27AL2339 Pyramid State Park - Denmark 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 Denmark Unit in Perry County under IFB 27AL2339, with bids due October 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM and a mandatory pre-bid conference on October 13, 2026, at 10:00 AM.

The lease encompasses approximately 479.60 to 534.48 acres across multiple fields and runs from March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2032, with no renewal option. The scope requires the lessee to operate farming services while implementing comprehensive conservation and wildlife-habitat practices. Key operational requirements include mandatory cover crop cultivation, specified crop rotations (corn, soybeans, sunflowers, millet, wheat), soil testing and maintenance per Illinois Agronomy Handbook standards, documented chemical and seed applications, and yield data collection. The lease prohibits neonicotinoid-treated seed and Dicamba herbicide; violations trigger immediate termination. The lessee must leave standing crop rows for wildlife, manage food plots and dove fields, and maintain soil pH of 6.2 with specified phosphorus and potassium minimums. No subcontracting is permitted except for cover crop planting/termination and hay baling operations.

Pricing is submitted on a per-acre basis for each contract year, with award based on total sum across all five years. The lessee must guarantee lease payments by prepayment before March 1 or irrevocable letter of credit, pay all leasehold property taxes by December 15 annually, and maintain general commercial liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate, plus auto liability and workers' compensation coverage. The lessee may provide services in lieu of cash rent at University of Illinois or Iowa State University Extension farm custom rates, with IDNR approval required for projects exceeding 10 percent of lease value or $10,000.

The State awards to the responsive and responsible bidder submitting the highest overall price. All required disclosures, vendor certifications, and the completed Offer to the State form are mandatory; non-responsive bids will be disqualified. Questions must be submitted within seven days of the pre-bid conference to Melanie Dodd (Melanie.N.Dodd@Illinois.gov or 217/524-1308). The bid must remain firm for 90 days from opening. Pre-bid conference participation is available in person at Denmark Multipurpose Building, 1165 Tangen Cemetery Road, Cutler, IL, or by WebEx.