Project Information

Bid Title

RFP for Pahaska Concession Services

Issuing Agency

City of Denver

Location

Colorado

Published Date

Oct 16, 2025

Closing Date

Nov 21, 2025

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

RFP for Pahaska Concession Services

Closing date November 21, 2025, 12:00 PM

• Reference number 202580844
• Status Open
• Summary The City and County of Denver Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”) is requesting proposals from companies with the interest, capability, and financial backing to operate indigenous-focused food and beverage, retail marketplace, and cultural programming concession services at Denver Mountain Parks’ historic Pahaska facility located at Lookout Mountain Park, 987 Lookout Mountain Rd, Golden, CO

The City and County of Denver Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”) is requesting proposals from companies with the interest, capability, and financial backing to operate indigenous-focused food and beverage, retail marketplace, and cultural programming concession services at Denver Mountain Parks’ historic Pahaska facility located at Lookout Mountain Park, 987 Lookout Mountain Road, Golden, CO 80401 (“Concession Site”). This opportunity seeks proposals from vendors focused on providing a food and retail experience that honors and celebrates contemporary indigenous culture in keeping with the historical theme of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West traveling show. The City anticipates awardingone (1) contract (“Concession License”) with athree to five (3-5) year term. DPR may request interviews with finalists following initial proposal evaluation to determine award.

View the full Request for Proposal (PDF, 1MB)

• PROPOSAL DEADLINE: Friday, November 21 at 12:00 pm
• Proposals will ONLY be accepted electronically via BidNet at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com (search for solicitation number 202580844 )
• CONTACT DETAILS: Jennifer Simmons at DPR.Proposals@denvergov.org

Contact details

Jennifer Simmons

DPR.Proposals@denvergov.org

Important Dates

RFP Issued & Advertised:
Oct. 13, 2025

Pre-Proposal Meeting:
Oct. 28, 2025 @ 12:30 p.m. MT

Site Tour:
Nov. 4, 2025 @ 12:30 p.m. MT

Deadline to Submit Questions:
Nov. 10, 2025 @ 12:00 p.m. MT

Questions & Answers uploaded to BidNet:
Nov. 14, 2025

Proposals Due:
Nov. 21, 2025 @ 12:00 p.m.

Finalist Interviews:
December 2025

Contract Execution:
Quarter 1 2026

Attachment Preview

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

FOR

Pahaska Concession Services

Solicitation #202580844

Department of Parks and Recreation

October 13, 2025

RFP 2025: Pahaska Concession Services

Page 1 of 23

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Pahaska Concession Services

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Notice of Availability of Requests for Proposals ................................................................... 3

SECTION 1 - Invitation to Submit a Proposal ..................................................................... 4

SECTION 2 – Scope of Work................................................................................................ 5

SECTION 3 – Proposal Submittal Requirements................................................................ 9

SECTION 4 - General Requirements...................................................................................13

SECTION 5 – Selection Process .........................................................................................15

ATTACHMENT 1: Site Maps and Pictures ......................................................................17

ATTACHMENT 2: City-Owned Equipment Inventory .....................................................19

ATTACHMENT 3: Contract Certification Form ...............................................................20

ATTACHMENT 4: Diversity & Inclusiveness in City Solicitations Information Request

Form ..................................................................................................................................21

ATTACHMENT 5: Sample Contract.................................................................................22

ATTACHMENT 6: Proposer’s Checklist..........................................................................23

RFP 2025: Pahaska Concession Services

Page 2 of 23

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION

CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER

Pahaska Concession Services

Notice of Availability of Requests for Proposals

IT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVELY PRESUMED THAT THE PROPOSER DID, BEFORE SUBMITTING A

PROPOSAL, CLOSELY REVIEW THE RFP, ALL EXHIBITS AND ATTACHMENTS, AND OTHER

ITEMS RELEVANT TO THE RFP.

RESPONSES DUE:

Proposals must be submitted electronically through BidNet®; see Section 3 for details.

Responses must be received no later than:

12:00 P.M. MT, November 21, 2025

SUMMARY OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The City and County of Denver (“City”) and the Department of

Parks and Recreation (“DPR”) are requesting proposals from companies with the interest,

capability, and financial backing to operate indigenous-focused food and beverage, retail

marketplace, and cultural programming concession services at Denver Mountain Parks’ historic

Pahaska facility located at Lookout Mountain Park, 987 Lookout Mountain Road, Golden, CO

80401 (“Concession Site”). This opportunity seeks proposals from vendors focused on providing

a food and retail experience that honors and celebrates contemporary indigenous culture in

keeping with the historical theme of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West traveling show.

PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING: Proposers should attend the pre-proposal meeting which shall

take place virtually/online on Tuesday October 28, 2025 at 12:30 P.M. MT via Microsoft

Teams https://tinyurl.com/mvfz3m4d. Proposers may also attend by calling 720-388-6219, ID

317 824 883#. The pre-proposal meeting is not mandatory, but proposers will be held

responsible for all information presented at the meeting.

SITE TOUR: Proposers who are interested in viewing the Concession Site are encouraged to

attend the optional site tour which shall take place in-person on Tuesday November 4, 2025

at 12:30 P.M. MT at 987 Lookout Mountain Road, Golden, CO 80401. RSVPs for attendance

must be submitted to dpr.proposals@denvergov.org no later than the pre-proposal meeting

on Tuesday October 28, 2025 at 12:30 P.M. MT. No additional tours of the concession site will

be made available.

DESIGNATED CONTACT: Jennifer Simmons, Department of Parks and Recreation Contract

Administrator, is the Designated Contact for this Request for Proposals. All inquiries and

questions regarding the RFP should be submitted in writing to dpr.proposals@denvergov.org.

REVIEW PROCESS: The Executive Director of Parks and Recreation issued this solicitation

pursuant to the authority vested in the Executive Director by the Charter of the City and County

of Denver. The Executive Director of Parks and Recreation reserves the right to terminate,

suspend, modify the selection process; reject any or all submittals; modify the terms and

conditions of this selection process; and/or waive any informalities, irregularities, or omissions in

any submittals, as the City’s best interests may appear.

Jolon Clark, Executive Director of Parks and Recreation

RFP 2025: Pahaska Concession Services

Page 3 of 23

SECTION 1 - Invitation to Submit a Proposal

By issuance of this Request for Proposals (“RFP”), the City and County of Denver (the “City”),

acting through the Executive Director of Parks and Recreation (the “Executive Director”), invites

all qualified proposers to submit a proposal for Pahaska concession services.

Proposers are expected to familiarize themselves with the details in connection with the

proposed operations. Any person, firm, entity, joint venture, or corporation desiring to submit a

proposal shall examine this RFP and shall judge for themselves their qualifications and all the

circumstances and conditions affecting their proposal. Failure on the part of any proposer to

make such thorough examination or to thoroughly investigate the conditions of the proposal

shall not be grounds for a declaration that the successful proposer did not understand the RFP.

Proposals shall be disqualified if the proposer is in default or past due under any previous or

existing agreement with the City, if any unresolved monetary claims by the City exist against the

proposer, or if the proposer is unable to show evidence of their financial capabilities to execute

the work of this contract.

Should a proposer find a discrepancy or omission in this RFP, or should a proposer be in doubt

as to the meaning of any provision of this RFP, the proposer should promptly notify the

Designated Contact in writing, and any necessary clarifications or addenda will be provided in

writing. THE CITY WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ORAL INSTRUCTIONS OR

INTERPRETATIONS GIVEN BY OR TO ANYONE.

The instructions contained within are not intended to completely define the proposed contractual

relationship between the City and County of Denver and the successful proposer. The awarded

contract will be similar in form to the attached Attachment 5 - Sample Contract, but the City

reserves the right to make changes and additions prior to the final award at the sole discretion

of the Executive Director.

In making a final selection recommendation, the competitive selection process provided under

this RFP will focus consideration on the qualifications and prior history of similar performance of

each submitting proposer, in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in Section 5.

Written responses to this RFP will enable the City to select the most qualified candidate. The

Executive Director will appoint a selection committee to evaluate the proposals. The selection

committee will recommend a finalist or finalists to the Executive Director who will decide on the

successful proposer and will approve the contract before submittal to the Denver City Council

and Mayor for ordinance or resolution approval, if applicable, and Mayoral signature of the

contract. NO RIGHTS TO PROVIDE SERVICES SHALL ARISE UNLESS AND UNTIL THE

CONTRACT IS APPROVED BY ORDINANCE (IF APPLICABLE) AND SIGNED BY THE

MAYOR.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

RFP Issued & Advertised

Pre-Proposal Meeting

Site Tour

Deadline to Submit Questions

Questions & Answers Uploaded to BidNet

Proposals Due

Finalist Interviews

Contract Execution

12:30 PM MT

12:30 PM MT

12:00 PM MT

12:00 PM MT

October 13, 2025

October 28, 2025

November 4, 2025

November 10, 2025

November 14, 2025

November 21, 2025

December 2025

Q1 2026

RFP 2025: Pahaska Concession Services

Page 4 of 23

SECTION 2 – Scope of Work

A. GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The City and County of Denver (“City”) and the Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”)

are requesting proposals from companies with the interest, capability, and financial backing to

operate indigenous-focused food and beverage, retail marketplace, and cultural programming

concession services at Denver Mountain Parks’ historic Pahaska facility located at Lookout

Mountain Park, 987 Lookout Mountain Road, Golden, CO 80401 (“Concession Site”). This

opportunity seeks proposals from vendors focused on providing a food and retail experience

that honors and celebrates contemporary indigenous culture in keeping with the historical theme

of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West traveling show.

The City anticipates awarding one (1) contract (“Concession License”) with a three to five (3-5)

year term. DPR may request interviews with finalists following initial proposal evaluation to

determine award.

B. BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

For over 100 years, Denver’s Mountain Parks have connected people with some of Colorado’s

most scenic landscapes, spanning nearly 15,000 acres across 5 counties. Lookout Mountain

Park, home to the popular Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, is located outside of Golden in

Jefferson County, Colorado. The park is visited by more than 500,000 people per year and

holds historical significance with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes. The Buffalo

Bill Museum is open to the public year-round and hosts approximately 80,000 museum guests

per year. The park is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody died in 1917 and was buried in Lookout Mountain Park overlooking

Denver. The site soon became overrun with visitors and tourists, and the historic “Pahaska

Tepee” building was constructed in 1921 to serve visitors to the site. Now known as just

“Pahaska,” the building housed museum exhibits, a restaurant, public bathrooms, and a gift

shop until the construction of the current museum in 1977. Pahaska continued to operate as a

restaurant and large gift shop through the end of 2024, generating an average of over

$1,500,000.00 in reported annual gross revenues for 2022 through 2024.

Denver Mountain Parks is undertaking a long-range planning effort to reimagine the future of

Lookout Mountain Park and to improve the visitor experience. As part of this effort, the City

seeks a Concessionaire to operate Pahaska on a more limited scale than in previous years

during this interim planning phase.

C. SCOPE OF WORK:

Concession Services

The primary objective of the Concessionaire must always be to service the wants and needs

of the general public. As a public facility, the Pahaska concession must offer a satisfying

experience to the public.

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show sought to connect people around the world with his experience of

the culture of the American West, and Denver Mountain Parks seeks to continue this tradition by

offering Native American cuisine and an indigenous-focused retail marketplace at Pahaska. The

City seeks a Concessionaire with a mission aligned with Denver Mountain Parks’ objectives and

a vision for enhancing the visitor experience through sharing contemporary indigenous food and

culture in a manner appropriate for the general public.

RFP 2025: Pahaska Concession Services

Page 5 of 23

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 713990All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries

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