27AL2335 Pyramid State Park - East Conant Unit Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is soliciting bids for agricultural farming services on state-owned property at Pyramid State Park's East Conant Unit under IFB 27AL2335, with bids due November 12, 2026, and a mandatory pre-submission conference on October 13, 2026. The State will award to the highest-priced responsive and responsible bidder — a notably unusual evaluation criterion for agricultural leases.

The scope is a five-year farm lease (March 1, 2027 through February 28, 2032) covering approximately 256 to 298 acres across multiple field parcels in Perry County near Pinckneyville, with annual acreage varying by year. The lessee must provide all equipment, labor, and crop production; implement a detailed cropping plan including corn, soybeans, cover crops, food plots, and idle field rotations; comply with strict pesticide restrictions (prohibiting neonicotinoid-treated seeds and Dicamba herbicides); maintain soil nutrient levels per Illinois Agronomy Handbook standards with annual soil testing; and carry general liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, auto liability coverage of $1 million per occurrence, and workers' compensation insurance as required by law. The lessee is responsible for all leasehold property taxes, with proof of payment due annually by December 15.

Pricing is submitted on a per-acre-per-year basis, with annual rates applied across five years. The lessee must guarantee payment through full prepayment by March 1 annually or via irrevocable letter of credit, with payment accepted in cash or as approved services (chemical application, field preparation, equipment operation, brush clearing, drainage repair, timber stand improvement) subject to IDNR approval. Projects exceeding 10 percent of lease value or $10,000 require prior written approval.

The pre-submission conference is October 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Denmark Multipurpose Building, Cutler, Illinois, with virtual attendance available. Written questions must be submitted within seven days of the conference. Bids must remain firm for 90 days. Contact Melanie Dodd at Melanie.N.Dodd@Illinois.gov or 217-524-1308. Bidders currently liable for delinquent leasehold taxes on IDNR agricultural leases must remedy the debt before award. No bid or performance bond is required.