Campground Operator Selected

Date: December 16, 2014
Contact: Patrick Madden, 215-597-6480

National Park Service Selects John Lonergan
as Concessions Operator for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Release Date: December 16, 2014

Contacts:Patrick Madden. Acting Chief Business Services, NPS Northeast Region

Phone: [phone]

PHILADELPHIA- National Park Service (NPS) Northeast Regional Director Michael Caldwell has announced the selection of John Lonergan
to operate the Concession operation at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, including camping, retail, equipment rentals and other services located at Dingman's Campground and the Valley View Group Campground, both located along the Delaware River at the Park.

"This new concession contract will retain the same high standards of service that visitors enjoy now and will improve the environmental sustainability of a very efficient operation" noted Regional Director Caldwell.

Lonergan's Group will provide the exceptional visitor services expected at the Delaware Water Gap, offering expanded camping services for visitors as well as an expanded array of retail camping supplies and equipment, canoe and kayak rentals, firewood and group camping at the Valley View location.

This is a new and expanded concession operation for the park;providing both day visitors and overnight campers with expanded services in the park.It will provide opportunities for visitors to take home a reminder of their Delaware Water Gap experience. Each location will also serve as an information center about the park as a whole, some with interpretive exhibits, brochures and maps.

The new ten-year concession contract is authorized under the National Park Service Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998 which requires a competitive process. The NPS concessions program manages commercial visitor services that are necessary and appropriate for public use and enjoyment at National Park sites.

The NPS solicited offers for this contract through a prospectus which was publicly released in July 2014. A Northeast
Region-led panel of National Park Service subject matter experts reviewed all proposals and, based on the criteria stated in the prospectus, selected John
Lonergan's proposal.The criteria and evaluation method are prescribed in the federal regulations that govern NPS
concessions operations, 36 C.F.R. §51.16(a) and (b). It is expected the new contract will become
effective after January 1, 2015.

More information about visiting Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area can be found at www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit.

To learn more about concessioner operations in the National Park Service visit www.concessions.nps.gov.