(a) Before issuance of the first special use authorization for a specific CSU pursuant to §251.124 on or after the effective date of this subpart, the authorized officer shall give notice to Native Corporations interested in providing visitor services within the CSU and give them an opportunity to submit an application to be considered the Native Corporation most directly affected by the establishment or expansion of the CSU under section 1307(b) of ANILCA (16 U.S.C. 1397(b)). In giving notice of the application procedure, the authorized officer shall make clear that this is the only opportunity to apply for most directly affected status for that particular CSU.

(1) At a minimum, an application from an interested Native Corporation shall include the following:

(i) Name, address, and telephone number of the Native Corporation; date of its incorporation; its articles of incorporation and structure; and the name of the applicable CSU and the solicitation to which the Native Corporation is responding;

(ii) Location of the Native Corporation's population centers; and

(iii) An assessment of the socioeconomic impacts (including changes in historical and traditional use and landownership patterns) on the Native Corporation resulting from establishment or expansion of the applicable CSU.

(2) In addition to the minimum information required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section, Native Corporations may submit such additional information as they consider relevant.

(b) Upon receipt of all applications from interested Native Corporations, the authorized officer shall determine the most directly affected Native Corporation considering the following factors:

(1) Distance and accessibility from the Native Corporation's population centers and/or business address to the applicable CSU;

(2) Socioeconomic impacts (including changes in historical and traditional use and landownership patterns) on Native Corporations resulting from establishment or expansion of the applicable CSU; and

(3) Information provided by Native Corporations and other information considered relevant by the authorized officer to assessment of the effects of establishment or expansion of the applicable CSU.

(c) In the event that two or more Native Corporations are determined to be equally affected for purposes of the most directly affected Native Corporation determination pursuant to this section, each such Native Corporation shall be considered a preferred operator under this subpart.

(d) A Native Corporation determined to be most directly affected for a CSU shall maintain that status for all future visitor service solicitations for that CSU.