Lease Opportunity for Gowing-Clark House at Minute Man National Historical Park

A. Summary This Request for Bids (RFB) provides the opportunity for interested individuals and organizations to submit bids to the National Park Service (NPS) to lease NPS property for residential use (single family) at Minute Man National Historical Park under the following general terms and conditions. See attached “Draft Lease” for complete terms of occupancy. 1. Property Offered for Lease The Gowing-Clark House The Gowing-Clark House is a prominently situated historic home located just outside Concord Center at 663 Lexington Road. The Town of Concord is approximately 20 miles west of Boston. This historic home sits within the Battle Road Unit of Minute Man National Historical Park – just across from Meriam’s Corner and the Meriam House. Built in 1836 in the Federal style, it is situated on nearly 2 acres with mature plantings which include a 19th century stone barn foundation. The house has approximately 2,656 sq. ft. of living area. On the first floor, there are 2 gracious parlors; a large kitchen with a historic fireplace/hearth; and a smaller room leading to the back yard. On the second floor, there are 2 large bedrooms; 1 smaller bedroom or office; and 1 full bath. There is a covered deck off the kitchen. A gravel driveway offers parking for two vehicles. 2. Uses of the Leased Property This lease is most suitable for low-impact, non-transient, residential occupancy of the house. The lessee is authorized to use the property as an occupant of the house and must be willing to become a part of the National Historical Park’s relationship with the public by maintaining the historic and well-tended appearance of the structure and grounds. In accordance with the attached draft lease, the lessee is responsible for all utilities and routine maintenance. The lessor will perform basic maintenance of the property as described in the lease. 3. Term of Lease The lease will have a maximum term of three years, and a minimum term of one year. Lessee termination rights (termination without cause) will begin 90 days before the end of the first year of the lease and continue until the lease expires. Please note: 90 days’ notice is required for termination without cause. 4. Fair Market Value Rent The lessee will be required by the lease to pay at least fair market value rent to the NPS. Based on the terms included in the attached Lease (Section 5. Rent), the fair market value rent has been determined to be $40,800 annually, payable in equal monthly installments of $3,400 each month. The lessee shall pay to the United States as rent the sum of Forty-Thousand Eight-Hundred Dollars ($40,800.00) per year as the base rent payable to the National Park Service and forwarded by the lessee to the Superintendent, Minute Man National Historical Park. Rent checks will be mailed to Minute Man National Historical Park, 174 Liberty Street Concord, MA 01742, attention Superintendent. The annual rent shall be paid on the 1st day of each month in advance monthly installments of Three-Thousand Four-Hundred Dollars ($3,400.00). Payment covering the first month will be submitted with the executed lease. 5. Other Terms and Conditions None. 6. Competitive Process This lease opportunity is open to all interested persons on a competitive basis. The bidder submitting a responsive bid offering the highest monthly rent will be selected for award of the lease (subject to a determination of financial capability and reference check). A responsive bid is a bid that meets the material terms and conditions of this request for bids (see attached lease terms). The bid must offer a rental amount that is no less than fair market value ($40,800 per year). If two or more bids are equal, a drawing shall make the lease award by lot limited to the equal responsive bids received. 7. Initial and Rolling Bid Submissions Bids must be received by the date listed on the first page of this RFB and must be submitted electronically in the format provided on the following pages. A public bid opening will occur the next day after the Initial Bid Submission Deadline. If a winning bid is not selected on that date, the NPS will open bids every following Monday at 1:00 PM until a responsive bid has been submitted or until NPS terminates the solicitation. 8. Authority This RFB is issued under the authority of federal law and regulations. The applicable law is found in United States Code at 54 USC 1021 and leasing regulations may be found in the Code of Federal Regulations at 36 CFR Part 18. This RFB and the offered lease are subject to and incorporate all terms and conditions of Part 18 as applicable. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this RFB and Part 18, Part 18 controls. For Further Information Please Contact: Mike McCarthy Administrative Officer Minute Man National Historical Park 174 Liberty Street Concord, MA 01742 Phone: (781) 472-0970 E-mail: [email protected] NPS reserves the right at any time and in NPS’ sole discretion, to cause or do any or all of the following: Waive or correct any defect or technical error as to form or content of this RFB or in any bid, response, proposal, or proposal procedure, as part of the RFB or any subsequent selection and negotiation process. Modify, amend, cancel, or suspend any and all aspects of the RFB and selection process. Reissue an RFB. Modify the scope of the Lease or the required responses or modify the components of the Lease. Request that Respondents clarify, supplement, or modify the information submitted. Extend deadlines for accepting RFB responses, or request amendments to responses after expiration of deadlines. Consider comparable projects owned, developed, or operated by a Respondent.

B. The National Park Service and Minute Man National Historical Park 1. The National Park Service and its Mission America’s National Park Service was created by Congress to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” Additionally, the Congress has declared that the National Park System should be, “… preserved and managed for the benefit and inspiration of all the people of the United States.” The National Park Service has as its overall mission the preservation and public enjoyment of significant aspects of the nation’s natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about the National Park Service, visit our website at www.nps.gov. This site includes information about who we are, our mission, NPS policies and individual parks. 2. Minute Man National Historical Park Minute Man National Historical Park was created by an Act of Congress on September 21, 1959 “… to preserve for the benefit of the American people certain historic structures and properties of outstanding national significance associated with the opening of the War of the American Revolution…” The specific purposes of the park include: “… the preservation of the historic landscape along the road between Lexington and Concord, (2) sites associated with the causes and consequences of the American Revolution, and (3) the Wayside on Lexington Road in Concord ….” To learn more about Minute Man NHP visit our website at: https://www.nps.gov/mima/index.htm.

C. Submission of Bids 1. In General Bids submitted in response to the RFB require you to supply specific information. Please respond directly on the Bid Sheet which is attached to this RFB. 2. Bid Submission

Requirements In accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations – 36 CFR Part 18.7(b) which governs how lease proposals are solicited under an RFB, NPS specifies that bids must be in the form of a single PDF file and submitted electronically to [email protected]. The subject line should include the following: “BID – Gowing-Clark House – [Last Name of the Primary Contact for the Bidding Party]” Please exclude the brackets and quotation marks Your bid should utilize the provided Bid Sheet (Attachment B) and should include all of the additional information and documents it lists. Bid submissions will not be considered received until the NPS issues a written response confirming receipt via email reply. Bids delivered via telephone, fax, mail, hand-delivery or other means of transmittal will not be considered.

Questions not addressed in this RFB will be collected and responded to through the issuance of

Questions and Answers (Q&A) to all interested parties.