300 FW Atterbury FWA Farm LeaseBid Documents

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is seeking bids for a tenant farm lease at the Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area located in Johnson County, Indiana. The solicitation, identified as RFQ# 0030086561, is for agricultural land use, with the contract period spanning from February 10, 2026, through February 9, 2030. Bidders must submit a completed bid package by February 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Standard Time, with submissions accepted via email to JReeves@dnr.in.gov or by fax to 317-972-3275. The successful bidder will be selected based on providing the complete cash rent and all goods and services listed in Exhibit C, with additional consideration given to the highest dollar amount of additional cash rent offered annually. Evaluation criteria will include the bidder's previous performance and compliance history with IDNR farm lease agreements. Bidders must provide 25 percent of the total cash rent with their bid submission using a certified check, cashier's check, or money order, and all quoted prices must remain valid for thirty calendar days after the response due date.

The procurement opportunity includes specific set-aside goals for disadvantaged enterprises, including 8 percent Minority Business Enterprise, 11 percent Women Business Enterprise, and 3 percent Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business Enterprise participation. Bidders must comply with state and federal regulations, including nondiscrimination requirements, drug-free workplace certification, employment eligibility verification, and ethics obligations. The surety bond requirement has been waived for this farm lease. Respondents must register with the Procurement Division within five business days of notification if recommended for award, or the award will be canceled. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the lease requires the tenant to manage the agricultural land, including crop cultivation, using USDA Consolidated Farm Services Agency standards. The tenant will be responsible for all farming activities, including seed, fertilizer, herbicides, labor, equipment, and harvesting, with specific restrictions on agricultural practices such as prohibitions on neonicotinoid-treated seed and requirements for prior approval of certain farming activities.