Private businesses under contract to the National Park Service (we, NPS) manage food, lodging, tours, whitewater rafting, boating, and many other recreational activities and amenities in more than 100 national parks. These services gross more than $1 billion every year and provide jobs for more than 25,000 people during peak season.
The regulations at 36 CFR Part 51 primarily implement Title IV of the National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998 (54 USC, §101911 et seq, also referred to as Pub. L. 105â391), which provides legislative authority, policies, and requirements for the solicitation, award, and administration of NPS concession contracts.
Furthermore, 54 USC, §101911 et seq provides that âall proposed concession contracts shall be awarded by the Secretary to the person, corporation or other entity submitting the best proposal, as determined by the Secretary through a competitive selection process. Such competitive process shall include simplified procedures for small, individually-owned, concessions contracts.â
We are reporting 1,382 annual responses totaling 159,892 burden hours and $425,000 in nonhour burden costs. This is an increase of 30 responses and a decrease of 90 burden hours from our previous submission.
We are reporting as adjustments, a decrease in hours per response from 16 hours to 15 hours for Form 10-356. This decrease is expected to result from a simpler submission process and from moving two schedules to new form 10-356B.
We are reporting as a program change, an increase of 30 annual responses totaling 60 burden hours associated with the following information collection requirements in existing regulations, but not previously approved under the Paperwork Reduction Act:
Form 10-356B for special accounts and utility add-on reconciliations
Historically, we have collected information concerning special accounts on two schedules in Form 10-356. Very few concessioners still have special accounts, so we are moving these schedules to a supplemental Form 10-356B. Similarly, a small number of concessioners have contractually mandated utility add-ons.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Concessioner Annual Financial Report (For Concessioners with Special Accounts and Utility Add-ons)