Description
This solicitation seeks a leaseholder for approximately 386 acres of state‑owned agricultural land within Pyramid State Park’s East Conant Unit. Bids will be evaluated on a price‑only basis, with the highest‑priced responsive and responsible bidder awarded a five‑year lease (March 1 2027 – Feb 28 2032). The lessee must provide all labor, equipment, seed, fertilizer, and insurance to operate a commercial farm, adhere to strict environmental and pesticide restrictions (no neonicotinoid‑treated soybean seed, no Dicamba, no biosolids), submit annual chemical, fertilizer, and seed logs, and pay lease‑hold taxes. Mandatory pre‑bid conference attendance is not required, but all required disclosure forms, insurance certificates, and the “Offer to the State of Illinois” must be submitted with the bid.
• Lease of ~386 acres for crop production (soybean, corn, wheat, cover‑crops) with an annual per‑acre value of $267.33.
• Five‑year term, no renewal option, with semi‑annual lease payments (July 15 and Dec 15 each year).
• Comprehensive environmental compliance, reporting, and insurance obligations; $15 minority‑contractor fee applies if contract ≥ $1,000.