Haying, Fall River State Park, Fredonia Bay Area

The Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, through the Kansas Department of Administration's Office of Procurement and Contracts, seeks competitive bids for haying services at Fall River State Park in the Fredonia Bay area near Fredonia, Kansas. The procurement involves the harvest of native grasses from two hay meadow tracts: Gobblers Knob (approximately 28 acres) and Fredonia Bay (approximately 62 acres), located approximately 1.5 miles north of US Highway 400. Bidders must submit pricing in U.S. dollars per ton of hay removed, with the highest bidder receiving preference. The contract term extends from the date of award through December 31, 2031, with an optional one additional five-year renewal period subject to mutual consent. Key requirements include conducting all haying activities between July 1st and August 15th annually, cutting hay from the inside of each tract to the outside to allow wildlife escape, removing all hay bales and equipment by August 15th, obtaining prior written permission for any vegetation damage or chemical application, controlling noxious weeds as identified on the Kansas Noxious Weed Control List, and maintaining all department fences and improvements. Bids are due by 2:00 PM Central Standard Time on March 18, 2026, submitted electronically to Procurement@ks.gov or hand-delivered to the Office of Procurement and Contracts in Topeka. Written questions requesting bid clarification must be submitted by February 25, 2026, with answers provided as addenda on the Procurement and Contracts website. Payment shall be quoted per ton of hay removed, with payment required before hay removal from the property and a $10 per day late fee assessed for payment not received by August 15th of the contract year.

The State of Kansas does not restrict participation based on entity type or set-aside designations; however, bidders must submit a current Tax Clearance Certificate from the Kansas Department of Revenue with their bid response, along with completed Immigration Reform and Control, Boycott of Israel, and Sexual Harassment forms. Bidders claiming preferences under the Disabled Veteran Owned Business program or other bidder preference categories must submit supporting documentation. The State will confirm tax status of potential contractors prior to contract award, and any contractor found to owe a debt to Kansas may be subject to fund setoff. Political subdivisions are permitted to utilize contracts administered by Procurement and Contracts under the same conditions as other entities. No monetary bid guarantee is required, no pre-bid conference has been scheduled, and the Department reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and may waive minor deviations in specifications. The State assumes no liability for accidents, equipment damage, or personal injuries arising from hay removal operations and reserves the right to terminate the permit with 30 days' written notice. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the procurement documents.