Inspection of Embassy Manama, Bahrain

Embassy Manama should implement a planning effort that has broad participation by mission staff and includes all sections’ programs. The effort should include quarterly reviews.

Embassy Manama should conduct separate town hall meetings at least once a year with direct-hire staff, locally employed staff, and eligible family members.

The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources and Embassy Manama, should address each time and attendance item cited in the Office of Inspector General memorandum on the subject and refer unresolved discrepancies to the Bureau of Human Resources for appropriate action.

Embassy Manama should restructure the first- and second-tour officers program to provide better professional development opportunities.

Embassy Manama should implement a comprehensive reporting plan to complement spot reporting with additional analytical economic and political reporting.

Embassy Manama should determine the need for a U.S. direct-hire office management specialist in the political/economic section.

Embassy Manama should establish an interagency strategy to expand U.S. exports to Bahrain that is consistent with the National Export Initiative.

Embassy Manama should require the political/economic section to use a standardized filing system in shared section files.

Embassy Manama should update consular standard operating procedures and post them on the consular SharePoint site.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should approach the Government of Bahrain to address lack of reciprocity in visa fees.

Embassy Manama should implement a missionwide public affairs strategy that clarifies key messages and priorities and integrates the Ambassador more closely into the full range of public diplomacy activities.

Embassy Manama should establish a media plan to address mission priorities.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of International Information Programs, should implement a broad-based social media plan.

Embassy Manama should implement standard operating procedures to help all sections understand their responsibilities in the International Visitor Leadership Program process.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, should fill the regional educational advising coordinator vacancy.

Embassy Manama should require the public affairs grants specialist to complete grants management training courses offered by the Foreign Service Institute.

Embassy Manama should implement standard operating procedures for followup with noncompliant grantees.

Embassy Manama should update local employee position descriptions in the public affairs section.

Embassy Manama should review, update, and reissue all management policies and post them on the embassy Web site.

Embassy Manama should review locally employed staffing and planned retirements and develop a hiring and succession plan to align future staffing with operational needs.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should conduct a space planning study based on future staffing projections.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should produce a comprehensive action plan on land and property acquisition.

Embassy Manama should seek Department of State approval to use non-Department of State furnishings in the deputy chief of mission residence.

Embassy Manama should bring its housing program into compliance with the Foreign Affairs Manual with regard to attendance and record keeping.

Embassy Manama should bring its housing selection process into compliance with the Foreign Affairs Manual.

Embassy Manama should require the housing board to implement emergency action committee decisions expeditiously.

Embassy Manama should bring active contracts exceeding $3,000 into compliance with Department of State regulations on trafficking in persons.

Embassy Manama should implement and publish a policy restricting use of personally owned furniture and furnishings and include the new policy in the welcome and overseas briefing center materials.

Embassy Manama should enforce its policy on residential inventories.

Embassy Manama should designate and train a backup shipping and customs employee.

Embassy Manama should adopt a policy that forbids drivers to put a car into gear until all passengers fasten their seat belts.

Embassy Manama should review and define the roles in its E2 process.

Embassy Manama should review and update the travel clerk’s duties and work environment.

Embassy Manama should implement standard operating procedures on how to prioritize facilities work in accordance with Department of State regulations.

Embassy Manama should cease hiring non-Bahrainis without government work or residency permits or clarify under what circumstances this practice will continue.

Embassy Manama should send the Bureau of Human Resources a new list of appropriate comparator firms to help determine whether a 1-month bonus is warranted.

The Bureau of Human Resources should complete its analysis of Embassy Manama’s request to update the local compensation plan.

Embassy Manama should update the hiring portion of its locally employed handbook and its 2008 recruitment policy.

Embassy Manama should update its policy on hiring eligible family members.

Embassy Manama should require at least one voting member of the employment committee to participate in all job interviews for eligible family member positions.

Embassy Manama should limit the number of American and Bahraini holidays to 20 or fewer per calendar year.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Bureau of Human Resources, should eliminate the regional designation of Manama’s human resource officer.

Embassy Manama should review its language designated positions and submit resulting changes for the Department of State’s 2014 triennial review.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should perform a cost-benefit analysis to determine the most cost effective location to process financial vouchers.

Embassy Manama should cease electronic funds transfer salary payments to official residence expenses staff.

Sensitive Information Redacted

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Frankfurt Regional Information Management Center, should conduct a survey to determine whether to relocate or augment VHF/UHF radio repeaters and dispose of equipment no longer used or needed.

Embassy Manama should require that a community liaison office coordinator attend emergency action committee meetings.

Embassy Manama should conduct an emergency preparedness seminar at least annually.

Embassy Manama should update the process by which the chief of mission reviews the annual statement of assurance.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Bureau of Administration, should implement an action plan to correct deficiencies in procurement operations.

Embassy Manama should bring its receiving function into compliance with Foreign Affairs Manual requirements.

Embassy Manama should bring its maintenance storage and accountability functions into compliance with Foreign Affairs Manual requirements.

Embassy Manama should designate a single officer to oversee locally employed staff overtime compensation.

Embassy Manama should require all drivers to complete a trip ticket from the automated system, or Official Form-108, and obtain passenger signatures for every trip.

Embassy Manama should cease providing expeditor and motor pool services for personal trips.

Embassy Manama should conduct a management review to determine whether to continue to provide cash accommodation exchange services.