WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Friday demanded that the United States Post Office (USPS) release a contract it signed with Oshkosh Corp that could be worth $ 6 billion to build up to 165,000 vehicles next-generation delivery system.
Some Democrats in Congress have been critical that the USPS has awarded a 10-year multibillion dollar contract to Oshkosh Defense, a unit of Oshkosh Corp, to build a mix of electric and gasoline-powered delivery vehicles instead of choosing Workhorse Group Inc to build a fully electric fleet.
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat who chairs the committee that oversees the USPS, said that “a thorough review is necessary to ensure that the award process is free from undue influence and potential interference.”
She demanded that the USPS release the final contract, all offers submitted, trading records and valuation factors by March 26.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has pledged at least 10% of the fleet to be electric vehicles, but he said in a letter on Thursday that, with government help, the USPS could commit to making the majority of the electric fleet in 10 years. He added that the USPS needs about $ 8 billion to electrify the new fleet to the “maximum extent” possible.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)