Description
This contract awards the lease of approximately 1,500 acres of state‑owned farmland within the Galum Unit of Pyramid State Park for agricultural production from 2027 through 2031. The State will award to the highest‑priced responsive and responsible bidder, with no requirement for a bid bond or performance bond, and the lease payments are structured on a per‑acre basis. The lessee must provide all labor, equipment, seed, fertilizer, and insurance, adhere to strict conservation and chemical‑use restrictions, and submit annual reports (chemical application logs, seed usage, soil‑testing results) by mid‑December each year. The lease also includes provisions for cover‑crop planting, wildlife‑habitat management, and a mandatory $15 Minority Contractor Initiative fee if the contract exceeds $1,000. No subcontracting is allowed, and the State may terminate for cause or for convenience with 30‑day notice.
• Lease term: March 1 2027 – Feb 28 2032 (5‑year term, no renewal).
• Acreage: 268 ac (2027 & 2030), 346 ac (2028‑2029 & 2031) for a total of ~1,500 ac over the period.
• Pricing: Highest‑priced bid per acre; estimated vendor revenue ~$675 k over the 5‑year period.
• Requirements: Full farm operations, compliance with IDNR conservation practices, annual reporting, liability insurance, and adherence to chemical restrictions (no neonicotinoid soybean seed, no dicamba, etc.).