IVHQ - Farm Lease Yr - 5 Years

The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, operating through the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy (IVHQ), is procuring a farm lease for 34.11 tillable acres of unused property located behind Sunset Cemetery at 1707 North 12th Street, Quincy, Adams County, Illinois. The five-year lease contract, commencing upon final signature and terminating on February 28, 2031, requires the lessee to conduct a full farming operation including provision of all necessary labor, machinery, tools, seed, fertilizer, equipment, and insurance in compliance with state and federal regulations. Key deliverables and requirements include obtaining facility approval prior to spring tillage (after March 1), chemical applications, and any USDA Farm Bill program participation; maintaining notification protocols with the facility before all fieldwork, planting, tillage, and fertilizer applications; and compliance with Natural Resource Conservation Service soil conservation requirements and Illinois Department of Labor prevailing wage standards where applicable. Qualified vendors must carry 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. The contract prohibits subleasing and assignment without prior written approval, though bailing of wheat stubble, legume, or grass hay may be subcontracted. The proposal due date is March 20, 2026, with the posting date of March 17, 2026.

The lease does not appear to contain specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though a Minority Contractor Initiative fee of $15 is required if the contract value exceeds $1,000, to be deducted from the first payment issued. The lessee is responsible for all property or leasehold taxes assessed during the lease term, payable to the county treasurer with proof of payment required by December 15th annually. Payment is structured through either full prepayment within thirty days after contract execution and prior to March 1st each year, or through submission of an irrevocable letter of credit with half the annual lease payment due by July 15th and the balance due by December 15th. No incumbent vendor or current contractor information is specified in the procurement documents. While the specific annual lease payment amount is not disclosed in the available documentation, the contract structure indicates a defined annual payment obligation with potential extension provisions allowing a maximum total term not to exceed ten years including any renewals or extensions.