South Dakota attorney general opinion says school districts cannot bypass local bidding on construction; Warner board ends sports-complex contract

South Dakota Attorney General Official Opinion 26-03, issued June 25, 2026, concludes that school districts cannot use out-of-state cooperative purchasing arrangements to bypass competitive bidding for construction projects costing $100,000 or more, and that taxpayers can generally bring equitable actions to challenge unlawful, void school contracts. After the opinion, the Warner School District board voted on July 15, 2026 to terminate its contract with Mammoth Sports Construction for work at its athletic complex and to open bidding for the remaining work.