North Rim Restoration Act

The bill would authorize the National Park Service to use emergency acquisition flexibilities under federal acquisition regulations—such as higher micro-purchase and simplified acquisition thresholds—to contract for forest restoration, rebuilding of fire-damaged structures, grounds improvements, and recovery efforts within the areas of Grand Canyon National Park affected by the Dragon Bravo Fire, without first needing a presidential emergency or disaster declaration. It would also let the agency award noncompetitive contracts to the North Rim's existing concessioner for rebuilding housing, utilities, lodging, and other assets needed to reopen the North Rim, if the Secretary determines the concessioner is uniquely positioned to do the work. The emergency contracting authority would expire after seven years or when recovery projects are completed, whichever comes first, with a possible 12-month extension if a new wildfire disrupts recovery. The noncompetitive procurement authority for the concessioner would also expire after seven years and would not modify the concessioner's existing concession contract. The Secretary must report to Congress every 180 days on costs, contractors, and progress.

The National Park Service and the Department of the Interior, the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim's current concessioner, contractors bidding on or performing fire-recovery work, and visitors and communities that depend on the North Rim's reopening and services like lodging, utilities, and food service.

Faster contracting authority could accelerate rebuilding of fire-damaged structures and reopening of the North Rim, but bypassing competitive bidding and normal emergency-declaration requirements raises oversight concerns, which the bill addresses through mandatory 180-day reporting to congressional committees on costs, contractors, and potential conflicts of interest.

The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the National Park Service, would invoke existing federal emergency acquisition regulations to streamline contracting for Dragon Bravo Fire recovery, bypassing the usual requirement for a presidential disaster declaration. Separately, for North Rim reopening work, the Secretary would need to make written determinations that the current concessioner is uniquely positioned and that noncompetitive contracting is necessary before awarding sole-source contracts. The agency must report to four congressional committees every 180 days on costs, contractors, conflicts of interest, and progress, and could seek a 12-month extension from Congress if a new wildfire disrupts recovery before the seven-year sunset.