R -- INDEFINITE DELIVERY/INDEFINITE QUANTITY CONTRACT FOR FINANCIAL ADVISORY AND OPERATIONAL ANALYSES OF CONCESSIONS OPERATIONS CONTRACTS

Notice Date

June 25, 2001

Contracting Office

National Park Service, Denver Service Center, 12795 West Alameda Parkway, P.O. Box 25287, DSC-CS, Denver, CO 80225

ZIP Code

80225

Solicitation Number

1443N2000011300

Point of Contact

Marlene Haussler, 303 969-2159

Description

<DESC>The National Park Service (NPS), Denver Service Center, 12795 W. Alameda Parkway, Denver, Colorado, through the Concessions Program Center (CPC), is seeking one or more organizations to provide various financial advisory and operational analysis services preparatory/following the issuance of prospectuses for concession contracts within various areas of the National Park Service which include hospitality and recreational services. Additional services may also be provided to the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) for the services specified above. This will be accomplished under an Intra-Agency Agreement between the NPS and BOR signed June 27, 1995. The Government may elect to award a single task order contract or to award multiple task order contracts to one or more sources under this solicitation. The Government reserves the right to award contracts, based on the selection board's final selection list, in order of preference, to the firms considered most highly qualified to perform the work. Each awardee shall be provided a fair opportunity to be considered for task orders to be issued. The Government will use such factors as experience, past performance, quality of deliverables, timeliness, or other factors that the Contracting Officer, in the exercise of sound business judgement, believes are relevant to the placement of orders. National Park Service concession contracts are authorized under Public Law 105-391 (National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998). Concession operations throughout the national park system are subject to the provisions of the above legislation. These contracts result from a park planning process which identifies the scope of necessary and appropriate concession operations, and are further subject to NPS regulations governing concession contracts and permits (36 CFR 51) and the NPS "Concessions Management Guideline". In accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's approved Work Plan for the Concessions Management Program, the following services are sought to assist the agency in the development and analysis of concession contract prospectuses and offers. The Bureau of Reclamation's policy and regulations for concessions management differs from that of the NPS and will be presented to the contractor when the contract is awarded. The NPS has approximately 350 concession contracts that are due for renewal through 2006, which approximates the maximum number of contracts for which NPS will seek consultant assistance, depending on the availability of funds and the complexity of each contract proposal. NPS may conduct its own feasibility studies and prepare draft prospectuses for these renewals which could be reviewed by the consultant for completeness and accuracy. The function of the consultant will be to: 1) review NPS staff work on the proposed contract, along with concession planning documents, and 2) make recommendations, within the parameters listed below, which will improve the terms of the contract to the government while providing a reasonable opportunity for profit to the concessioner, and/or improve service to the visitor. The consultant will make an independent analysis of the NPS developed prospectus against the information provided by NPS and his/her own on-site observations (travel to the park will be required in some cases), and make recommendations, if any, for improvement in the proposed prospectus. The consultant will be requested to participate in planning meetings to become familiar with projects as necessary. Each concession operation must operate within certain parameters, which vary from contract to contract, and which may limit the number of options which can be considered for a new contracted operation. These parameters include planning and design restrictions, planning restrictions on additional services, length of season requirements, franchise and other fees paid by the concessioner, possessory interest held by the concessioner, government approved rates charged for visitor services and facilities, development requirements, return to the government targets versus the opportunity for profit, etc. Recommendations by the consultant must be within those parameters, although the consultant may include in its report recommendations for change in parameters which are found to limit the opportunity to develop better contract terms. Minimum services for economic feasibility studies and/or franchise fee determinations will include in every case: A. Based on prospectus requirements, determine if the proposed operation is economically feasible, and/or provide financial requirements of alternative development and operational proposals where appropriate. Provide financial conclusions and recommendations on the following:  Means for increasing the return to the government;  Opportunity for profit afforded the concessioner;  Changes in service delivery, within specified parameters, which could increase return to both the government and the concessioner;  Suitability of the length of contract;  Acceleration/Deceleration of the phasing of the development program;  Other specific contract conditions which may be required for a contract which are financial related. B. Estimate the contract's total benefit package to the government. (The definition of "total benefit package" will be provided to the consultant). C. Participate as a non-voting advisor and subject matter expert during the evaluation of offers:  Assess financial information statements submitted by prospective concessionaires;  Provide advice concerning financial and operational strengths and weaknesses of the offeror. In addition, the National Park Service may require, on a case by case basis, one or more of the following:  On-site visit to the park for general observations of the operation;  On-site visit for full review of service delivery and operational or managerial issues which can improve visitor service, enhance revenue to the concessioner and/or the government;  Conduct an economic feasibility study and market study were applicable;  Assistance in evaluating sale documents of existing concessioners;  Assistance in preparation of the prospectus;  Advice or assistance in negotiations subsequent to the receipts of offers;  In-depth examination of the qualifications of offerors, to include site visits to their operations; and  May sometimes be called upon as an expert witness in arbitrations and court proceedings. All work will be performed through an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Contract. The total of all task orders per year will not exceed $1,000,000.00 per contract awarded and each task order will not exceed $500,000.00. The selected firm(s) is guaranteed a minimum amount of $50,000.00 during the life of the contract. The term of the contract shall be one year with possibly four additional one-year options. The policies and directives of the agency for which the work will be performed will guide the work. The following criteria shall be used in the evaluation of the prospective firms and are in descending order of importance: 1. Knowledge and experience in financial and operational analysis in the hospitality and recreation industry. 2. Professional experience of principals(s) and other subordinate contributors. 3. Knowledge and understanding of NPS concession operations and procedures. SUBCONTRACTING PLAN REQUIREMENT- In accordance with Public Law 97-507, the successful contractor will be required to provide the maximum practicable opportunities for small, small disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses. The selected firm, if large business, must comply with FAR 52.219-9 regarding the requirement for a subcontracting plan on that part of the work it intends to subcontract. The subcontracting goals for this requirement are that a minimum of 15% of the contractor's intended subcontract amount be placed with small business (SB), 5% shall be placed with women-owned businesses, and 5% be placed with Small Disadvantaged Businesses. Note, this is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) . A formal RFP will be issued approximately 15 days from the publication of this solicitation notice. Firms that meet the requirements described in this announcement are invited to request the RFP by writing to the National Park Service, Denver Service Center, 12795 W. Alameda Parkway, Denver, Colorado 80225. Written requests may be faxed to 303 969-2040. </PRESOL>

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010627/RSOL003.HTM (W-176 SN50P9C9)