- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Grand Forks Business Files Bid Protest Against Alerus Center LED Scoreboard Project
LucentHD claims the project did not go through a public bidding process and is requesting it be rebid to allow for local participation.
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
LucentHD, a local audio-visual installation company in Grand Forks, North Dakota, has filed a formal bid protest against an LED scoreboard project at the Alerus Center. The company alleges the city did not put out a public request for proposals and instead used a cooperative purchasing agency called Sourcewell to advertise the project and award the bid to Daktronics, a South Dakota-based company, for approximately $4.3 million. LucentHD is requesting the project be rebid through a proper competitive public bid process.
Why it matters
This bid protest highlights concerns about transparency and fairness in the public bidding process for city-owned facilities like the Alerus Center. Local businesses want an opportunity to compete for lucrative contracts, rather than having them awarded through non-public channels.
The details
In the bid protest document, LucentHD alleges the city never put out a public request for proposals for the Alerus Center LED scoreboard project. Instead, the Alerus Center used a cooperative purchasing agency called Sourcewell to advertise the project and award the bid to Daktronics, a South Dakota-based company, for approximately $4.3 million. LucentHD is requesting the project be rebid through a proper competitive public bid process and that the city determine if using a cooperative purchasing agency for public improvement projects is legal.
- The bid protest and possible action will be discussed on Monday during the Grand Forks City Council's Commission of the Whole work session.
- The bid protest was also filed with the state attorney general, state auditor, and state Office of Management and Budget State Procurement Office.
The players
LucentHD
A local audio-visual installation company in Grand Forks, North Dakota that has filed a formal bid protest against an LED scoreboard project at the Alerus Center.
Daktronics
A South Dakota-based company that was awarded the approximately $4.3 million contract for the Alerus Center LED scoreboard project.
Alerus Center
A city-owned event center in Grand Forks, North Dakota where the LED scoreboard project is taking place.
Grand Forks City Council
The city council that will discuss the bid protest and possible action during their Commission of the Whole work session.
Sourcewell
A cooperative purchasing agency that the Alerus Center used to advertise the LED scoreboard project and solicit bids.
What’s next
The Grand Forks City Council will discuss the bid protest and possible action during their Commission of the Whole work session on Monday.
The takeaway
This case highlights the importance of transparent and fair public bidding processes for city-owned facilities. Local businesses want an equal opportunity to compete for lucrative contracts, rather than having them awarded through non-public channels that may exclude local participation.
