Information prioritized for impact within the next 30–45 days:
Cross‑Sector & Workforce
Verizon announces 13,000 U.S. job cuts.
Verizon confirmed a major workforce reduction that could affect retail locations, network operations and vendor contracts in North Dakota.
Why it matters: Potential local store/contractor impacts; job seekers and employers may see churn in telecom talent.
Who’s affected: Verizon employees/contractors, shopping‑center landlords, IT service firms.
Dates: Announced Nov. 21. Watch for location‑specific notices in coming weeks.
Job Service ND employer/claimant portal maintenance (Sat).
Core systems will be down Sat, Nov 22, 7–11 a.m. CT, affecting new claims, job postings and wage reporting.
Why it matters: Time submissions and payroll integrations around the outage.
Who’s affected: Employers, job seekers, workforce partners.
Dates: Nov 22 window. Facebook
SBA National Small Business Week awards—ND nominations open.
SBA is taking nominations for 2026 awards honoring small firms and lenders.
Why it matters: Exposure for ND solo/online shops, contractors, nonprofits with 7(a)/504 success.
Who’s affected: Small/solo, e‑commerce, home‑based and nonprofit enterprises.
Deadline: Dec 8, 2025, 7:00 a.m. ET. Small Business Administration
Transportation, Logistics, Retail & Hospitality
Love’s Travel Stop opens in Sterling (I‑94).
A new 11,000‑sq‑ft Love’s opened at 3201 Hwy 14, Sterling with ~50 jobs, truck/RV parking, showers, laundry, CAT scale, Godfather’s Pizza & Subway.
Why it matters: Adds 59 truck spaces and 24/7 services on the Bismarck–Jamestown corridor; boosts local sales/lodging taxes.
Who’s affected: Carriers, oilfield traffic, RV travelers, foodservice vendors, short‑term rentals nearby.
Dates: Opened Nov 20; operating 24/7. https://www.kfyrtv.com+2CDLLife+2
NDDOT bid opening (today).
State highway project bids open today at 9:30 a.m. CT (Bid Express).
Why it matters: Near‑term heavy/highway and DBE opportunities; cash‑flow planning for subs.
Who’s affected: Road builders, truckers, materials suppliers, engineering firms, DBEs.
Dates: Nov 21 (today); additional dates Dec 12, Jan 16. NDDOT+1
Bismarck: Major traffic pattern change coming at I‑94 Exit 161.
DOT will shift traffic around the Centennial Rd. (Exit 161) interchange Wed, Nov 26 to continue construction.
Why it matters: Expect delays; adjust holiday staffing, deliveries, and curbside ops.
Who’s affected: Retailers, restaurants, delivery firms along E. Century Ave.
Date: Nov 26.
MDU planned power outage—Mandan (today).
Planned outage around noon today for ~2 hours in the Redwing Dr. area.
Why it matters: Protect perishables; notify guests/tenants; stage generators.
Who’s affected: Nearby homes/businesses (Mandan).
Date: Nov 21 mid‑day. customer.montana-dakota.com
Government / Nonprofit Service Providers
Minot Family YMCA to merge into Prairie Grit Adaptive Sports.
Prairie Grit will assume ownership/operations of the YMCA facility; programs continue with facility upgrades and expanded therapy/adaptive recreation.
Why it matters: Consolidation can change membership pricing, rentals, and vendor contracts; new grant/partnership avenues.
Who’s affected: Nonprofits, health/fitness providers, event renters, therapy vendors.
Timing: Announced Nov 21. minotdailynews.com
ND Ethics Commission turbulence continues.
Governor’s office says it’s “untenable” for the current commissioner to continue as selection leaders remain deadlocked; Commission weighing penalties for bad‑faith complaints.
Why it matters: Compliance climate and campaign‑finance advisory posture may shift for lobbyists, PACs, and 501(c) orgs.
Who’s affected: Lobbyists, advocacy nonprofits, candidates/committees, larger employers with PAC activity.
Dates: Updates Nov 19–20. North Dakota Monitor+1
Healthcare (Hospitals, Clinics, Payers, Public Health)
Behavioral Health procurements—two deadlines today.
• Transitional Living Residential procurement closes today at 12:00 p.m. CT.
• ND Recovery Center RFP: vendor Q&A deadline is today; proposals due Dec 12.
Why it matters: Near‑term contracting for residential and recovery services; plan staffing and licensure.
Who’s affected: Behavioral health providers, hospitals, nonprofits, grant writers.
Dates: Nov 21 by noon (close); Nov 21 (Q&A); Dec 12 (proposals due). Commerce | North Dakota+1
Energy (Oil & Gas, Power, Pipelines, Utilities, Renewables)
Industrial Commission meeting next week.
Agenda typically includes energy R&D grants and financing items across oil & gas, renewable, and infrastructure programs.
Why it matters: Possible funding/permit signals for energy developers and service firms before year‑end.
Who’s affected: Producers, pipeline/utilities, EPCs, lenders.
Date: Tue, Nov 25, 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CT. North Dakota Industrial Commission
Agriculture, Manufacturing & Ag‑Tech
Commerce awards Autonomous Agriculture Grants.
Grand Farm receives $7M (Phase II innovation campus in Casselton); Greenfield Robotics gets $500k for full‑season autonomous field pilot.
Why it matters: Contracting and pilot‑site opportunities; boosts demand for local fabrication, sensors, UAS, agronomy services.
Who’s affected: Growers, ag‑tech startups, equipment dealers, research/extension, training providers.
Dates: Announced Nov 19; activities ramp in 2026—vendor engagement starts now. Commerce | North Dakota
USDA FSA—Emergency Livestock Relief deadline is today.
FSA extended ELRP 2023/2024 Flood & Wildfire application deadline to Nov 21, 2025.
Why it matters: Last‑day window for producers to capture disaster relief dollars.
Who’s affected: Livestock producers impacted by 2023–2024 disasters.
Date: Today. Farm Service Agency
Education & Training (K‑12, Higher Ed, Private Schools, Providers)
ND EPSCoR Annual Conference—today in Grand Forks.
Focus on research partnerships, commercialization and STEM talent pipelines.
Why it matters: Networking/grants for faculty, startups, and tech employers; student recruitment.
Who’s affected: Universities, training providers, tech firms, manufacturers.
Date/Place: Fri, Nov 21 — Alerus Center, Grand Forks. ND EPSCoR
K‑12 federal programs monitoring window opens next week.
DPI’s federal Title programs documentation upload window opens Nov 25–Jan 20.
Why it matters: Private schools/LEAs and vendors should align invoices and evidence now.
Who’s affected: School districts, private/charter schools, PD providers.
Dates: Nov 25–Jan 20. nd.gov
Taxes, Fees & Compliance
Monthly sales/use tax reminders.
State notes monthly sales/use/gross receipts returns for November are due on the standard December due date; plan for holiday schedules.
Why it matters: E‑commerce, restaurant, lodging and marketplace sellers avoid late‑filing penalties.
Who’s affected: Small/solo, online shops, short‑term rentals, restaurants.
Dates: Filing due in December per monthly cycle. tax.nd.gov
Local Zoning / Permitting (Site Selection)
Grand Forks Planning Commission denies corner coffee kiosk.
Commission voted 4–3 (Nov 18) against a drive‑thru kiosk near 24th Ave S & S 34th St citing access/safety concerns.
Why it matters: Expect tighter scrutiny on small‑format drive‑thrus and corner‑lot traffic plans.
Who’s affected: Quick‑serve, kiosks, convenience retail, developers.
Date: Nov 18. ndbu.org