National Park Service
What Laws Govern CUAs?
Congress enacted the 1998 Concessions Management Improvement Act (Public Law 105-391) to improve commercial services in the NPS. The law outlines the requirement for CUAs and provides the framework for the NPS CUA program.
What Policies Govern CUAs?
In order to implement the requirements of the law, the NPS has a specific set of Management Policies that guide agency operations. These policies are an indispensable tool to help NPS employees manage parks responsibly and make rational, well-informed decisions. Chapter 10 of NPS Management Policies provides management guidance specific to commercial visitor services, including CUAs.
On December 13, 2021, NPS issued updated CUA guidance to assist superintendents in understanding how to implement the NPS Management Policies and guide them in managing CUAs. That updated guidance, included in the NPS Commercial Service Guide (Chapter 11 - CUAs), consolidates and supercedes all previously previously issued CUA guidance.
Last updated: April 8, 2025