Date: March 13, 2017
Contact: Chris Fryday, (415) 623-2226
Contact: Dave Roemer, (707) 465-7700
The RFEI, which opened March 13, 2017, explains the proposed location, facilities, additional information and submission information requirements for responses. Information regarding the RFEI is available at: https://concessions.nps.gov/news_REDW_RFEI.html.
If interested parties choose to retrieve a copy of the RFEI from the NPS website, and would like to be notified of updates, please notify Chris Fryday, NPS Financial Analyst, at: e-mail us. You will be placed on the mailing list to receive notifications of any future modifications or other correspondence.
The NPS will not host a site visit for this RFEI. Interested parties are encouraged to visit Redwood National and State Parks at their own convenience, and to refer to the attachments to the RFEI for maps, design concepts, and additional information. Questions related to the RFEI should be directed in writing via email to Chris Fryday. All responses must be received by 4:00 p.m. on April 28, 2017.
Located in an area with beautiful views of old-growth redwood forests and coastal mountains, the planned visitor center is also in the heart of one of the largest forest restoration projects in the county. The proposed café will be located in a building directly adjacent to the year-round visitor center and will include both kitchen and dining spaces. The new visitor is estimated to welcome the largest number of visitors to the park annually of all Redwood National and State Parks. In addition to providing orientation information and educational interpretive opportunities to learn about the natural and cultural history of Redwood National and State Parks, the center will also be a hub for recreational opportunities, such as walking and mountain biking, and a social center for attending ranger-led programs, joining volunteer projects and enjoying guest artists and speakers.
According to Deputy Superintendent David Roemer, "The RFEI is an opportunity for area entrepreneurs to tell us what they envision for a cafe at the future visitor center. We're excited at the prospect of being able to provide food and beverage service to visitors as a part of a park experience that begins at the Orick visitor center."
The National Park Service is very open at this stage of planning to creative, innovative proposals and ideas for café service that will be accessible and yet also worthy of a place visited and treasured by people from around the world. While providing tasty refreshments is core, another function of the café will be to help protect endangered wildlife. "One of the important aspects we're seeking in a cafe operation in the park is helping us to model best practices for visitor services in marbled murrelet habitat. The draft designs for the cafe feature a large screened-in dining area so that corvids and other wildlife are not attracted to the area," stated Roemer.
