300FW Roush FWA Unit B Farm LeaseBid Documents

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is soliciting a competitive bid for a tenant farm lease at Roush Fish and Wildlife Area, Unit B, located in Jasper County. The procurement, identified as RFQ #86232, seeks a qualified agricultural tenant to manage and lease 204.1 acres of farmland with specific operational requirements. Key deliverables include providing unharvested crop buffers of at least 10 feet in each planted field, delivering a Caterpillar HM418 track loader forestry mulcher by February 1, 2027, and contributing $4,000 annually for wildlife habitat maintenance. The lease term is four years, commencing on January 25, 2026, with potential for renewal by mutual consent. Bidders must submit responses via email to Jen Reeves (jreeves@dnr.in.gov) or by mail to the Indiana DNR by Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. EST, with pricing for aglime or 28% liquid nitrogen fertilizer not to exceed $18,000 per year. The property involves 29 field tracts with crop rotations including idle, wheat, corn, and soybean, with an annual average of approximately 153 acres under cultivation.

The solicitation includes several set-aside designations and preferences for minority and women-owned business enterprises, with specific participation goals of 8% for minority-owned and 11% for women-owned businesses. Additionally, there is a 3% goal for Indiana veteran-owned small business enterprises. Bidders must be registered with the State of Indiana Procurement Division within five days of award notification and comply with state and federal legal requirements, including drug-free workplace certification and employment eligibility verification through E-Verify. The base cash payment requirement is $4.00 ($1.00 per year), and all prices must be inclusive of applicable charges and remain firm upon award. Bidders must provide comprehensive general public liability insurance with minimum limits of $700,000 per person and $1,000,000 per occurrence, along with automobile liability insurance with identical limits. While no specific incumbent vendor is mentioned, the contract includes provisions for potential lease termination by the landlord with 90 days' written notice and specific default conditions. The overall contract value is not explicitly stated, but annual costs are capped at $18,000 for fertilizer and include the $4,000 wildlife habitat maintenance contribution.