Doing Business With The Park

Authorized Service Provider Bathhouse
The dunes and bath house at West Beach.

NPS Photo Collection

Commercial Use Authorizations

A Commerical Use Authorization (CUA) is a business permit with the National Park Service (NPS) that authorizes an individual, group, company, or other for-profit entity to conduct commercial activities within the national park. These activities provide specific visitor services within a national park area and must:

  • Be an appropriate use of Indiana Dunes National Park;

  • Have minimal impact on the park’s resources and values; and

  • Are consistent with the park’s purpose, management plans, policies, and regulations.

A CUA is required if you, as an individual, organization, or company, provide any goods, activities, services, agreements, or other functions for members, clients, or the public that:

  • Take place at least in part in Indiana Dunes National Park,
  • Use park resources, and
  • Result in compensation, monetary gain, benefit, or profit.
For more information about the CUA program, including applications, follow this link.
 

Other Business Opportunities at Indiana Dunes National Park

With roughly 5 million visitors in 2021 alone, the opportunities to provide appropriate business services for visitors within the Indiana Dunes National Park has grown exponentially. From outdoor photography workshops, which help visitors learn how to take amazing scenic photographs to yoga sessions on the beach, calming and relaxing park goers to the sounds of waves lapping the shores. From guided hikes which connect visitors to the story of the park to overnight camping trips beneath the stars. To food trucks, vending machines, and concession stands which provide tasty treats and retail sales to park visitors. The Indiana Dunes National Park is open for businesses.

The National Park Service (NPS) provides for leasing of historic as well as non-historic properties in park areas. A lease authorizes activity not permitted by a concessions contract or commercial use authorization. All leases must provide for fair market value rent as determined by an appraisal. Leasing revenue can be used to fund: historic preservation projectscapital improvements of the historic propertiespark infrastructure; and maintenance backlog.

Leasing/concession management/CUA management are part of the NPS Commercial Services Program.

 

Construction: Road work (milling, paving), small building construction (computer cabling), alarm installation, fire suppression, site remediation, asbestos removal, and underground tank removals.

Services: Surveying, custodial service, sanitary and solid waste disposal, copier maintenance, alarm maintenance, radio system repair and maintenance, computer repair, demolition, and tree trimming and removal.

Supplies & Materials: Computers, paper products, office supplies, office furniture, office equipment

Government Property Regulations require that equipment, vehicles, and miscellaneous property no longer required by a federal operation be made available to:

  • Other National Park Service and/or Department of the Interior (DOI) areas;
  • Other federal agencies for their use in lieu of new procurements;
  • State and local public agencies and other eligible non-federal public entities; or
  • The public by competitive offerings such as sealed bid sales, spot bid sales or auctions.

If the property has no commercial value, or the estimated cost of its continued care and handling would exceed the estimated proceeds from its sale, it may be disposed of by abandonment, destruction, or donated to public bodies.

In accordance with Executive Order 12999, federal agencies will give special consideration for computer donations to schools and educational nonprofit organizations in federal empowerment zones and enterprise communities. For schools and educational nonprofits, the Computers for Learning website at computersforlearning.gov will provide one universal form to easily register to request excess and surplus federal computer equipment.

The national park routinely has the following type of items available at no cost to state and local units of government and non-profit and not-for-profit organizations: furniture, computers, monitors, and chairs. For further information e-mail the park.

Vehicles (cars, pick-ups, panel vans, suburban, etc) and motorized equipment (tractors, road graders, riding mowers, etc.) are available through the General Services Administration (GSA) auction program. Additional information is available at the GSA website, www.GSAauctions.gov

 

Latest Business News at Indiana Dunes National Park

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    Last updated: December 20, 2023

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    Contact Info

    Mailing Address:

    1100 North Mineral Springs Road
    Porter, IN 46304

    Phone:

    219 395-1882
    Indiana Dunes Visitor Center phone number.

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