RFB11212025 Hay Harvest/Sale of Hay 150 Acres

The Commonwealth of Kentucky's Finance and Administration Cabinet, Division of Real Properties, on behalf of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, is soliciting bids for hay harvest services at Simon Kenton Wildlife Management Area in Mason County, Kentucky, covering approximately 150 acres under Request for Bid (RFB) 785 2600000223. The procurement requires the successful bidder to cut, bale, rake, and remove hay annually, with harvesting commencing no earlier than August 1 and all hay removed by October 1 each year over a five-year contract term. Additionally, the bidder must lime the fields once during the contract period at a rate of 4 tons per acre (600 tons total) and sow a Ladino White Clover and Medium Red Clover mix twice during the contract period on non-consecutive years between February 15 and March 1. The successful bidder must obtain commercial general liability insurance with minimum coverage of $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, with the Commonwealth named as an additional insured, and must comply with all state and federal laws, including Indiana Bat mitigation and archaeological site preservation requirements. Pricing shall be submitted as a lump sum amount per acre for Year 1 (2026), considered site preparation, and a per-acre rate for Years 2-5 (2027-2030), with 100% payment due upfront at contract signing each year. A good faith deposit of $100 is required with bid submission and will be deducted from rental payments. Bids must be submitted in person on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. ET at the Bush Building, 403 Wapping Street, Frankfort, Kentucky, and inquiries must be submitted no later than ten days prior to the bid deadline to Wendell Harris at 502-782-0360 or wendell.harris@ky.gov.

The solicitation documents do not specify any set-aside designations or restrictions limiting eligibility to particular organization types, disadvantaged enterprises, or veteran-owned businesses, suggesting this opportunity is open to qualified bidders generally. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available documentation. The Department of Fish and Wildlife reserves the right to withdraw acreage from annual leases at its discretion for soil and water conservation or wildlife habitat management purposes, with payment adjustments made accordingly, and all ingress and egress routes must be approved by the Department prior to operations. The bidder is responsible for maintaining public roads and rights-of-way, protecting infrastructure including telephone lines, ditches, bridges, and fences, and managing fire prevention on the licensed area. The specific contract value or budget range is not disclosed in the solicitation documents; however, pricing is based on per-acre rates established through the competitive bidding process for Year 1 and subsequent years across the 150-acre tract. Additional information regarding this opportunity can be obtained by contacting Kelly Hawkins at 502-229-4366.