STURGIS, S.D. – The Sturgis Council has approved a resolution that will revise the direction of the city’s Rally Sponsorship Program, as well as, authorize the issuance of an RFQI, or Request for Qualifications and Interest.

Sturgis City Attorney Eric Davis says it would replace the operator-transition direction of the program and continue the public-records and financial reporting framework for future rally years.

“We would continue the transparency and financial reporting requirements, the framework that was established this year for the bridge solution, and then the resolution would authorize the mayor and staff to issue what we’re calling a request for qualifications and interest, so that we could evaluate responses and pursue negotiations with a potential sales and development consultant. And then any resulting agreement from those negotiations, or the responses from the RFQI and any necessary funding, would return to the council for approval. So tonight’s vote would authorize only the direction and the process. It wouldn’t be selecting a consultant or approving any compensation.”

Davis says it would authorize the issuance of a RFQI for one consultant to work with the city to develop and sell additional sponsorship and trademark-licensing opportunities for the 2026-2027 Rally cycles.

Sturgis Mayor Rod Bradley says Council will establish policy, objectives and the contractual and budget framework and oversee results.

“The discussions in the plans would be along the lines of staff and administration working with council to decide, you know, who would be on a selection committee and a process for going through that,” Bradley said.

“So, this is the first step, and then we’ll just keep, ’cause there’s gonna be a time lag between the RFQI going out and, receiving them back and deciding how. So, that—those would be the next steps in the planning process of, piecing that together.”

The mayor would direct implementation through responsible city personnel; with program administration, fulfillment coordination and ongoing relationship-management remaining with the city.