Custer State Park Visitor Center Film

The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks is requesting proposals for professional video production services to develop and produce a world-class introductory film for Custer State Park Visitor Center, with proposals due August 28, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. MST under RFP #26RFP19872.

The scope requires a 15–20 minute introductory film in 4K resolution with 5.1 surround sound designed for exhibition on a 20 × 50 foot theater screen in a 100-seat capacity venue. The film will highlight the park's landscapes, wildlife, recreational opportunities, and visitor experiences and serve as the centerpiece of the visitor center experience. Offerors must provide detailed cost proposals covering all production phases — development, pre-production, production, and post-production — including cast, crew, travel, equipment rentals, music, and editing. The state retains full intellectual property rights to the final film and all raw footage, audio, and unused material, though may grant non-commercial distribution rights to the production company at its discretion.

The total contract amount does not exceed $500,000. Contract commencement is anticipated November 6, 2026, with project completion by January 3, 2028; the contract may be extended at the department's discretion based on performance and mutual agreement. The state will pay upon satisfactory completion of services based on itemized invoices submitted with signed state vouchers under South Dakota Codified Law chapter 5-26.

Evaluation criteria include specialized expertise and technical competence, available resources, past performance record, availability and familiarity with the project locale, value-added options, project management techniques, and experience handling special constraints. Questions are due July 31, 2026, with state responses provided by August 7, 2026. Oral presentations may be scheduled for October 20–21, 2026, followed by potential proposal revisions from October 26–30, 2026. An award decision is anticipated for November 6, 2026. Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance ($1 million per occurrence), professional liability insurance ($1 million), business automobile liability insurance ($1 million per accident), and workers' compensation insurance as required by South Dakota law. Proposals must be submitted as an original hard copy and one electronic copy on USB flash drive. Questions must be emailed to Lydia Austin at Lydia.austin@state.sd.us with subject line "RFP ##26RFP19872."