NIGP 94434: Corn Farming

NIGP 94434 Corn Farming, an Item code, covers agricultural land leasing and crop operations on state-owned property, specifically the cultivation of corn and associated harvest and property-management activities at correctional facilities. The recent activity under this code involves the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) securing emergency farm leases to complete the 2026 crop year at multiple correctional centers after the Chief Procurement Officer voided prior lease contracts for violations of the Illinois Procurement Code. These are sole-source, non-competitive emergency procurements rather than open competitive bidding opportunities. IDOC is the primary issuing body under this code in the recent record, acting as operator of state correctional facilities that generate revenue through agricultural leasing of their land holdings.

IDOC's recent activity is concentrated in Illinois, with emergency farm leases executed at three correctional centers—Vandalia, Pontiac, and Dixon—all posted in early October 2026 with October 16, 2026 response dates. The Vandalia lease to L Johnson Farms carries an estimated expenditure of $750,000 for completion of the 2026 crop year; the Dixon lease to Kevin Humphrey totals approximately $100,000. Both agreements cite vendor selection based on prior substantial crop investment under the now-voided contracts, with input costs for corn estimated at approximately $550 per acre at Vandalia and $56,474 total at Dixon. All three emergency notices explicitly state that IDOC will return to competitive solicitation and full procurement-code compliance for future farm leases, signaling that current emergency sole-source awards do not reflect the anticipated procurement posture going forward.