Cheney State Park- Ag Services- Hay

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for hay harvesting services at Cheney State Park, located approximately 20 miles west of Wichita in Rawlins County. This procurement seeks competitive bids for hay harvesting on approximately 224 acres of prairie across eight designated tracts, with bidders permitted to submit proposals for East Side tracts (1-4), West Side tracts (5-8), or all tracts combined, but not individual tracts. The permittee will be responsible for all harvesting operations, equipment, machinery, labor, and crop management, and must maintain compliance with soil conservation practices, noxious weed control, and infrastructure maintenance. Pricing shall be submitted as a dollar amount per ton of hay harvested, with the permittee retaining 100 percent of harvested hay and responsible for removing all bales within seven days of baling. The contract period extends from the date of award through December 31, 2026, with an option to renew for three additional 36-month periods subject to mutual consent. Haying activities must occur between June 1st and August 31st annually, and three representative bales must be weighed at a local cooperative to calculate total tonnage. The bid closing date is May 13, 2026, at 2:00 PM CST, with electronic submissions to Procurement@ks.gov or hand-delivery to the Kansas Department of Administration Office of Procurement and Contracts in Topeka; written questions requesting clarification must be submitted to Procurement Officer Michelle Brown (michelle.r.brown@ks.gov, 785/296-2374) by close of business May 1, 2026, and the public bid opening will occur via Microsoft Teams at 2:30 PM CST on the closing date.

All bidders must submit a current Tax Clearance Certificate from the Kansas Department of Revenue, a Certification Regarding Immigration Reform and Control form, a Boycott of Israel certification, a Sexual Harassment acknowledgment form, and telecommunications equipment compliance certification with their bid response. The State of Kansas offers Bidder Preference Programs and a Disabled Veteran Owned Business preference program; bidders claiming these preferences must include supporting documentation. The permittee must maintain liability insurance, comply with all federal, state, and local laws including Kansas antidiscrimination laws, and cannot transfer or sublicense the permit without written authorization. Permit awards are determined by competitive bid for the highest cash amount per ton, with 100 percent of annual rent due by September 15th; no bid guarantee is required. Political subdivisions are permitted to utilize contracts at the same pricing. The State reserves the right to reject any bids, waive informalities, and confirm tax status of potential contractors prior to award, and all bid responses become property of the State of Kansas and are subject to the Kansas Open Records Act.