Notice and Public Comment on Sample Prospectus and Related Guidelines

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Notice and Public Comment on Sample Prospectus and Related

Guidelines

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Chapters 6, 7, 8 and 11 of NPS-48

(``The Concessions Guideline'') have been rescinded effective as of the

date of this publication. In addition, any portions of NPS-48 or other

NPS policies which are inconsistent with recently amended National Park

Service regulations for concession contracting and its new standard

language concession contract are hereby rescinded. Matters previously

addressed by Chapters 6, 7, 8 and 11 of NPS-48 are now addressed to the

extent necessary by a new National Park Service internal staff manual

entitled ``Sample Prospectus and Related Guidelines'' effective as of

the date of this publication. The Sample Prospectus and Related

Guidelines is incorporated by reference in this public notice. The

document includes, among other matters, a sample prospectus for

solicitation of offers for National Park Service concession contracts

and permits, related evaluation guidelines, and application information

and criteria. It is noted, however, that notwithstanding these actions,

any solicitations for concession contracts and permits issued before

the date of this publication will continue to be processed in

accordance with applicable provisions of NPS-48.

As an internal staff manual, notice of the Sample Prospectus and

Related Guidelines is not required to be published in the Federal

Register nor is public comment on it required to be sought. However, in

order to assure that the views of all interested parties are

considered, the National Park Service is seeking public comment on its

Sample Prospectus and Related Guidelines document and will consider all

comments received and amend the document appropriately if public

comments so warrant. Delaying the effective date of this document until

after consideration of public comments is not in the public interest as

there exists a large backlog of NPS concession contract renewals which

are necessary to complete to allow the commencement of major renovation

and construction programs in areas of the national park system,

including improvements necessary to protect the health and safety of

park visitors and NPS and concessioner employees. In addition, many

concessioners are now operating under the terms of expired contracts

and are, accordingly, in need of contract renewal actions as soon as

possible to permit business planning, actions and investments which

require the existence of a new contract for implementation. It is also

noted that the Sample Prospectus and Related Guidelines document is

intended to provide guidance to NPS personnel concerning possible means

to implement new policies and procedures adopted in the new NPS

concession contracting regulations and new standard language concession

contract, both of which were adopted after extensive public comment

periods and consideration by NPS of all comments received. Further

public comment in advance of implementation of this internal staff

manual is therefore not considered necessary and is impracticable if

the contract renewal process is to commence in a timely manner.

The Sample Prospectus and Related Guidelines document is intended

to be only a sample document. It is not meant to be a document which

must be used as written in every instance. It may be modified as

appropriate to fit the needs of individual situations. Further, this

document is expected to be modified and refined over time as experience

indicates that changes are needed and to meet the changing needs of the

concession contracting program.

DATES: Comments on the Sample Prospectus and Related Guidelines must be

submitted on or before the sixtieth day following publication of this

notice.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Sample Prospectus and Related Guidelines may

be obtained by writing the Director, National Park Service, Washington,

DC 20240 and written comments should be sent to this same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Wendy Mann of the National Park Service Concessions Division at the

address given above; telephone (202) 343-1561.

Dated: March 1, 1994.

Don H. Castleberry,

Acting Associate Director, Operations, National Park Service.

[FR Doc. 94-6272 Filed 3-16-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-70-M