News Release Archive

Reclamation Announces Open Bid Period for Business Opportunities for Concession Development/Operation at Lake Berryessa

Media Contact: Erin Curtis, 916-978-5100, eccurtis@usbr.gov

For Release: July 02, 2015

NAPA, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation announces that the bidding period is now open for a business opportunity (Prospectus) for recreation development and operation at five concession areas located at Lake Berryessa in Napa County. Reclamation is requesting proposals from interested parties for the development and long-term management of concession facilities and services at Lake Berryessa. These businesses will be conducted under the terms and conditions of long-term concession contracts between the successful bidders and Reclamation.

Concession operations at Lake Berryessa were selected as the preferred management option in the 2006 Visitor Services Plan/Record of Decision. The Lake Berryessa Prospectus offers five areas for development and operation as concession facilities: Putah Canyon, Monticello Shores, Berryessa Point, Spanish Flat and Steele Canyon Recreation Areas. Bidders may submit proposals on all five concession areas, either singly or as bundled sites to take advantage of potential cost savings from combined operations. Reclamation will award no more than three areas to any one bidder. Information about Lake Berryessa may be viewed at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/berryessa/.

Business opportunities may include full-service marinas, overnight lodging, tent and RV camping, houseboat and pleasure boat rentals, retail sales, restaurants, day use facilities and other services. Some operations may be seasonal while others will be year-round. Bidders may also suggest other appropriate facilities/activities as part of their unique proposals. Reclamation has conducted substantial advanced planning in the development of this business opportunity and has several relevant draft reports and reference materials available for review on the Lake Berryessa Prospectus website.

Reclamation will provide opportunities for prospective offerors to tour the existing facilities and submit questions regarding these concession business opportunities. A site visit will be held on Friday, July 17, at 8:30 a.m. Participants will meet at the Lake Berryessa Administration Office, 5520 Knoxville Road, Napa CA 94558, 707-966-2111, ext. 0.

Proposals will be accepted for 60 days, from Thursday, July 2, to Monday, Aug. 31, 2015.

To register at the Federal Business Opportunity website and for information on submitting a business proposal, please visit https://www.fbo.gov/ and search for Keyword/Solicitation #MP-15-LB1.

To learn more about this business opportunity, please visit the Lake Berryessa Prospectus website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/berryessa/prospectus.html.

Reclamation is prepared to work closely with new concession contractors in approving and helping to coordinate the development of commercial public facilities. The Prospectus is open for 60 days, with an amendment expected within the first 30 days in order to provide bidders with additional information on infrastructure planning and design.

With a business model committed to the provision of new facilities and services, Reclamation foresees outstanding commercial opportunities at Lake Berryessa, which is readily accessible by millions of potential visitors; it is within a 3-hour drive of San Francisco, Sacramento and other population centers in California. The location, environment, scenic vistas, a multitude of outdoor recreation opportunities and proximity to other tourist destinations, including the Napa Valley, make this a desirable location for land and water-based commercial recreation services. These services are expected to show immediate visitor demand, with current occupancy levels on rental boat slips at existing Lake Berryessa marinas near 100 percent, and existing waiting lists for marina slips indicative of a high interest in having a boat moored at the lake. Together, this presents financially viable business opportunities favorable for the establishment of appropriately designed recreation facilities and services with outstanding growth potential over the term of the next concession contract. Two existing concession areas, Markley Cove Resort and Pleasure Cove Marina, with full services and facilities are operated by concessionaires under existing contracts and are not part of this Prospectus.

Lake Berryessa is the reservoir for the Solano Project, which is owned by Reclamation and operated under a cooperative agreement by the Solano County Water Agency/Solano Irrigation District. The project provides flood control protection, generates hydropower and provides a high-quality water supply for irrigation and the cities of Vacaville, Suisun City, Vallejo and Fairfield.

At capacity, Lake Berryessa stores 1.6 million acre-feet of water and is one of the largest bodies of fresh water in California. The lake is 23 miles long and 3 miles wide, with 165 miles of shoreline. Reclamation oversees the management of a 2,000-acre wildlife area along the east side of the lake. Nestled between Blue Ridge and Cedar Roughs, east of the Napa Valley, Lake Berryessa offers year-round recreation opportunities for boating and water sports, fishing, camping, picnicking, hiking, wildlife viewing and sightseeing. Popular Reclamation-operated recreation facilities include expansive day use areas, a visitor center and launch ramp as well as hiking trails and dispersed lake access sites.

For additional information, please contact Peggi Brooks, Chief, Recreation Resources Division, Central California Area Office, at 916-989-7128 (TTY 800-877-8339), pbrooks@usbr.gov, or fax 916-989-7208.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.