Sponsors (8)
The bill prioritizes faster recovery and reopening by letting agencies use emergency and sole-source contracting, trading off increased speed and continuity of services against reduced competition, higher cost risk for taxpayers, and greater oversight and fairness concerns for small businesses.
Residents, visitors, nearby rural communities, local governments, and small businesses get faster recovery, reopening, and restored services because the bill allows streamlined emergency and sole-source contracting for rebuilding and North Rim operations.
Federal and state/local project teams can implement work more quickly and reduce administrative delays and costs because contracting flexibility lets agencies bypass competitive procurement timelines.
Public health and safety are better protected because sole-source authority for North Rim work requires a written finding that noncompetitive procurement is necessary to ensure public health, safety, or protection of park resources.
Taxpayers face a significant risk of higher costs because emergency and sole-source contracting reduces price competition and oversight, increasing the chance of cost overruns and higher spending.
Small businesses and other potential contractors lose bidding opportunities and may be excluded from recovery and North Rim work because incumbents can receive sole-source awards.
Using emergency contracting authorities without a Presidential disaster declaration increases the risk of waste, fraud, or abuse unless oversight is robust.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Allows Interior to use emergency contracting flexibilities and limited sole-source contracts to restore and reopen Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim after the Dragon Bravo Fire.
Official title: North Rim Restoration Act
Introduced October 10, 2025 by Eli Crane · Last progress March 17, 2026
Authorizes the Interior Department (through the National Park Service) to speed recovery and rebuilding at the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim after the Dragon Bravo Fire by using emergency procurement flexibilities and limited sole-source contracting without waiting for a Presidential disaster declaration. It requires frequent reports to Congress, limits the scope of work and duration of the authorities to up to seven years (with a possible 12-month extension in certain fire-related circumstances), and preserves existing concession-law requirements while allowing noncompetitive contracts only when the incumbent concessioner is uniquely positioned and public health, safety, or resource protection require it.