27AL2377 Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is requesting sealed bids for agricultural farming services on state-owned property within Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area in Fulton County, with bids due November 12, 2026, and a mandatory pre-bid conference on October 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM.

The scope covers farming operations on 385 acres across multiple fields under a five-year lease term (March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2032) with no renewal options. The lessee must implement a detailed cropping plan prioritizing wildlife habitat protection, soil health, and water quality, and comply with strict prohibitions on neonicotinoid-treated soybean seed and Dicamba applications. All farming operations—labor, machinery, seed, fertilizer, documentation, and yield monitoring—fall to the lessee. The contract prohibits assignment or subleasing without written agency approval, except for cover crop planting and hay baling. Assignment or sublease violations constitute grounds for immediate termination.

Pricing is submitted on a per-acre basis for each of the five contract years (2027–2031), with award based on total contract value. The lessee must guarantee annual lease payment through full prepayment by March 1 or an irrevocable letter of credit; subsequent payments are split between July 15 and December 15. The lessee bears all leasehold property taxes and must submit paid receipts by December 15 annually. Historical leasehold taxes for the 464.5-acre property ranged from $7,550.72 (2021) to $11,573.42 (2025).

General Commercial Liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence with $2 million annual aggregate, Auto Liability of $1 million per occurrence, and Workers' Compensation coverage are required within 30 days of execution and annually thereafter. Bids must remain firm for 90 days. Bidders must submit sealed bids by November 12, 2026, at 2:00 PM through BidBuy (preferred) or in paper format. All required documents—Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, Offer to the State of Illinois, Contract, Attachment G Equipment List, and applicable Business Enterprise or Veterans Small Business Program Utilization Plans—must accompany the bid. Delinquent bidders on current IDNR agricultural leases must remedy tax debt before award or be deemed non-responsible. A $15 administrative fee applies to contracts of $1,000 or more. Contact: Melanie Dodd, 217-524-1308, Melanie.N.Dodd@Illinois.gov.