Cropland Production Tuttle Creek WA in Marshall

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for crop production activities on the Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area located in Marshall County, Kansas. This procurement seeks a qualified contractor to manage approximately 1,297.6 acres of cropland production across eight separate tracts situated south of Blue Rapids, with operations spanning from Highway 9 and Vista Road west of the Big Blue River to south along Wildcat Lane to Apache Lane, and east of the Big Blue River south four miles at the Highway 9 and 13th Road intersection. The primary deliverables include establishing and maintaining cropland production while complying with detailed agricultural requirements, including mandatory planting of corn, soybeans, and milo; implementation of cover crops on at least 20 percent of planted acres; restrictions on fall tillage; adherence to approved pesticide lists; and noxious weed control. The contract period runs from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, with an option to renew for three additional three-year periods, allowing for a maximum contract term of ten years. The bid closing date is March 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM CDT, with submissions accepted electronically to Procurement@ks.gov or hand-delivered to the Kansas Department of Administration Office of Procurement and Contracts at 900 SW Jackson, Suite 451, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1286. Written questions must be submitted by February 25, 2026. Bids will be evaluated on a per-acre basis for each tract, with awards given to the highest responsible bidder for each parcel or combination of parcels; rental payments are structured as 50 percent due by April 1st and 50 percent due by December 1st of each year, collected in full for all acres planned to be planted and harvested except in flooding events.

Bidders must meet specific compliance requirements, including submission of a current Tax Clearance Certificate from the Kansas Department of Revenue, vendor registration with the State of Kansas, and completion of Boycott of Israel certification, Sexual Harassment certification, and Immigration Reform and Control Act compliance forms. Contractors may claim applicable preferences for Disabled Veteran Owned Business or Certified Business status if proper documentation is provided. No pre-bid conference has been scheduled, and no bid guarantee is required. The procurement is open to qualified vendors without specific set-asides, though contractors defaulting on delivery or failing to perform satisfactorily may be debarred for up to three years, and any debts owed to the State may be subject to offset against payments. No incumbent vendor or existing infrastructure integration requirements are specified in this solicitation. Award values are not explicitly stated but will be determined through competitive bidding on a per-acre basis, with rental payment structures of 50 percent due by April 1st and 50 percent due by December 1st annually.