Horseback Riding Concession for Carter Caves SRP

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Parks, on behalf of Carter Caves State Resort Park in Olive Hill, Kentucky (Calloway County), is soliciting bids for a horseback riding concession to operate guided trail rides during the 2025 summer season from May 1 through October 31. The concessionaire will provide approximately 45-50 minute guided horseback trail rides with an estimated 2,000-3,000 rides annually, generating approximately $57,000 to $90,000 in annual revenues. Deliverables include provision of a minimum of twelve horses, all necessary equipment including Western saddles and USPC/AHSA-compliant safety helmets, veterinary and farrier services, feed and bedding, daily maintenance, and adequate personnel maintaining a minimum ratio of one staff member per eight riders. The concessionaire must operate a minimum of five days per week from Memorial Day through Labor Day, submit daily and monthly reports, and maintain detailed records subject to inspection. Riders will pay a fixed rate of $25.00 per ride, with the concessionaire compensating the Department through a percentage of gross receipts (excluding Kentucky sales tax and federal excise taxes) determined through competitive bidding. Evaluation will prioritize the bidder offering the highest commission percentage, with experience serving as a pass/fail criterion requiring a minimum of five years providing similar horseback riding services. Written questions are due by March 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET, with bid closing on March 13, 2025, at 1:30 PM ET, and a bid reading available via conference line at 3:30 PM ET on the closing date. The initial contract period is one year beginning May 17, 2025, with four optional one-year renewal periods contingent upon written approval by all parties.

The solicitation does not specify set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises; however, bidders may qualify for resident bidder status under KRS 45A.494(2) or qualified bidder status as nonprofit corporations or qualified nonprofit agencies employing seventy-five percent individuals with severe disabilities under 200 KAR 5:410(3), each of which requires specific documentation and attestation. All bidders must complete mandatory affidavits confirming compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws, authorization to conduct business in Kentucky, and applicable tax and insurance obligations. The concessionaire must obtain Commercial General Liability Insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate and maintain a non-competition radius of twenty miles from the park. No incumbent vendors or existing concessionaire are referenced in the solicitation documents. The contract award value is not explicitly stated but will be determined by the percentage commission structure negotiated through competitive bidding; however, based on estimated annual revenues of $57,000 to $90,000, the Department's annual compensation will correlate directly to the percentage rate offered by the selected bidder.