Sec. 801. National Park Service Visitor Services Management Program
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Title 54, United States Code, is amended by inserting the following after chapter 1019: Sec. 102001. Establishment of the Visitor Services Management Authority. 102002. Operating Board. 102003. Duties of the Director. 102004. Contract authority. 102005. Financial management. 102006. Regulations. 102007. Audits of records. 102008. Annual report. The Secretary may establish a Visitor Services Management Authority (hereinafter, the VSMA ) that may administer commercial visitor services programs and activities of the Service, as may be designated by the Secretary, including and without limitation, the award and administration of commercial visitor facilities and services management contracts pursuant to section 804.
The VSMA shall have an Operating Board of 7 members appointed by the Secretary as follows: The Director of the National Park Service. The Chief Financial Officer of the National Park Service. The Associate Director for Business Services of the National Park Service. Four other National Park Service Federal employees with appropriate training and experience to provide expert guidance to the VSMA. Each board member appointed under subsection (a)(4) shall serve for a term not to exceed four years.
A board member may continue to serve upon the expiration of the term until a successor is appointed. The Operating Board shall— appoint a VSMA Director; formulate policies for the programs and activities of the VSMA; exercise general supervision over the administration of the VSMA; establish bylaws, policies, and procedures as may be necessary for the fulfillment of the duties described in this title; review, approve, or disapprove all proposed VSMA contractual and investment programs and actions; and take all actions that are necessary and appropriate to carry out the duties described in this title.
The Director of the VSMA shall be responsible, subject to the supervision and direction of the Operating Board, for carrying out the programs and activities of the VSMA and for appointing such other VSMA officers and employees as he deems necessary. The VSMA may award and administer management contracts (and related professional services contracts) for the operation of commercial visitor facilities and visitor services programs in areas of the System. The commercial visitor facilities and visitor services programs management contracts that may be awarded shall be limited to those that are necessary and appropriate for public use and enjoyment of the unit of the System in which they are located and that are consistent, to the highest degree possible, with the preservation and conservation of the resources and values of the unit.
The VSMA may award and administer management contracts and related professional services contracts authorized under this title notwithstanding any other provision of law. There is established a revolving fund that shall be available without fiscal year limitation for expenses necessary for the management, improvement, enhancement, operation, construction, maintenance of commercial visitor services and facilities and payment of possessory interest and leasehold surrender interest.
Funds collected by the VSMA pursuant to the contracts awarded under this title shall be credited to the revolving fund. The Secretary is authorized to transfer to the revolving fund, without reimbursement, any additional funds or revenue deemed appropriate in connection with the functions to be carried out under this title. The revolving fund shall be available for expenditure by the VSMA in furtherance of the purposes of this title. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title such sums as may be necessary.
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this title, the VSMA shall promulgate regulations appropriate for its implementation. The financial records of the VSMA shall be made available to the Comptroller General and the Inspector General of the Department of the Interior, as requested, for purposes of conducting annual audits and investigations as necessary. The President’s annual budget submission shall include a description of the revenues and expenditures associated with the VSMA. .
Title 54, United States Code, is further amended in the matter before subtitle I by inserting the following between chapter 1019 and chapter 1021: 1020. Visitor services management authority 102001 .