Solicitation for a Concessions Business Opportunity for Guided Horseback Rides, Wagon and/or Carriage Rides, Vending, Firewood and Ice, Camper Convenience Items, Souvenirs, and Souvenir Photography, Smokemont Riding Stables within Great Smoky Mountains NP

The National Park Service is soliciting proposals for a 10-year concession contract to operate guided horseback rides, wagon and carriage rides, vending, firewood and ice sales, camper convenience items, souvenirs, and souvenir photography at Smokemont Riding Stables within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The contract will run from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2036, with an annual operating season from April 1 to October 31. Proposals must be submitted electronically via Microsoft Teams by August 26, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET, with a signed original transmittal letter mailed to the NPS Concessions Office in Atlanta, Georgia. Questions must be submitted by July 17, 2026, and a Notification of Intent to Propose is required by July 27, 2026, to the designated point of contact. The solicitation number is CC-GRSM007-27, and the NAICS code is 713990. The place of performance is Smokemont Riding Stables near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The procurement will be evaluated using a trade-off process based on five principal selection factors—Resource Protection and Conservation, Visitor Services, Operational Capability and Experience, Compliance and Safety, and Financial Consideration (Franchise Fee)—with a maximum total score of 27 points, and one secondary factor for Additional Public Benefits. Financial return to the government is subordinate to resource protection and visitor service objectives. Firewood must meet strict USDA certification standards, including heat treatment to 60°C for 60 minutes, maximum moisture content limits, and environmentally preferable bundling. All offerors must submit signed certifications attesting to their compliance with federal exclusion, conviction, and tax liability requirements under 2 C.F.R. Parts 180 and 1400, and failure to disclose relevant history may result in disqualification. Insurance, nondiscrimination, emergency response, firearms policies, and environmental compliance are mandated through contractual exhibits. While no specific contract type (e.g., FFP or IDIQ) is stated, the agreement operates under 36 C.F.R. Part 51 and the Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998. The NPS will not accept proposals exceeding page limits, and electronic submissions must be in specified formats including editable Word, Excel,