Tuttle Creek Agricultural Permit - Limited Access

The Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks issued an Invitation for Bid on May 14, 2026, for an agricultural production permit covering approximately 79.4 acres of cropland at the Tuttle Creek Wildlife Area in Marshall County, Kansas, located approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Blue Rapids. The primary crops will be corn and soybeans, with potential for wheat, small grains, or milo as determined by the department manager, and a cover crop must be planted on a minimum of 20 percent of planted acres annually. Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of three years of continuous active participation in comparable agricultural operations and provide three professional references from the past three years, along with documented proof of legal access rights through neighboring landowners, as ingress and egress to the tract is not available through the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks or the Tuttle Creek USACE. The initial contract term runs from the date of award through December 31, 2026, with potential renewal for three additional three-year periods for a maximum of ten years, subject to mutual consent. Award will be determined by competitive bid for the highest annual cash rent on a per-acre basis, with annual rent payable in two installments: fifty percent due by April 1st and fifty percent due by December 1st. The bid closing date is June 16, 2026, at 2:00 PM CST, with questions required to be submitted via email in MS Word format to Procurement Officer Bridget K. Martinez no later than May 29, 2026, and bids submitted electronically to Procurement@ks.gov or hand-delivered to 900 SW Jackson, Suite 1001, North Topeka, Kansas 66612-1286.

Bidders may claim applicable preferences including the Disabled Veteran Owned Business preference or the Certified Business Bidder preference with supporting documentation. All bidders must obtain a current Tax Clearance Certificate from the Kansas Department of Revenue prior to submission and must submit certifications regarding immigration reform and control, sexual harassment acknowledgment, Israel boycott certification, telecommunications equipment certification, and other required forms. No bid guarantee is required, and electronic payment via funds transfer is mandated unless a hardship exemption is approved. The specific award value or budget range is not disclosed in the solicitation documents; rather, award is based on the highest annual cash rent per acre bid by the bidder. All bid responses become property of the State of Kansas and are subject to disclosure under the Kansas Open Records Act upon conclusion of the selection process. The State reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, waive informalities or technicalities, and award based on the Director of Purchases' determination of the State's best interest.