MOOSE, Wyo.— The National Park Service has awarded two companies 10-year concession contracts to provide guided day-use snowshoe tours and cross-country and backcountry ski tours within Grand Teton National Park, according to a statement released by the park’s public affairs office.
EcoTour Adventures, Inc. was awarded three of the four contracts, while Powder Hounds Inc. doing business as Teton Backcounty Guides was awarded the fourth contract. The existing winter activity services will transition to the new concessioners on November 1, 2024.
The NPS released the solicitation for concession contract bids on March 12, 2024. EcoTour Adventures Inc. and Powderhounds Inc. submitted the highest rated proposals as determined through the competitive process.
EcoTour Adventures Inc., The Hole Hiking Experience, Inc., and Powderhounds Inc. are currently serving as the concessioners under contracts that will expire on October 31, 2024. The public is not expected to experience any interruptions in services.
Solicitation of concession business opportunities within NPS sites and the selection of best proposals are routine processes for the NPS, dictated by the 1998 Concessions Management Improvement Act. By law, all contracts are issued through a fully open and competitive process, awarding contracts to those with the best proposal.
The Park Service, however, typically does not release full details of such concessions contracts under Freedom of Information Act requests, citing the need to withhold proprietary business information provided by applicants.