News Release

Vendor Sought for National Park’s Portage Lakefront & Riverwalk Cafe

Date: October 11, 2019

The National Park Service at Indiana Dunes National Park is seeking one food service vendor to operate the food concession area located at Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Pavilion for 2020. At a minimum, the food service must operate from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There will also be a minimum required operation of Thursday through Sunday during the hours of 10:00 am – 6:00 pm between those dates, but the selected vendor is encouraged to extend their hours and days of operation.
 
Federal regulations require any individuals or groups selling food or other items in a national park to obtain a Commercial Use Authorization permit. This permit will be issued specifically for the Portage Lakefront Pavilion location for the 2020 calendar year. Completed applications for a permit must include payment of $100 to cover the costs of processing the request and a brief business plan that includes a proposed list of menu items with prices. Park staff will select a vendor based on: the applicant’s ability to meet operational requirements, applicant’s business track record, and applicant’s business plan which should include a wide variety of visitor offerings. 
 
An open house is planned for November 1 from 12:00 noon - 3:30 pm for prospective applicants to view the space and ask any questions prior to their application submission. Applications are due no later than 12:00 noon on November 15, 2019, and the park expects to announce a selection no later than November 30. The selected vendor will be required to pay a fee of 3% of their gross receipts minus the $100 application fee at the end of the season.
 
Additionally, vendors selling food must comply with county and Federal health regulations and will have responsibilities in guest-generated garbage cleanup.
 
Please call Amber Siewin at 219-395-1859 or e-mail us to find out more information and to get an application.  
 

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nps.gov/indu

 
Indiana Dunes National Park is one of 419 units of the National Park System ranging from Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty. Located in Northwest Indiana, the park includes 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and 15,000 acres of biodiverse beaches, woods, prairies and marshes. Up to 3 million visitors come to the Indiana Dunes each year.