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Contact: John Kelly, 207-288-8703 Acadia National Park will issue a Request for Proposals on December 14, 2015, to host ranger-narrated activities for the public in and around the park during the 2016 summer season. Acadia is soliciting proposals to provide safe, high-quality interpretive experiences for visitors that are consistent and compatible with the park's interpretative services. Any person or organization meeting the requirements specified in the Request for Proposals may participate in the competitive process. "Adding park rangers to narrate private outdoor adventures in and around Acadia, such as boat trips, bike rides, bus tours, and hikes, provides a service to visitors and helps attract visitors to these businesses," said Deputy Superintendent Mike Madell. "To provide this service annually, we must competitively announce this opportunity to local businesses in a Request for Proposals. We must also assure that businesses fully cover the costs associated with providing NPS staffing for these services." The Request for Proposals will be available on our Do Business with Us page starting December 14, 2015. The deadline for submissions is February 1, 2016, at 4:30 pm EST. For more information, please contact Christie Anastasia, Deputy Chief of Interpretation, during regular business hours at 207-288-8806 or christie_anastasia@nps.gov. "We are hoping that area boat operators, kayak companies, bike shops, youth camps, bus tours, and other businesses that serve visitors to Acadia National Park will apply for ranger-led services," said Acadia Chief of Interpretation, Lynne Dominy. "We already offer four ranger-led boat tours with local companies so we are expanding the opportunities to all of the businesses that we think might benefit from these services." All proposals that are consistent and compatible with the purpose and function of interpretation at Acadia National Park are welcome. Any person or organization meeting the specific requirements may participate in this competitive process. All proposals received within the stated time period will be evaluated by the National Park Service. Proposals will be evaluated by a National Park Service panel to ensure that prospective businesses have the experience, equipment, business infrastructure, and demonstrated intent to provide the proposed services. Evaluation criteria are set forth in the Request for Proposals, along with historical, interpretive, and logistical data on the tours, and proposal submission requirements. The proposals considered to best meet the criteria will be selected and a final memorandum of agreement establishing the program logistics and costs will be developed. |
Last updated: December 10, 2015