RFP- State Forest State Park Yurts and Huts

The State of Colorado, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, issued RFP No. PMAA-2018*0019 on behalf of State Forest State Park located in Jackson and Larimer County to solicit competitive proposals for yurt and hut rental concession services. The procurement seeks a concessionaire to operate and manage an existing inventory of five 16-foot yurts, three 20-foot yurts, and two huts across the 71,000-acre park with elevations ranging from 8,500 to 12,500 feet, with mandatory expansion to a minimum of two additional units by 2022. The selected concessionaire must develop a comprehensive business plan detailing yurt expansion timelines, capital improvement programs, marketing strategies, services offered, year-round operational capabilities (unless otherwise authorized), website maintenance with online reservation functionality, road and trail clearance, snow plowing services for patron parking areas, and monthly revenue reporting. Required qualifications include demonstrated prior experience operating similar facilities, financial capability to fund all operational and improvement obligations, maintenance of commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation coverage, and automobile liability insurance. The evaluation committee will assess proposals based on business plan completeness, prior experience, financial capability, and overall best value to the State, with selection anticipated for August 10, 2018, and project commencement on October 1, 2018. The site showing was scheduled for June 26, 2018, with an inquiry deadline of July 2, 2018, and an amended proposal submission deadline of July 30, 2018 at 4:00 PM. Submissions were accepted via hard copy with electronic versions or through the VSS digital system to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Procurement office at 1313 Sherman Street, 6th Floor, Denver, Colorado 80203.

The RFP does not identify specific set-asides or restrictions limiting organizational types from responding to this procurement opportunity. The current concessionaire, Never Summer Nordic, operates the existing facilities and must be compensated $300,000 for the purchase of existing infrastructure, contents, and equipment, which represents the asset base available for acquisition by the successful bidder; this purchase price is payable directly to the incumbent contractor with applicable Colorado sales taxes and becomes property of the new concessionaire upon acquisition. Financial requirements imposed on the selected concessionaire include a minimum bid of seven percent of gross annual revenue, a $1,500 annual operational fee, a $500 one-time administration fee, and a $5,000 performance deposit payable to the State, with the deposit subject to application toward curing any contract defaults and returnable within 60 days of contract expiration without interest. The contract term is structured as a minimum of ten years with an optional five-year extension subject to State Controller approval, after which the concession will return to public competitive bidding. The total financial obligation encompasses the $300,000 infrastructure purchase price plus operational and administrative fees, with the concessionaire bearing responsibility for all capital necessary to fund operational, expansion, and improvement obligations as detailed in the comprehensive maintenance exhibits, including deferred maintenance repairs and a 20-year replacement schedule for yurt skins.