Public Pay Telephones

The California Department of Parks and Recreation's Santa Cruz District is soliciting bids for public pay telephone services across eight state parks, including Big Basin Redwoods, Castle Rock, Henry Cowell, Portola, Forest of Nisene Marks, Ano Nuevo, Butano, and Rancho Del Oso. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide, install, and maintain public pay telephone equipment and services, with specific requirements for 10 payphones across these park locations. Key deliverables include installation of payphone hardware, providing 911 access, operator services, and supporting both coin and card payment methods. Bidders must demonstrate capability to provide comprehensive communication infrastructure, including all necessary hardware, software, network, and support services. The bid solicitation requires a 72-hour repair response time and a help desk accessible via an 800-number with a 2-hour call return commitment. Potential bidders were required to submit questions by March 21, 2016, with sealed bids due on March 25, 2016, at 2:00 PM at the Santa Cruz District Office in Felton, California. The contract term is set for May 1, 2016, through April 30, 2019.

The contract includes specific set-aside provisions, mandating 6% Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation and offering a 5% bid preference for certified Small Businesses. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including general liability, motor vehicle liability, and workers' compensation. The financial structure allows the selected contractor to retain all revenues generated from public pay telephone usage, with the State covering costs for new installations, relocations, or de-installations specifically requested by the State. While no incumbent vendor is mentioned, the contractor will be responsible for all aspects of payphone service, including cleaning and maintaining required licenses and permits. Though a specific contract value is not explicitly stated, the three-year contract duration and multi-park scope suggest a potentially significant opportunity for telecommunications service providers specializing in public infrastructure and park communication services. The comprehensive requirements indicate the State seeks a highly qualified vendor capable of delivering reliable, comprehensive public communication services across diverse state park environments.