RFB01222026 Lease 97. 7 Acres of Agriculture Land

The Commonwealth of Kentucky's Finance and Administration Cabinet, Division of Real Property, and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources are issuing a Request for Bid (RFB01222026) for a five-year agricultural lease of approximately 97.7 acres of state-owned land at the Lake Cumberland Wildlife Management Area in Pulaski County, Kentucky. The property comprises three management units available for lease: the Poynter Creek Unit (46.0 acres), the Coldweather Creek Unit (33.3 acres), and the Yellowhole Unit (18.4 acres), all to be used for production of small grains or soybeans. Bidders may submit bids for one or multiple management units and must specify an annual cash rental price on a per-acre basis for each unit bid, with all rental rates remaining firm throughout the lease term. The lease term is one year, renewable for four successive one-year periods for a total of five years, with each lease running on a calendar year basis from January 1 through December 31. The bid opening is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 3:00 PM EST at the Division of Real Properties in Frankfort, Kentucky, with remote participation via conference call available; bidders must submit sealed bids on the provided form with a $100 good faith deposit and are encouraged to arrange site visits by contacting Cody Stephens or Kyle Burnett at the Lake Cumberland WMA office at (606) 677-1098 or (270) 483-0244 prior to submission. The successful bidder will be evaluated based on price and experience, with consideration given to past performance under previous tenancy contracts, and must comply with extensive agricultural and environmental conditions including soil testing every two years, maintaining riparian zones of at least 50 feet around all water bodies, leaving 2% of crops standing as wildlife food, adhering to crop rotation requirements, and maintaining the leased premises in good condition.

State employees are prohibited from bidding on this lease opportunity, and the Commonwealth requires all bidders to submit a notarized affidavit attesting to compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws. A 10% deposit payment must accompany the signed lease agreement by May 15 or before cropping activities begin, with the balance due by December 15 of each contract year; a 3% late charge applies if payment is not received by December 15. The Commonwealth reserves the unqualified right to reject any or all bids and will award the contract to the responsive and responsible bidder offering the best value. No specific incumbent contractor information or existing infrastructure integration requirements are identified in the solicitation materials. Budget or award values are not specified in the RFB documentation, as the lease rates will be determined competitively through the bidding process based on per-acre annual rental prices submitted by qualified bidders. Additional information regarding the solicitation can be obtained by contacting Kelly Hawkins at the Finance Division of Real Properties at 502-229-4366.