In 2017, 331 million park

visitors spent an estimated

$18.2 billion in regions

within 60 miles of U.S.

national parks and monu-

ments, supporting more

than 306,000 jobs, and

yielding nearly $36 billion

for the U.S. economy. And

that demand is growing;

from 2012 to 2017, visita-

tion to the national parks

rose by 17 percent.

August 2018

For more information, contact John Garder (jgarder@npca.org) or Emily Douce (edouce@npca.org) representing the National

Parks Second Century Action Coalition.

At the start of Fiscal Year 2018, the total of National Park Service

(NPS) deferred maintenance backlog was estimated at $11.6 bil-

lion. While NPS does routine maintenance, which prevents the

backlog from growing, and addresses some construction projects,

many projects are contracted out to the private sector.

Over the past 7 years, NPS has awarded 5,447 contracts to a wide

variety of companies in the private sector for a wide variety of

work that was needed in park units. For work on deferred mainte-

nance, contracts are awarded with annual appropriations from

Congress, but often the funds are expended over several fiscal

years as scoping, planning and compliance, design, and actual

construction repairs and rehabilitation work is carried out.

Many of the private companies that work for the NPS are contract-

ed from the immediate surrounding communities and states, alt-

hough a number of national companies who win NPS contract

competitions can work all across the national park system, with

417 units in every State and most of the Territories.

The vast majority of NPS contracts for deferred maintenance work

are managed by the NPS national service center in Denver, CO

(DSC). These funds for large complex projects are derived from

the congressionally approved Line-Item Construction appropria-

tion. DSC often is called upon, because of its expertise, to manage

contracts that have been funded with non-NPS funds.

For example, DSC managed the work to restore and rehabilitate

the Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, which required some

$580 million, which funding was a combination of public and pri-

vate contributions generated by the CityRiverArch Project.

Critical to the successful operation and maintenance of the nation-

al park system are the myriad of contracts that NPS issues for

technical, support, construction and skilled maintenance work to

overcome the deferred maintenance of park facilities that has ac-

cumulated over time in the parks.

331 million

visitors in

2017

$35.8 billion

in tourism

revenue and

306,000 jobs

in 2017

Photo: John Garder, NPCA

Addressing Park Maintenance Supports Private Sector Jobs

The Projects

Some notable deferred maintenance contracts awarded in recent years,

with funds principally derived from the NPS Line-Item Construction

budget—many of which are ongoing at present—include:

• $24 million to John Kozumo Construction Co. (WA) for rehabilitation

of the Paradise Inn Annex and Snowbridge in Mt Rainier NP.

• $22 million to Clark Construction Co. (MD) for restoration of the turf

and soil of the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washing-

ton DC.

• $17.3 million to the Tutor Perini Corp. (CA) for restoration of Alcatraz

historic prison within Golden Gate National Recreation Area,

one of its most popular visitor attractions.

• $15.2 million to Swank Enterprises (MT) for restoration of the Many

Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park;

• $11.9 million to Pacific Tech Construction Inc. (WA), a Hispanic

American-owned small business, for rehabilitation and adaptive re-

use of historic buildings at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

• $8.8 million to E&A Restoration Inc. (NY), a woman-owned small

business, for restoration of Sagamore Hill National Historic

Site, the home of President Theodore Roosevelt.

• $6.7 million to Corman Construction, Inc. (MD) for restoration of

Locks 5-22 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National His-

toric Park.

• $6.4 million to Group III Management, Inc. (NC) for rehabilitation

of the visitor center at Wright Brothers National Memorial.

• $6.1 million to Deborah Bradley Construction and Management Ser-

vices, Inc. (NY) for site rehabilitation at the Statue of Liberty Na-

tional Monument.

• $5.2 million to Anderson Burton Co. (CA) for rehabilitation of the

historic Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park.

• $3.8 million to Walker River Construction, Inc. (NV), a woman and

American Indian-owned small business, for rehabilitation of the Visi-

tor Center at Olympic National Park.

The contracting out of these and other construction projects generates

significant private-sector economic activity, while at the same time re-

storing our parks for the enjoyment of the American people.

For more information, contact John Garder (jgarder@npca.org) or Emily Douce

(edouce@npca.org) representing the National Parks Second Century Action Coali-

tion.

Ph

oto

ca

pti

on

an

d c

red

it

“We see our work as stewards of

the parks, in partnership with NPS.

From preserving the historic fabric

of a landmark, to upgrading a

building’s seismic stability, the ex-

perience of the park visitor is al-

ways at the forefront.”

Elizabeth (Liz) Hallas, Principal,

Anderson Hallas Architects, PC

Repair work at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal,

2017 Photo: John Garder, NPCA

Annually, NPS generally awards nearly 100% of its Line-Item Construction funds through con-

tracts with the private sector, over 60% of the Repair & Rehabilitation appropriation is awarded

through contracts to the private sector, and about 50% of funds allocated by the NPS from park

entrance and user fees are also obligated through contracts with private sector businesses.

Rock Creek Park’s Beech Drive under

construction, 2017 Photo: Natalie Levine, NPCA