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Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands Page 8 



July 25, 1995 



(b)(3) ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL SERVICES IN A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREA. If a 

 concessioner "provides essentially identical services in a defined geographic area" it 

 seems reasonable that the duration and expiration of concession authorizations shall be 

 identical. 



SEC. 7. COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS FOR CONCESSION SERVICE AGREEMENTS. 



(c) FACTORS AND MINIMUM STANDARDS IN DETERMINING BEST APPLICATION. 

 (4) Record of resource protection (as appropriate). Resource protection is an 



excellent standard. The language "as appropriate" is vague and ambiguous. We could 

 support language that makes resource protection a factor always applied to any 

 recreation-related activity. Language of this sort is beneficial to the resource, to other 

 visitors, and to wildlife. 



(d) SELECTION PROCESS, The process for selecting the best applicant needs to 

 reflect the value of substantive service, e.g., programs which provide the government 

 with monetary savings, savings which an operator might otherwise apply to a 

 competitive bid. A fee-based consideration alone does not recognize the immediate 

 financial value (i.e., savings to the agency(ies)) of public-private partnerships. If such 

 recognition were to be subsumed under the record of resource protection element of the 

 best application determination (See (c)(4) above), would this offset the difference in 

 potential bids being offered? The weight given to the fees factor should be reasonable 

 and not jeopardize our ability to compensate the government through other means, 

 such as service projects. 



(d)(2) RENEV^^AL INCENTIVE. It is proper to recognize quality service. This provision 

 provides a mechanism for proper application of that recognition. 



(e) INAPPLICABILITY OF NEPA TO TEMPORARY EXTENSIONS AND SIMILAR RENEWALS 

 OF CONCESSION AGREEMENTS. This is one of the gems of this legislation. We support its 

 implementation. Provided that sufficient NEPA analysis exists at the land management 



