RFB10292025 Lease 251 Acres for Crop Production

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Finance and Administration Cabinet Division of Real Property, is soliciting bids for a five-year lease of approximately 251 acres of agricultural land at the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area in McCracken County for crop production purposes. The procurement is structured to allow bidders to submit separate bids for either or both available units: Unit 2-4 (comprised of Tracts 2, 3, and 4) totaling 111.6 acres, or Tract 6 containing 139.8 acres. Successful bidders will be selected based on the highest share bid most advantageous to the Commonwealth, with bids submitted on a share basis whereby the lessee retains a percentage of gross crop sales receipts while the Department receives the complementary percentage. Key requirements include planting yellow corn on at least one-third of acreage annually with mandatory crop rotations, leaving 5% of crop acreage standing annually for wildlife, complying with soil testing and conservation practices, and assuming all risk and responsibility for maintenance, equipment, labor, and expenses. Lessees of Unit 2-4 must additionally provide $7,000 in annual in-kind services consisting of infrastructure improvements, road maintenance with approved contractors, or habitat management supplies and labor. Bids must be submitted in sealed format by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, with a $100.00 good faith deposit payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer required to accompany each bid. Site inspections are strongly encouraged, and bidders should contact Tim Kreher at 270-488-3233 or timothy.kreher@ky.gov for bid forms and additional information; the public bid opening will occur on October 29, 2025, with dial-in access available.

The solicitation documents do not identify any set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions limiting eligible bidders to specific organization types, indicating that the opportunity is open to qualified private entities meeting the operational requirements. The lease term covers five consecutive crop years from 2026 through 2030, with annual renewals occurring between February 1-15, and rental payments must be submitted within 10 days of crop sale completion with a 3% late charge applied for overdue payments. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available solicitation materials. The Commonwealth's primary objectives are to generate income to offset operational expenses of the Wildlife Management Area while ensuring an adequate food supply for wildlife populations and maintaining recreational opportunities for public users. No specific award values or budget ranges are disclosed in the provided documentation; compensation is structured entirely on a crop share percentage basis negotiated through the competitive bidding process. For additional information regarding this opportunity, interested parties should contact Kelly Hawkins at 502-229-4366 or correspond with the Finance Division of Real Properties at The Bush Building, 403 Wapping Street, 3rd Floor, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-2607.