Planning & Public Participation

In April 1995 the park initiated a public planning process, to evaluate park needs and discuss the concepts of a public private partnership. Over the subsequent year, the public had three opportunities to comment upon draft plans, which were released for public review and comment for a total of 140 days. The park also hosted 7 public meetings to answer questions and collect further comments. The result of this year-long planning process was the draft "Development Concept Plan/Environmental Assessment for the Collections Storage, Visitor & Museum Facilities" at Gettysburg NMP.

The DCP recommended that the NPS release a nationwide Request for Proposals, to seek an appropriate cooperator to accomplish the 4 park goals outlined by Superintendent Latschar. As park of the public review process of the DCP, the public was specifically invited to comment upon the 10 evaluation criteria which would be used to evaluate any proposals received.

Request for Proposals

In December 1996 the NPS released a formal "Request for Proposals for Visitor Center and Museum Facilities" at Gettysburg NMP. The RFP was open for 150 days, and attracted six responses.

A nation-wide evaluation panel appointed by Regional Director Marie Rust reviewed and evaluated the proposals. The panel consisted of 5 NPS experts in the fields of park planning, design, and development; concessions management; and partnership operations. The panel was advised by financial and community planning consultants, and by the Department of Interior's Solicitors Office.

Between late-May and the end of September, the panel spent over 4 months in the careful analysis of all the proposals received. Follow-up questions were submitted to all six proposers, and individual interviews were held with 4.

The panel evaluated all proposals against all ten criteria listed in (and required by ) the RFP - those 10 criteria have been included in your press packages.

Although all of the final 4 proposals were well presented and thoughtful, the evaluation panel unanimously recommended the Kinsley proposal as being the one which best met the NPS goals and the stated criteria in the RFP.

On October 1, the panells recommendations were delivered to the Director of the NPS.

The Selection

The team of Kinsley Equities, in partnership with National Geographic Television, Destination Cinema, Gettysburg Tours, Zeidler Roberts Partnership, and John L. Adams & Company, was unanimously recommended by the evaluation panel as having presented the best overall proposal. Yesterday at 2:00 pm, after careful review and analysis of the panells evaluations and findings, the Director of the NPS approved that recommendation.

Introduction

It is now my pleasure to introduce to you, Mr. Robert A. Kinsley