County Owned Nature Education Center in Bristol Woods Park

Kenosha County, Wisconsin is issuing Request for Proposal #2603 to procure operational and management services for a nature education center located within Bristol Woods Park, a 197-acre county-owned facility featuring upland forest, oak savanna, restored prairie habitat, wetland areas, and over four miles of trails. The selected 501(c)(3) non-profit organization will provide comprehensive environmental learning and nature-based programming for school groups, youth organizations, families, and adults, while managing front desk operations and serving as the on-site point of contact for facility inquiries. Key deliverables and objectives include developing and implementing educational programming such as school field trip curricula, youth organization programs, citizen science initiatives, habitat stewardship education, special events, and volunteer opportunities. Required qualifications include a full-time Executive Director or Center Manager, part-time or volunteer environmental educators and naturalists, an active Board of Directors, and a reliable volunteer base, with the facility staffed Tuesday through Saturday by trained educators and Sunday by volunteers. Evaluation criteria are weighted across five categories: cost proposal (20 points), organizational and administrative/staffing qualifications (20 points), programming and educational expertise (20 points), financial literacy, fundraising, budgeting and sustainability (15 points), community engagement and partnerships (15 points), and completeness and quality of proposal (10 points), for a total of 100 points. A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for March 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the Pringle Nature Center, with sealed proposals due no later than 1:00 PM on March 25, 2026, submitted as one original master copy, three identical photocopies, and one USB storage device. Contract award is estimated for June 15, 2026, with work commencing July 1, 2026, and a ten-year contract term extending through June 30, 2036.

This procurement is restricted to qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, with no identified set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses specified in the available documentation. The County will provide the nature center facility, major repairs and extraordinary maintenance, trail and park maintenance, routine interior and exterior maintenance including weekly custodial care of restrooms, garbage pickup and disposal, and reasonable amounts of water, sewer, electricity, and gas for ordinary use, representing the existing infrastructure available to the selected operator. The operator is responsible for recruiting and training staff and volunteers, coordinating with schools and community groups, conducting marketing and outreach, maintaining building interiors, managing program fees and donations, and ensuring compliance with County policies and applicable laws, while maintaining required insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 general aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), Excess/Umbrella Liability ($1,000,000), and Workers Compensation at statutory limits. All operational funding is expected to come from program fees, individual donations, community organization contributions, and grants and philanthropic support, with no specific award value or budget range disclosed in the procurement documents. Proposers must submit detailed cost proposals identifying anticipated revenue sources and anticipated annual expenses for payroll, supplies, professional development, and maintenance.