorized to conduct business in California with a current A.M. Best rating. While a specific award value is not explicitly stated, the contract includes provisions for city reimbursement of approved annual operating expenses, with potential adjustments based on living wage ordinances and consumer price index changes. The operator will be required to collect and deposit ride revenues weekly with the City Treasury, with the city establishing the public fee structure.