NIGP 944: Farming and Ranching Services, Animal and Crop

NIGP 944 Farming and Ranching Services, Animal and Crop is a Class code under which state and local governments procure agricultural land leases, farming operations management, livestock grazing rights, and related agricultural services. Recent state and local solicitations show governments leasing farmland to qualified operators for commodity and hay production, organic fruit and vegetable operations, livestock grazing on county property, and regenerative agriculture practices aligned with conservation objectives. Counties, state departments of natural resources, state veterans' affairs agencies, municipalities, and special-purpose park districts are the primary issuing bodies. Colorado county parks departments and Illinois state agencies issue multiple agricultural leases annually; Texas municipalities, Florida counties, and New Mexico cities also solicit farming and ranching services. Representative recent opportunities include Boulder County Parks & Open Space issuing RFP-27-426 for a 31-acre organic fruit and vegetable lease with a response deadline of May 8, 2026; Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Nature Resources issuing IFB-SP-26-073 for a 208-acre cattle grazing lease with bids due May 5, 2026; Illinois Department of Natural Resources issuing multiple small-purchase farm leases at state parks (Volo Bog, Chain O'Lakes, Moraine Hills, Dickson Mounds) with proposal deadlines in March 2026; City of Lubbock issuing ITB-2619-406-SR for a 40-acre dryland cash farm lease with bids due March 17, 2026; and Texas A&M University issuing ITB-AG-RSCH-6566 for comprehensive rice and agricultural services with a bid deadline of March 3, 2026.

Geographic activity concentrates in Colorado (Boulder County Parks & Open Space managing multiple active leases), Illinois (state parks and veterans' affairs properties), Texas (municipality and university leases), Florida (county parks and recreation), and New Mexico (city parks departments). Lease structures typically include annual cash rent, water rights or irrigation access where applicable, and performance requirements for soil health, weed control, insurance maintenance, and compliance with state or federal conservation standards. Evaluation criteria commonly emphasize sustainability alignment, operational planning, agricultural experience, equipment availability, and financial viability. Most leases run three to five years with optional renewals; award values range from approximately $1,100 to $32,500 annually depending on acreage and production type. Required qualifications include minimum agricultural experience (typically three to six years), commercial general liability insurance ($1,000,000 to $2,000,000 per occurrence), workers' compensation coverage, and compliance with prevailing wage and conservation requirements where applicable. The source includes multiple vendor networking events (Marion County Reverse Trade Show, Central Florida NIGP Reverse Trade Show, Collin County Vendor Meet & Greet, Indian River County Vendor Open House, and FAPPO Annual Tradeshow) designed to connect agricultural service providers with government procurement decision-makers but containing no formal solicitation activity.