Website Development and Docket Filing System

The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) operates a public-facing website, puc.sd.gov, that provides access to regulatory dockets, filings, orders, and information. The current website, originally developed around 2005, has limitations related to performance, search functionality, accessibility, and usability.
The current website has limitations due to outdated technology that affect the security, search functionality, accessibility, and overall performance. The largest and most frequently used portion of the site is the docket section, puc.sd.gov/Dockets, which includes dockets from 1976 to the present. Most docket documents are PDFs, with some Excel files. The website also provides archival audio recordings of PUC proceedings. The current website was created by the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunications and is maintained by PUC staff using Adobe Dreamweaver.
The PUC maintains a docket filing system, puc.sd.gov/EFilingOptions.aspx, integrated with its website, through which regulated utility companies, interested parties and others submit official filings to the commission. The current system relies on email for filing submissions and sending confirmations and requires PUC staff to review, process and post the filings to puc.sd.gov for public and staff access.
The PUC maintains a docket management system, separate from its public website, that uses Microsoft Access to record details about documents submitted for PUC dockets, including the document name, filing date of each document, and storage location of the document. Information is manually entered into the system by PUC staff; the process is not automated.
The PUC operates a separate public-facing site, donotcall.sd.gov, which provides information about the Do Not Call Registry for consumers and telemarketers.
The PUC operates a separate intranet, intranetpuc.sd.gov, for commissioners and staff only. The intranet includes archival records and confidential information that are available for commission use only.
Documents accessed through all the PUC sites are stored on state-owned drives and servers. The main site currently contains more than 133,073 files, occupying approximately 293 GB of storage space of the PUC's M drive (public materials) and 23,517 files occupying approximately 43.5 GB of the PUC's N drive (confidential materials) as of June 8, 2026.
The PUC is seeking proposals to design and implement a modern, accessible, and highperforming public website, with an integrative docket filing system, docket management system and, where appropriate, complementary intranet, that preserves the transparency and usability of its existing docket system while improving performance, search, and accessibility.
The PUC is a regulatory agency responsible for overseeing public utilities, including electric, natural gas, telecommunications, and pipeline safety and grain warehouse licensing and inspections, across the state of South Dakota. The Commission ensures safe, reliable, and fairly priced utility services while maintaining transparency and public accessibility in all regulatory processes.
The PUC website serves as a critical platform for: • Public access to regulatory information and decisions • Official docket filings and records • Communication between the Commission, regulated entities, and stakeholders • Daily operational use by commissioners and staff The selected vendor will be responsible for delivering a modern, reliable, and highly accessible website that supports both external public use and internal operational efficiency.