How to bid on the Sam Dale Lake farm lease for Illinois DNR

What Illinois is leasing

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is seeking bids for agricultural use of about 89.8 acres of state-owned farmland near Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area in Wayne County. The lease covers crop year 2027.

The estimated annual payment to the state is $4,041, based on $45 per acre. The solicitation estimates annual value to the vendor at $57,927.06. Review the bid documents for locations and acreage details.

Deadline and submission timing

Bids are due November 25, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET. Submit before the deadline and follow the response instructions in the bid documents.

Who this lease may suit

This opportunity may suit a farm operator or other agricultural business prepared to farm state-owned land for crop year 2027. It is a farm lease for agricultural purposes, not a general services contract.

How to access and respond

Open the solicitation’s detail page through “View original source.” The page is public, does not require sign-in to view, and lists the documents. The solicitation is on Illinois BidBuy under number 27-422DNR-REALT-B-54112.

To submit electronically, register a free vendor account on the portal. Otherwise, follow the submission directions in the bid documents.

Prepare a careful bid

Read the Invitation for Bid and check the detailed locations and acreage information before deciding what to offer. Confirm that the land and lease period fit your farming plans.

Review how the bid asks you to state your unit cost; the description says unit cost is the total value per acre. Check your calculations against the acreage and payment information, complete each required response item, and allow time to submit before the deadline.