Fish Feed for Little Grassy Fish Hatchery - 4 year contract

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is issuing an Invitation for Bid for a four-year fish feed supply contract for Little Grassy Fish Hatchery in Makanda, Illinois (Bid Number 26-422DNR-DIREC-B-52088). The procurement seeks high-quality pelleted fish food in multiple formulations and sizes for catfish production, including crumbled starter feed (#0, #1, and #2), extruded floating fry feed (1.5mm and 2.0mm), and extruded floating fingerling feed (3.0mm, 3.5mm, 5.5mm, and 6.5mm). Feed specifications require minimum crude protein percentages ranging from 32% to 51%, specified fat content, fiber limits, phosphorus and ash specifications, and digestible energy ratios, with packaging in 30- to 60-pound bags and guaranteed nutritional content for at least twelve months from manufacture. Deliveries must be made within five days of order receipt, with approximately three shipments scheduled annually, on an F.O.B. destination basis. Vendors must submit feed formulation documentation including product labels or tags with feed analysis and digestible energy information at the time of bid submission and maintain general commercial liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence with $2,000,000 annual aggregate, plus auto liability and workers' compensation coverage as required by law. All bids must be submitted electronically through BidBuy no later than May 4, 2026, with award made to the lowest priced responsive and responsible bidder meeting all specified criteria. Bidders must submit required documentation including vendor disclosures, offers to the state, and business enterprise program utilization plans, with bid questions due no later than three business days prior to the bid opening date.

This procurement is not designated as a small business set-aside, though vendors claiming minority or women business enterprise status must submit either Formerly Forms A (for vendors not registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway) or Formerly Forms B (for active IPG registrants) along with any applicable Business Enterprise Program utilization plans. Vendors must complete multiple state registration and compliance requirements including Illinois Board of Elections registration, Secretary of State business registration (except sole proprietorships), IDHR registration if the company has 15 or more employees, and IPG registration if claiming MBE/WBE status. For contracts exceeding $100,000 in annual value, vendors must disclose any registered lobbyists and provide detailed information on existing or pending contracts with Illinois state government units. No incumbent vendor is identified in the solicitation documents, and no federal funding percentage or contract dollar amount is specified, with the state reserving the right to disclose these details upon notice of award. Awarded vendors will be subject to a $15 administrative fee deducted from the first check issued under the contract to support the Minority Contractor Opportunity Initiative, and the bid must remain firm for 180 days from opening.