02.15.24

Hoeven, Cramer, Armstrong Secure Commitment to Expand USPS Audit to Include Dickinson, Grand Forks & Fargo

Delegation: Inspector General to also Review Process & Transparency of Proposals to Relocate Mail Processing

WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Congressman Kelly Armstrong today announced that following their request, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Inspector General has agreed to expand its postal audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District to include Dickinson, Grand Forks and Fargo, in addition to the ongoing audit of facilities in Bismarck, Mandan and Minot:

  • The North Dakota delegation requested the expansion of the audit to include additional North Dakota facilities, highlighting specific issues, including:
    • Mail and newspaper delays.
    • Broken and unavailable cluster box units (CBUs).
    • Ongoing concerns and questions regarding USPS’ proposal to relocate some mail processing in the Bismarck and Grand Forks region.
  • As part of the audit, the Inspector General committed to address specific issues at the North Dakota facilities.
  • The full audit report of the Minnesota-North Dakota District is expected to be released in late March or early April.
  • Separately, the USPS IG informed the delegation that it is conducting a review of the USPS’ nationwide effort to relocate mail processing at certain facilities.
    • The North Dakota delegation has heard concerns from constituents regarding the Mail Processing Facility Reviews (MFPRs) being undertaken in Bismarck and Grand Forks.
    • This IG report is expected to evaluate the MFPR process and include findings and recommendations on how to improve the process.
  • This comes in addition to commitments the delegation recently secured from USPS to:
    • Ensure local newspapers are not sent to Fargo for processing but rather remain within their respective communities for prompt delivery.
    • Meet with local stakeholders and answer questions once the MFPR process has concluded to discuss proposed changes in Bismarck and Grand Forks.

“This expansion of USPS’ audit is welcome news, considering the wide range of challenges facing mail delivery in North Dakota,” said the delegation. “Our state’s residents rely on timely delivery of mail, medication and newspapers, and it is imperative that USPS identify the causes of these issues and resolve them as soon as possible. We look forward to the results of this audit and will continue working to secure improvements to mail service across North Dakota.”

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