25AL2213 Edward R. Madigan S. P. - Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is seeking bids for an agricultural farm lease at Edward Madigan State Park in Livingston County, covering approximately 226.70 to 318.75 acres annually from March 1, 2025, through July 31, 2030. The lease requires the successful bidder to manage cropland with specific agricultural practices, including crop rotation between corn, soybeans, wheat, legumes, and sunflowers, and maintaining 66-foot buffer strips between fields. Key deliverables include annual crop planting, soil maintenance, wildlife habitat preservation, and detailed documentation of chemical applications, fertilizer use, and seed planting. Bidders must provide an irrevocable letter of credit or prepay the full annual rent, maintain $1,000,000 per occurrence liability insurance, and follow strict environmental guidelines, including prohibitions on neonicotinoid-treated soybean seeds and Dicamba. A non-mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for November 19, 2024, at 10:00 AM, with bids due by December 18, 2024, at 2:00 PM. The contract will be awarded to the highest responsible and responsive bidder based on the total price per acre across the five-year term.

There are no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on vendor types mentioned in the solicitation documents. The lease does not indicate any preferences for disadvantaged business enterprises or specific organizational structures. No incumbent vendor is identified, and there are no explicit requirements for integrating with existing infrastructure or technology beyond the agricultural management specifications. The total contract value will vary based on annual acreage, with estimated annual payments ranging from approximately $50,000 to $100,000 depending on the cultivated acres each year. Bidders must demonstrate financial capability through a letter from a financial institution and are required to provide comprehensive vendor disclosures, including business information, compliance certifications, and potential conflicts of interest. The IDNR will participate in the NRCS Regional Conservation Partners Program, offering cost-share opportunities for cover crop implementation, which may provide additional financial benefits to the successful lessee.