27AL2025 Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is requesting bids for agricultural farming services on approximately 230–257 acres at Big Bend State Fish and Wildlife Area in Whiteside County, with bids due October 21, 2026, and a mandatory pre-bid conference on October 8, 2026.

The lease encompasses a seven-year term running March 1, 2027, through July 30, 2032, with no renewal options. The lessee must manage the property according to a detailed cropping plan spanning 2026–2032, including mandatory crop rotations of corn, soybeans, sunflowers, wheat, and cover crops; cover crops required on a minimum of 139.50 acres annually. The contract prohibits double cropping, neonicotinoid-treated seed, and Dicamba herbicide use. Pioneer P63HE501 sunflower seed variety is mandatory, and sunflower fields must be maintained weed-free. The lessee provides all equipment, labor, seed, fertilizer, and insurance and must comply with soil-testing maintenance levels for pH, phosphorus, and potassium per the Illinois Agronomy Handbook.

Pricing shall be submitted on a per-acre basis for each contract year, with award based on the highest overall total price across all years. Payment is due half by July 15 and half by December 15 annually, guaranteeable through prepayment or an irrevocable letter of credit expiring January 31, 2028 for 2027 cash rent and January 31, 2029 for 2028 real estate taxes. Alternatively, acceptable services including chemical application, road construction and maintenance, drainage-structure installation, and wetland development may substitute for cash rent, reimbursed at University of Illinois or Iowa State University Extension custom rates; projects exceeding 10 percent of lease value or $10,000 require prior IDNR approval. The lessee bears all leasehold property taxes and must maintain general commercial liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence with $2 million annual aggregate, auto liability of $1 million per occurrence, and workers' compensation as required by law. Current valid state applicator licenses are required for chemical application.

Bidders must submit vendor disclosures or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosures, an Offer to the State of Illinois, the contract, Attachment G (Equipment List), and applicable Business Enterprise Program or Veterans Small Business Program Utilization Plans. Bidders currently liable for leasehold taxes on existing IDNR agricultural leases must provide proof of payment or non-delinquency documentation; failure to remedy delinquency results in deemed non-responsibility. No bid or performance bonds are required. The pre-bid conference is October 8, 2026, at 2:00 PM at 300 E Riverside Drive, Prophetstown, Illinois, with virtual attendance via WebEx. Bid submission is October 21, 2026, at 2:00 PM at DNR Headquarters, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, Illinois. Contact: Melanie Dodd at Melanie.N.Dodd@Illinois.gov or 217-524-1308.