RFB11052025 Lease 193 Acres for Hay Crop Production

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is seeking bids through Request for Bids (RFB) 11052025 for the lease of approximately 193 acres of state-owned agricultural land located at the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area in McCracken County for hay crop production during the 2026-2030 crop years. The Finance and Administration Cabinet, Division of Real Property, is administering this procurement in coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Bidders must submit sealed bids on a per-bale basis by 3:00 PM Eastern Time on November 5, 2025, with a public bid opening to follow, which will include a conference call option for interested parties. The successful bidder will enter into an annual lease contract with an initial one-year term renewable for four successive one-year periods, totaling five years, with renewal dates occurring between February 1-15 each year and lease periods running from March 15 to November 15 annually. Key requirements include mandatory property inspection by bidders prior to submission, compliance with native warm season grass management protocols, wildlife habitat protections with minimum 50-foot riparian buffer zones along streams and 30-foot vegetated strips along field borders, noxious weed control, maintenance of detailed records for Farm Service Agency reporting, and assumption of all crop maintenance, expenses, and risk from flooding or natural disasters. Rather than monetary payment, the successful lessee must provide white gravel (KY #610 or #3 rock) for Wildlife Management Area road improvements, with the annual obligation calculated by multiplying the bid amount per bale by total annual bales produced; if the lessee provides transportation, haulage costs are deducted at $7.15 per ton. A good faith deposit of $100, payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer, must accompany each bid submission.

The solicitation documents do not identify any specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, minority-owned businesses, or other restricted categories of vendors; the procurement appears to be open to all qualified bidders capable of meeting the operational and compliance requirements. No incumbent vendor or current contractor information is referenced in the available documentation. The Commonwealth reserves the unqualified right to reject any or all bids received. For additional information and to obtain bid forms, interested parties should contact Wendell Harris at (502) 782-0360 or wendell.harris@ky.gov, or Tim Kreher at (270) 488-3233 or timothy.kreher@ky.gov. The award value is not specified in the solicitation materials; the financial return to the Commonwealth is contingent upon the per-bale bid submitted by the winning bidder and the actual number of bales produced annually, with the gravel delivery value serving as the equivalent monetary consideration for the lease.