TIVERTON — The RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM) invites proposals to lease a parcel of state-owned land in Tiverton for farming purposes.  Use of the property will be restricted to the raising and harvesting of agricultural products, and the lands may not be used for any other purpose.

A request for proposals has been issued for the 23-acre ‘Babbitt Parcel’ in the Sapowet Management Area in Tiverton.

The successful bidder pays a per-acre fee to the dsepartment each year to plant and harvest annual crops between March 1 and September 25 or October 1 of each year, for a five-year term. The successful bidder is required to plant and/or leave standing a small portion of crops for wildlife habitat and to plant a cover crop of winter rye, immediately following harvest of the principal crop. After the lease period of each year, the property reverts back to the Department for recreational use by the public.

Proposals will be accepted by the State of Rhode Island, Department of Administration, Division of Purchases, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI 02908 on behalf of DEM until Wednesday, February 24 at a.m. . Proposals should clearly reference the RFP # 7611830.

Questions should be emailed Thomas.Bovis@Purchasing.ri.gov no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18; all questions and responses will be posted on the Division of Purchases website.

 The full RFP, along with a Proposal Offer Form, is available at https://www.ridop.ri.gov/