RFB 12152021 agricultural land lease at boatwright WMA

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Division of Real Properties, on behalf of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, is seeking bids for a five-year agricultural land lease at the Boatwright Wildlife Management Area (Swan Unit) in La Center, Ballard County, Kentucky. This Request for Bid (RFB) solicitation, issued on November 19, 2021, with a bid closing deadline of December 15, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. EST, seeks qualified agricultural operators to lease approximately 821.9 acres designated for annual grain production, primarily soybeans, along with an additional 172 acres to be planted with yellow corn or alternative crops as directed by the supervising biologist, for a combined total of 993.9 acres. The successful bidder will be responsible for all farming operations, equipment, labor, and supplies necessary to maintain the leased agricultural land. The lease term consists of one initial year with the option to renew for four successive one-year periods, with renewals occurring between February 1-15 annually, and the crop year running from March 15 through October 25. Bids must be submitted in person at the Division of Real Properties, Bush Building, 403 Wapping Street, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-2607, with the minimum bid set at $40.00 per acre on a cash bid basis, and rental rates remaining firm for the entire five-year lease period. Bidders are strongly encouraged to inspect the property prior to submission to assess access conditions, field locations, and site-specific constraints. A good faith deposit of $100.00, payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer, must accompany each bid.

The solicitation does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to particular enterprise categories. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available documentation. The successful bidder must provide additional in-kind services deducted from final annual payments, including up to $60,000 in white rocks for road maintenance, up to 1,200 bushels of winter wheat for goose management, up to $6,500 in chemical and fertilizer applications, up to $25,000 in heavy equipment services, and up to $10,000 in food plot seed. The lessee assumes all risk from flooding and natural disasters and must comply with strict environmental, conservation, and wildlife habitat management requirements, including soil testing, specific tillage practices, riparian buffer zones, pesticide restrictions, and noxious weed control. Payment terms require a 10 percent spring deposit due in February of each contract year, with the balance due December 1st, subject to a three percent late charge if unpaid by the specified date. Interested parties should contact Wendell Harris at 502-564-9831 for additional information regarding the opportunity.