Indian River Marina, Delaware’s largest, is a destination for boaters seeking direct access to the rich Atlantic Ocean and inland bays fishing grounds. The marina has boat slips with a floating dock system and spots for indoor dry boat storage. A monitored public boat ramp with shuttle service to parking is available in the summer. It also serves as a waterfront event space with beautiful sunset views, offers full-service bait and tackle along with fish cleaning and an on-site fresh seafood market.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that it has awarded a contract to operate the restaurant at Indian Marina River to Big Fish Restaurant Group as the previous 10-year contract is set to expire at the end of this month.

Following state procurement requirements, the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation released a Request for Proposals for Professional Services (RFP), which closed Nov. 30, 2022, with the goal of identifying vendor(s) and executing a new contract. The division received two responsive proposals and evaluated them utilizing criteria and scoring included in the RFP.

The new contract, which is also for a 10-year-term from March 1, 2023 to Feb. 28, 2033, stipulates that Big Fish Restaurant Group will operate the marina restaurant “with full waterfront menu fare, including but not limited to, fully prepared seafood dishes (excluding off premise raw seafood sales), entrees, appetizers, desserts, alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, and any other refreshments necessary to carry on the business for the public.” Big Fish will also provide breakfast and delivery service to the Indian River Marina and to the park’s North Inlet Campground.

“We welcome Big Fish to the Indian River Marina and look forward to watching their progress in meeting the growing needs of our park and marina visitors. Their business has won more than 50 awards for quality of service they offer to the public,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “While it is it is never easy to change concessionaires, the state RFP process is fair and Big Fish Restaurant Group submitted the winning proposal this time. I encourage any Delaware business that wants more information on the state bidding process to visit Delaware’s contract portal, MyMarketplace.delaware.gov, which has a wealth of information about the process.”

The Indian River Marina restaurant RFP was rated using seven criteria categories, with 80% of the total score including quality and diversity of the menu; past performance; the vendor’s action plan; vendor’s financial stability; creativity in planning; and designing and delivering a successful establishment, and revenue paid to the state equating for 20% of the total score.

Big Fish will utilize DNREC’s existing restaurant space at the marina, a 1,400-square-foot building with an outside usable deck and pergola area of approximately 1,100 square feet plus a grass area extended from the deck.

The award-winning Indian River Marina is Delaware’s largest marina and a destination for boaters seeking direct access to the rich Atlantic Ocean and inland bays fishing grounds. The marina boasts 194 slips with a floating dock system, 154 spots for indoor dry boat storage, pristine maintenance, full-service bait and tackle along with fish cleaning and an on-site fresh seafood market, and two head boats and more than 30 charter boats available for fishing and sightseeing.

For more information about the Indian River Marina restaurant RFP, go to https://mmp.delaware.gov/Contracts/ and search for Contract NAT22011.

About DNREC

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. Enjoy the natural diversity of Delaware’s 17 state parks. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Shauna McVey, shauna.mcvey@delaware.gov or Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov.

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