51.78—Will a concession contract require a franchise fee and will the franchise fee be subject to adjustment?
(a)
Concession contracts will provide for payment to the government of a franchise fee or other monetary consideration as determined by the Director upon consideration of the probable value to the concessioner of the privileges granted by the contract involved. This probable value will be based upon a reasonable opportunity for net profit in relation to capital invested and the obligations of the contract. Consideration of revenue to the United States shall be subordinate to the objectives of protecting and preserving park areas and of providing necessary and appropriate visitor services at reasonable rates.
(b)
The franchise fee contained in a concession contract with a term of 5 years or less may not be adjusted during the term of the contract. Concession contracts with a term of more than 5 years will contain a provision that provides for adjustment of the contract's established franchise fee at the request of the concessioner or the Director. An adjustment will occur if the concessioner and the Director mutually determine that extraordinary, unanticipated changes occurred after the effective date of the contract that have affected or will significantly affect the probable value of the privileges granted by the contract. The concession contract will provide for arbitration if the Director and a concessioner cannot agree upon an appropriate adjustment to the franchise fee that reflects the extraordinary, unanticipated changes determined by the concessioner and the Director.