The Opportunity Board — Week of April 7, 2026
Bigger board this week. We expanded the scope to include more states, more activity types (camping, glamping, food concessions, equestrian, marina operations), job opportunities, and additional procurement sources. We’ve got 10 active opportunities with open deadlines — plus jobs, certifications, and items to watch.
🏕️ Concession & Permit Bids
National Park Service / Sequoia & Kings Canyon — California
Type: Solicitation (Amendment 2)
What: NPS is looking for someone to run the Grant Grove Stables and Cedar Grove Pack Station — guided trail rides, pack trips, and related outdoor recreation services. 10-year contract starting January 2027.
Deadline: April 9, 2026 (2 DAYS LEFT)
Great for: Guided tour operators interested in equestrian and backcountry experiences in the Sierra Nevada
→ Apply here: SAM.gov — Notice ID: SEKI001-27
Connecticut DEEP / Gillette Castle State Park — East Haddam, CT
Type: RFP (Solicitation DEEP-2026-014-MM) — NEW THIS WEEK
What: Food and beverage concession at Gillette Castle State Park. Three-year contract with extensions. ~100,000 visitors annually. Written questions due April 10.
Deadline: May 1, 2026
Great for: Food service operators in the Northeast — concession vacant for two seasons, built-in demand
→ Apply: CTsource Bid Board — DEEP-2026-014-MM
National Park Service / Ozark National Scenic Riverways — Missouri
Type: Solicitation (Published March 27, 2026)
What: Canoe and tube rental with shuttle services, camp store with retail and firewood sales. Full outfitter operation on a federally protected scenic river.
Deadline: June 26, 2026
Great for: Paddle sport operators ready for a full-service river outfitter concession
→ Apply: SAM.gov — CC-OZAR012-27
National Park Service / Channel Islands National Park — California
Type: Solicitation
What: 10-year contract for guided kayak tours, snorkel equipment rentals, and limited retail on Santa Cruz Island. Projected Year 1 revenue $3M–$3.35M. Questions due April 10, 2026.
Deadline: June 25, 2026
Great for: Experienced kayak tour operators ready for a flagship NPS contract
→ Apply: SAM.gov — CHIS004-27
California State Parks / Old Town San Diego — San Diego, CA
Type: RFP — 10-Year Concession Contract — NEW THIS WEEK
What: 10-year concession contract for historic-style specialty retail at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
Deadline: June 5, 2026
Great for: Retail operators in Southern California — long-term park concession with heavy foot traffic
→ Apply: CA State Parks Concessions
Contact: Megan Boisvert — [email protected]
Suffolk County Department of Parks — New York
Type: Permit / Bid
What: Multiple Long Island locations for mobile kayak, canoe, and paddleboard concession operators.
Deadline: Rolling
Great for: Operators in the Northeast looking to launch or expand paddlecraft rentals on Long Island
→ Suffolk County Parks Concession Bid
Contact: Cara Petri — 631-854-4918
Hawaii Division of State Parks — Kauai, Oahu, Big Island
Type: Commercial Rental Vessel Special Use Permit
What: All commercial kayak operators at Wailua River (Kauai), Kahana (Oahu), and Kealakekua Bay (Big Island) must hold a Rental Vessel Special Use Permit. Rolling.
→ Hawaii DLNR Permits
Florida State Parks — Statewide
Type: Call for Business Plans
What: Concession operators for recreation equipment rental, tours, food and beverage across 90+ state parks. New calls posted regularly.
→ Florida State Parks Concessions | Contact: [email protected]
Texas State Parks — Statewide
Type: Short-Term & Leased Concessions — NEW TO THE BOARD
What: Short-term and long-term concessions: kayak/canoe/bike rentals, food, lodging, marinas. Respond to RFPs or pitch your own idea.
→ TPWD Concessions | Contact: [email protected]
Washington State Parks — Statewide
Type: Concession Agreements via RFP — NEW TO THE BOARD
What: Food service, campground stores, equipment rentals, guided tours, glamping. One season to five years. WEBS commodity code 961-15.
→ WA State Parks Concessions
📡 On the Radar
Not open bids yet, but worth watching.
BLM Lands / EXPLORE Act — Moab, UT — Streamlined Special Recreation Permit process is live. Next Moab quarterly deadline: June 15, 2026. Apply through BLM RAPTOR.
California State Parks — Future Concessions — Sport fishing, boat tours, watercraft at Donner Memorial SP and Kings Beach SRA. Watch parks.ca.gov.
USFS Outfitter & Guiding Permits — 8,000+ permits issued annually. Most forests plan by October 1. Start conversations now for 2027. Permitting guide.
Longboat Key / Sarasota County, FL — No active RFP. Uses DemandStar — set up alerts.
Florida Springs — Crystal River, Ichetucknee, Rainbow Springs under contract. Monitor Florida State Parks Concessions.
NYC Parks — ~400 concessions. Seasonal postings typically winter/spring. NYC Parks RFP Info.
💼 Job Opportunities
National Park Service — Seasonal Hiring
What: Seasonal roles across six park sites including Yellowstone and Cuyahoga Valley. April–July 2026.
Pay: $19.52 – $31.43/hour
→ USAJOBS.gov — filter “National Park Service” + “Temporary”
→ NPS Hiring Info
U.S. Forest Service — Summer Seasonal Positions
What: Up to 2,000 summer seasonal employees. Main window closed but late postings sometimes reopen spots.
Pay: $17.64 – $27.34/hour
→ USAJOBS.gov | USFS Seasonal Hiring
CoolWorks.com
The go-to job board for seasonal outdoor recreation work.
→ CoolWorks National Park Jobs
🎓 Certifications & Training
ACA Level 3/4 Whitewater Kayak Instructor — Missouri
Where: St. Francis River, MO | When: April 8–12, 2026 | Cost: $650
→ Missouri Whitewater Association
ACA Level 3/4 Whitewater Kayak Instructor — Zoar Outdoor
Where: Charlemont, MA | When: April 25–26 & May 1–3, 2026
→ Zoar Outdoor
ACA SUP Instructor Certification — RMOC
Where: Cottonwood Lake, CO | When: May 11–12, 2026 | Cost: $350
→ RMOC
University of Wyoming — Outdoor Guide Certification
Where: Online | When: June 26 – August 10, 2026
→ UWyo Outdoor Guide Cert
Know about an opportunity that’s not on here? Send it our way — we’ll add it to next week’s board.
