Jamaica Bay Park

NYC Parks Joins The National Park Service To Issue Requests For Proposals For Kayaking And Canoeing, Bike Rental, And Food Concessions For Jamaica Bay And The Rockaway Peninsula

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation joins the National Park Service (NPS) to announce that three Requests for Proposals (“RFPs”) have been issued for the installation, operation and maintenance of kayak and canoe rental stations, bike rental stations, and mobile food units on both City and Federal parkland throughout Jamaica Bay, the Rockaway Peninsula and the adjoining Gateway National Recreation Area. This effort is partly inspired by the success of the Rockaway Beach Club and their diverse food offerings at Rockaway Beach, and a desire to bring similar, high-quality amenities to less-trafficked areas of Jamaica Bay.

“Millions of people visit the Rockaway Beaches each summer, and we’re seeking concessions that will allow both visitors and locals to further explore the natural beauty of the Jamaica Bay region,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White. “We are hoping to offer opportunities for New Yorkers to bike, eat, and paddle, and are looking to receive proposals from companies or individuals with strong backgrounds in delivering these amenities to the public.”

“We are excited about this opportunity to partner with the City to expand visitor services at our beaches through the wonderful food found in New York City’s mobile food trucks,” said Linda Canzanelli, Superintendent of Gateway National Recreation Area. “Expanded opportunities for biking, canoeing and kayaking are great ways to help everyone experience America’s great outdoors and the wonders to be found around Jamaica Bay.”

Jamaica Bay is an 18,000-acre wetland estuary surrounded by the Rockaway Peninsula to the South, Brooklyn to the West, and Queens to the East. The bay consists of numerous islands, a labyrinth of waterways, meadowlands, and two freshwater ponds. The wetlands provide a unique environment for both wildlife preservation and urban recreation.

On July 17, 2012, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg signed an unprecedented agreement between the National Park Service and NYC Parks – spelling out ways the two agencies will cooperatively manage 10,000 acres of federal and city-owned parks in and around Jamaica Bay to promote visitation, education programs, scientific research and opportunities for outdoor recreation.

These RFPs are a joint effort between NYC Parks and NPS to offer new amenities to the residents and visitors of the Jamaica Bay region and to further connect residents to other educational and recreational opportunities taking shape under the cooperative management agreement. NYC Parks is seeking a concessionaire for a one year term, with three, one year renewal options – exercisable at NYC Parks’ and the concessionaires’ mutual discretion.

All proposals submitted in response to these RFPs must be submitted no later than Monday, April 8, 2013 at 3:00 pm. There will be a recommended proposer meeting and site tour on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 10:00 am. Meetings begin in the multipurpose room (to the right of the lobby and down the hall) of Gateway National Recreation Area’s Ryan Visitor Center at Floyd Bennett Field, which is located at Aviation Road and Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn.

Hard copies of the RFPs can be obtained, at no cost, through Monday, April 8, 2013 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays, at the Revenue Division of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, which is located at 830 Fifth Avenue, Room 407, New York, NY 10065.

The RFPs are also available for download through Monday, April 8, 2013 on the Parks Department website. To download the RFP, visit http://www.nyc.gov/parks/businessopportunities and click on the “Concessions Opportunities at Parks” link. Once you have logged in, click on the “download” link that appears adjacent to the RFP’s description.

For more information or to request to receive a copy of the RFP by mail, prospective proposers may contact Lauren Standke from the Revenue Division of Parks at (212) 360-3495 or at lauren.standke@parks.nyc.gov.