27AL2338 Pyramid State Park - Captain Unit Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is requesting bids for agricultural farming services on approximately 92.10 acres of state-owned property at Pyramid State Park's Captain Unit in Perry County under IFB 27AL2338, with bids due October 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. and a mandatory pre-submission conference scheduled for October 13, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the Denmark Multipurpose Building in Cutler, Illinois, with virtual attendance available via WebEx.

The lease requires the awardee to operate conservation-agriculture farming that improves soil health, minimizes erosion, enhances water quality, and reduces chemical impacts to benefit wildlife habitats. The lessee must provide all labor, machinery, equipment, seed, and fertilizer; implement mandatory cover crops on designated fields; comply with USDA Conservation Plan Standards for all tillage; prohibit neonicotinoid-treated seed and Dicamba herbicide; conduct soil testing in years two and four at the lessee's expense; and submit annual documentation of chemical applications, seed usage, and yield monitor data to IDNR by December 15th. The contract term runs from March 1, 2027 through February 28, 2032, with no renewal options.

Pricing is structured as an annual per-acre bid amount multiplied by 92.10 acres across all five years. Award is based on the highest total contract sum. The lessee must guarantee annual lease payments through either full prepayment by March 1st or an irrevocable letter of credit and is responsible for all leasehold property taxes. Comprehensive liability insurance is required, including $1,000,000 per occurrence general commercial liability and workers' compensation insurance as required by law. IDNR must be listed as an additional insured. Bids must remain firm for 90 days. Public bid opening will be held in person and via WebEx at DNR Headquarters in Springfield. Bidders with delinquent leasehold taxes on current IDNR agricultural leases must provide proof of payment or non-delinquency documentation or face non-responsible status. A $15 administrative fee applies to any awarded contract of $1,000 or more. Illinois law governs; U.S. manufacturing preference applies where applicable. Contact: Melanie Dodd at Melanie.N.Dodd@Illinois.gov or 217-524-1308.