IDNR - Kankakee River Firewood Contract

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is soliciting competitive bids for a firewood concession operation at Kankakee River State Park in Bourbonnais, Illinois under Invitation for Bid number 26-422DNR-DIREC-B-51232. The procurement is open to qualified vendors who will be responsible for supplying and selling Illinois Native Firewood to park visitors and campground guests, with firewood sourced from within 50 miles of the concession location or, if sourced beyond that distance, must be heat-treated firewood in original USDA packaging. The vendor must provide and install an approved firewood sales stand, trailer, or kiosk at a location designated by the Site Superintendent and maintain this infrastructure throughout the contract term. Required operational hours span May 1 through October 31 annually, with optional extended dates available upon written approval. The initial contract term runs from the governor's signature or January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2030, with options to renew for up to five additional years, with the maximum total contract term not exceeding ten years. Vendor qualifications include maintaining general commercial liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence with $2,000,000 annual aggregate, auto liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and workers' compensation insurance as required by law, with IDNR named as additional insured. The pre-bid conference is scheduled for March 6, 2026, at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time via WebEx, and all bids must be submitted electronically through BidBuy by the March 20, 2026, deadline. Prospective bidders may submit questions no later than seven days after the pre-submission conference, with official responses posted as bid amendments on BidBuy. Evaluation criteria focus on the highest responsive and responsible bid, with award determined by the sum of initial five-year payments plus renewal five-year payments.

This procurement is not designated as a small business set-aside, and there are no indicated set-asides for minority-owned, women-owned, or disadvantaged business enterprises. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are referenced in the available documentation. Vendors responding to this opportunity must be registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG) or complete comprehensive vendor disclosure forms, including certifications regarding compliance with state and federal requirements, drug-free workplace standards, environmental regulations, equal employment opportunity provisions, and restrictions on political contributions for contracts exceeding $50,000. The pricing structure is based on annual rent payments, with the state requiring minimum annual rent of at least $150 per year, with payments due by April 30 each year accompanied by supporting Profit and Loss Statements submitted by May 1. Vendors must also submit competitive pricing for firewood goods sold to the public, subject to IDNR approval and verification of market competitiveness, and are prohibited from utilizing subcontractors. A $15 administrative fee is required for any bidder awarded a contract valued at $1,000 or more, to be deducted from the first payment issued. The contract is contingent upon appropriation of funds by the Illinois General Assembly, and the state retains the right to terminate for convenience with thirty days' notice.