(a) Notwithstanding the public solicitation requirements of this part, the Director may non-competitively award a temporary concession contract or contracts for consecutive terms not to exceed three years in the aggregate—e.g., the Director may award one temporary contract with a three year term; two consecutive temporary contracts, one with a two year term and one with a one year term; or three consecutive temporary contracts with a term of one year each—to any qualified person for the conduct of particular visitor services in a park area if the Director determines that the award is necessary to avoid interruption of visitor services. Before determining to award a temporary concession contract, the Director must take all reasonable and appropriate steps to consider alternatives to avoid an interruption of visitor services. Further, the Director must publish notice in the Federal Register of the proposed temporary concession contract at least 30 days in advance of its award (except in emergency situations). A temporary concession contract may not be extended. A temporary concession contract may be awarded to continue visitor services that were provided under an extended concession contract pursuant to the terms and conditions in this paragraph. A temporary concession contract awarded under the authority of the prior sentence will be considered as a contract extension for purposes of determining the existence of a preferred offeror under § 51.44.

(b) [Reserved]

(c) A concessioner holding a temporary concession contract will not be eligible for a right of preference to a qualified concession contract that replaces a temporary contract unless the concessioner holding the temporary concession contract was determined or was eligible to be determined a preferred offeror under an extended concession contract that was replaced by a temporary concession contract under paragraph (a) of this section.