25AL2386 Weinberg-King State Park-Spunky Bottom - Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is seeking bids for a farm lease opportunity at Weinberg-King State Park's Spunky Bottoms Unit, specifically covering approximately 323.50 acres of agricultural land. The lease is structured for a five-year term, running from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2030. Successful bidders must provide all necessary labor, machinery, tools, seed, fertilizer, and equipment to farm the land, with specific agricultural management requirements including leaving portions of crops standing for wildlife, controlling noxious weeds, and maintaining levee infrastructure. Bidders must submit pricing on a per-acre, per-year basis and comply with strict agricultural practices such as prohibiting neonicotinoid-treated seeds and dicamba herbicides. A non-mandatory pre-submission conference is scheduled for October 29, 2024, at 2 PM (CST), with bids due by November 13, 2024. The lease requires comprehensive reporting, including equipment lists, chemical and fertilizer application reports, and an agricultural seed application report, with potential for additional services subject to IDNR approval.

The contract is not subject to small business set-aside requirements, though the State encourages participation by minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. The most recent award was made to Lee Hood dba Hood Farms, with a total contract value of $452,916.20, equating to $280.01 per acre. Vendors must complete comprehensive vendor disclosures, including registration with the Illinois Procurement Gateway and certifications related to lobbying activities, current contracts, and taxpayer identification. The lease requires vendors to provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance listing IDNR as an additional insured, meeting minimum contract liability coverage requirements. Potential lessees must also submit an irrevocable letter of credit for cash rent and real estate taxes. The estimated gross revenue for the contract, including potential renewal terms, is projected at $1,168,905.39. Vendors must demonstrate compliance with federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and IDNR policies throughout the lease term.