National Park Service, AKSO, 2525 Gambell St., Rm 107, Anchorage, AK 99503

M -- OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATE HUNTING GUIDE SERVICE SOL n/a DUE 121897 POC Jay Wells 907/822-7254 Public notice is hereby given that the National Park Service proposes to award 17 concession permits authorizing the operation of sport hunting guide-outfitter services for the public at Wrangell St. Elias National Pareserve, Alaska for a period of five years from January 1, 1998 through December 31, 2002. Currently there are sixteen concessioners providing the services described in the prospectus. One permit is for a hunt area for which there is no current operator. Interested parties should contact the Superintendent, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, P.O. Box 439, Copper Center, Alaska, 99573 or by calling (907)822-5234 for a copy of the prospectus. These poermits have been determined to be categorically excluded for the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act and no environmental document will be prepared. The 16 existing permits which expire by limitation of time on December 31, 1997, and therefore pursuant to the provisions of Section 5 of the Act of October 9, 1965 (16 U.S.C. 20), are entitled to be given preference in the renewal of the permit, providing that the existing concessioners submit a responsive offer (a timely offer which meets the terms and conditions of the Prospectus). This means that the permit will be awarded to the party submitting the best offer, provided that if the best offer was not submitted by an existing concessioner, then the existing concessioner will be afforded the opportunity to match the best offer. If the existing concession agrees to match the best offer, then the permit will be awarded to the preference in renewal shall be considered to have been waived, and the permit will then be awarde to the party that has submitted the best responsive offer. The Secretary will consider and evaluate all offers received as a result of this notice. There is no incumbent concessioner for the 17th permit, and accordingly, no preference will be awarded to an applicant for this guide area. Any offer, including that of the existing concessioner, must be received by not than on or before the sixtieth (60th) day following publication of this notice to be considered and evaluated. Applicaitons are to be mailed to Superintendent, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 439, Copper Center, AK, 99573. Inquiries to this proposed operation may be made to Jay Wells, Chief Ranger. (0289)

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