How to bid on the Chauncey Marsh farm lease for Illinois DNR

What the agency is leasing

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is seeking bids for a farm lease covering about 84.38 acres of state-owned land near Chauncey Marsh State Natural Area in Crawford County. The lease is for agricultural purposes during the 2027 crop year.

The estimated annual lease value to the state is $14,175.84, based on $168 per acre. The estimated annual value to the vendor is $66,943.72. The Invitation for Bid has the location and acreage details.

Deadline and timing

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

Who this opportunity may suit

This lease may suit a farm operator or agricultural business interested in farming state-owned land for a crop year. Review the Invitation for Bid for the parcel locations, acreage details, and terms before deciding whether the lease fits your operation.

How to access and respond

Open the solicitation’s detail page on the State of Illinois procurement portal, BidBuy. Viewing is public and does not require sign-in; the bid documents are listed there.

To submit electronically, register a free vendor account on the portal. Otherwise, follow the submission directions in the bid. The solicitation is 27-422DNR-REALT-B-54111, and the lease is 27AL2558.

Prepare a careful bid

Read the full Invitation for Bid and check the locations and acreage for each area before calculating your offer. Confirm how the bid asks you to state the unit cost and total value.

Build your estimate around the land and the 2027 crop year, and check that your figures are consistent with the acreage and per-acre amount you propose. Leave time to complete any portal steps and submit ahead of the deadline.