RFB 09022021 agriculture land lease at big rivers WMA

The Commonwealth of Kentucky's Finance and Administration Cabinet Division of Real Properties, in coordination with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, issued Request for Bids (RFB 785 2200000073) on August 5, 2021, for a five-year agricultural lease of approximately 895 acres of row crop land at the Big Rivers Wildlife Management Area located in Union and Crittenden Counties, Kentucky. The procurement seeks qualified agricultural operators to lease three separate tracts: Union County (228 acres), Crittenden South (280 acres), and Crittenden North (387 acres), with bidders permitted to submit bids on any or all tracts. The lease encompasses a five-year crop rotation plan maintaining approximately 50% yellow corn and 50% soybeans throughout the contract term, structured as an initial one-year agreement renewable for up to four successive yearly renewals. Key deliverables and obligations include submitting annual per-acre rental rates for row crop acreage on each tract, leaving an assigned percentage of crop in fields for wildlife purposes, delivering 125 bushels of wheat seed annually to Crittenden tracts, providing $1,000 worth of road maintenance rock per year, and performing initial soil testing with fertilizer application per University of Kentucky Extension recommendations. Lessees must maintain compliance with Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources wildlife habitat management requirements, with penalties of $750 for failure to coordinate pre-harvest crop placement and $250 per acre for damage to non-crop areas. Sealed bids were required to be submitted by September 2, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. EDT to the Division of Real Properties at The Bush Building, 403 Wapping Street, 3rd Floor, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, with property inspections encouraged through coordination with Thomas Young (Supervising Wildlife Biologist) and John Zimmer (Big Rivers Game Management Foreman); interested parties could contact Holly Thompson at 502-782-0373 for additional information, and online bidding was prohibited.

The solicitation documents do not specify set-asides or restrictions limiting eligible bidder classifications, disadvantaged enterprise designations, or small business preferences. No incumbent contractors or previous lessees are identified in the available documentation. The lease structure includes specific payment terms requiring a $100 deposit check with each bid submission, a 10% spring deposit, and a security bond for the estimated 90% balance due upon acceptance of the annual agreement in February of each contract year, with final payment adjusted and due by December 1st and subject to a 3% late charge if payment is not received by November 15th. A grain bin located in the Crittenden North Tract is available to the successful bidder for an additional $500 per crop year. Rental rates are required to remain firm for the entire five-year lease term, though specific per-acre pricing ranges or total anticipated contract values are not disclosed in the solicitation documents. The commodity classification for this lease is Crop Farming (Not Otherwise Classified) under commodity code 94438.