EXEMPT NOTICE: DNR Real Estate Acquisition, Dickson Mounds Museum

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has issued an exempt notice for a real estate acquisition involving 30.698 acres at the Dickson Mounds Museum located in Fulton County. This procurement is a direct land acquisition transaction, with the property being purchased from The Nature Conservancy for a total value of $385,000.00. The specific parcel is situated in the Southeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 12, Township 4 North, Range 3 East of the Fourth Principal Meridian, within the Town of Waterford. The acquisition was documented through a Plat of Survey completed by Ronald E. Cloninger, Professional Land Surveyor #2524, dated August 6, 2024, and recorded as Document No. 2515870 in Fulton County. The notice was formally issued on July 7, 2025, in compliance with 30 ILCS 500/1-10b(6), which requires public disclosure of state real estate transactions. The procurement timeline indicates a posting date of November 19, 2025, with a response deadline of December 9, 2025.

This procurement appears to be a direct acquisition without a competitive bidding process, as it is an exempt notice for state-level land procurement. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent organizations are explicitly mentioned in the documentation. The legal description of the property includes comprehensive boundary details, referencing adjacent properties such as former railroad rights-of-way, state highway routes, and residential properties. The acquisition includes portions previously platted as the Town of Manning, now known as Sepo. The total acquisition value of $385,000.00 represents the full budget for this real estate transaction. While no incumbent vendors are identified beyond The Nature Conservancy as the property grantor, the transaction appears to be a strategic land management initiative by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to expand or consolidate land holdings around the Dickson Mounds Museum.