B54291 IDNR Land Management Soil Samples Additional Information Page .docx

This is an Additional Information document for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Land Management Soil Sampling contract opportunity (B-54291). The project involves soil sampling across multiple DNR-managed properties with the goal of monitoring soil conditions to ensure that agricultural practices are not depleting soil resources. Contractors will be able to access all sampling sites using four-wheelers. The IDNR will provide shapefiles containing boundary layers for each location, eliminating the need for contractors to establish new boundaries. The document clarifies that no fall tillage operations may occur on DNR property without written permission, and contractors should not expect detailed field-specific fertilizer application recommendations, as each lease operates under different tenant arrangements with varying fertilization practices.

The IDNR's primary objective is to verify that soil conditions remain adequate across their leased agricultural properties rather than to generate specific nutrient management recommendations for individual fields. Since tenant practices and fertilizer application frequencies vary significantly across the portfolio of leased land, the soil sampling effort will focus on baseline soil monitoring without prescriptive guidance. This approach allows the agency to maintain oversight of soil health across diverse management scenarios while accommodating the operational independence of individual lease holders.