Sponsors (8)
The bill speeds recovery and reopening of facilities and enables faster restoration work through emergency and sole-source contracting, at the cost of reduced competition and increased risks of higher taxpayer costs, reduced opportunities for small businesses, and greater need for vigilant oversight.
Residents, visitors, and local communities in the affected areas get faster recovery, repairs, and reopening of services because the bill authorizes emergency and sole-source contracting to accelerate rebuilding and reopening work.
Forest and land restoration work in the Dragon Bravo area can start sooner, which can reduce erosion, lower flood risk, and help mitigate future wildfire hazards.
Greater contracting flexibility and authority for prompt project implementation reduces administrative delays and can lower short-term program costs for government agencies, speeding completion of recovery projects.
Taxpayers and competing firms may face higher costs because emergency and sole-source contracting reduces price competition and can increase overall spending on repairs and services.
Using emergency contracting authority without a Presidential disaster declaration and permitting long noncompetitive awards increases the risk of waste, fraud, or abuse if oversight is insufficient.
Small businesses and other potential contractors can lose bidding opportunities — and may be locked out for years — because incumbent concessioners can receive sole-source awards or long noncompetitive arrangements.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes Interior/NPS emergency contracting flexibilities and limited sole‑source contracts to restore and reopen the Grand Canyon North Rim after the Dragon Bravo Fire, with oversight and a 7‑year limit.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior (through the National Park Service) to use certain emergency contracting flexibilities and to award limited sole‑source contracts to restore and reopen the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim areas damaged by the Dragon Bravo Fire. The authority lets the Secretary accelerate procurement and hire contractors for restoration, rebuilding, and related services without a Presidential emergency declaration, requires periodic reporting to Congress, and generally expires after seven years or when recovery is complete. The bill allows noncompetitive contracts to be awarded to an incumbent North Rim concessioner only after a written finding that the concessioner is uniquely positioned to perform and that noncompetitive procurement is necessary to protect public health, park resources, or essential services. It includes oversight reporting requirements and a one-time 12‑month extension option if recovery is further delayed by new wildfire damage, subject to congressional approval.
Official title: North Rim Restoration Act
Introduced October 10, 2025 by Eli Crane · Last progress March 17, 2026