On July 30, 2024, the State of South Dakota held a groundbreaking ceremony for Project BISON. Bureau of Finance and Management Commissioner Jim Terwilliger hosted the event and welcomed Governor Noem, who shared her thoughts about the project. Attendees also heard from State Auditor Rich Sattgast, Mark Vail of Oracle, Brian Christenson of Sierra-Cedar, Kirk Teal of ISG, and Jack Kreiser of BerryDunn.

Governor Noem recounted a story about one of her first meetings with Governor Daugaard after being elected. In this meeting, Governor Daugaard advised her "Kristi, you're going to have to put in a whole new software system" due to the outdated nature of the current system, which poses vulnerabilities for the State. Although State officials recognized the need for a new system, budget constraints had prevented action during Daugaard’s term. He emphasized that this needed to be a priority for Governor Noem.

Governor Noem explained how each State agency interacts with the financial system and how Project BISON will impact all agencies. She discussed researching the best methods and costs for the update while maintaining current financial systems. She acknowledged that while Project BISON might not result in something visibly impressive like a new building, it was the right thing to do. Governor Noem emphasized that investing in these systems is crucial for the safekeeping of taxpayer dollars and information, reflecting the State’s respect for every individual.

She further elaborated on Project BISON, the Business Information and System for Operational Needs, and the symbolism of the American bison, which represents strength and endurance. The bison is the only animal that, when faced with a storm, will turn into the storm and face it head on. "That's what I think this project is,” Governor Noem said. “We saw a challenge that we had in our State to protect taxpayer information and dollars, and we faced that challenge head-on and undertook this project to walk through that challenge even faster."

Governor Noem highlighted the benefits of the new BISON system, including long-term stability, enhanced financial controls, new security measures, standardized business practices across state government, and access to real-time data. She closed her remarks by thanking everyone who will work on Project BISON over the next couple of years. "So, until then, we're going to continue to work much like the bison does, with strength, endurance, and determination to make sure that we're doing due diligence by protecting people here in South Dakota." 

Project BISON is in the early stages in its official implementation, with a go-live date set for July 2026.