21AL2399 Rock Cut Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is seeking bids for agricultural farming services on approximately 96.4 acres of state-owned property located within Rock Cut State Park in Boone County, Illinois. The initial contract term will be from March 1, 2021 or upon signature of the IDNR Director, whichever is later, through February 28, 2025, with an option to renew for up to 10 years total. Interested vendors must submit a bid price per acre per year and either prepay the full lease amount within 30 days of contract execution or provide an irrevocable letter of credit to guarantee the lease payments. The vendor will also be responsible for paying all leasehold taxes on the leased lands during the contract term. The procurement will be conducted through the Invitation for Bid (IFB) process, and the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder submitting the highest rental rate per acre.

The IFB does not indicate any small business, minority, women, or veteran set-aside requirements. The previous contract for these farming services had a rent of $100.00 per acre, with 2018 taxes of an unknown amount and 2019 taxes of $2,833.43. The estimated financial return to the state for the life of the current contract is $38,560. The incumbent vendor was Jeremy Gieseke, who was awarded the previous contract through the IFB process as the sole responsive bidder.