Report Contents
What OIG Inspected
OIG inspected the executive direction, program and policy implementation, management controls, and resource management operations of Embassy Riyadh. The inspection included Consulates General Dhahran and Jeddah.
What OIG Recommended
This report includes 29 recommendations. OIG made 27 recommendations to Embassy Riyadh to improve embassy operations; one to the Bureau of Consular Affairs regarding handling of security threat information; and one to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs regarding the educational advising center in Dhahran.
In its comments on the draft report, the Department concurred with 28 recommendations and disagreed with 1. OIG considers all recommendations resolved. The Department’s response to each recommendation, and OIG’s reply, can be found in the Recommendations section of this report. The Department’s formal written responses are reprinted in their entirety in Appendix B.
What OIG Found
- The Chargé d’Affaires and the acting Deputy Chief of Mission worked as a team, leading the embassy’s country team in pursuing the administration’s priorities for a key bilateral relationship. However, staff reported the Chargé limited his communications to a small group of employees and did not always include all relevant offices in meetings he chaired.
- Embassy Riyadh lacked procedures to review sensitive threat information related to the safety of both official and nonofficial Americans living and working in Saudi Arabia.
- Embassy reporting met policy makers’ needs and supported the mission’s Integrated Country Strategy goals.
- Public diplomacy programming promoted strategic goals in a challenging environment that limited mixed-gender social interaction and required host government approval for most outreach activities.
- During the inspection, the embassy began to address weaknesses in passport audits, the visa referral program, fraud prevention, and crisis preparedness.
- Spotlight on Success: Public diplomacy programming promoting study in the United States reached 80 percent of local social media users.
- Spotlight on Success: Innovations in the Facilities Management Section improved oversight and could save the U.S. Government more than $3 million.
- Spotlight on Success: An embassy-developed procedure for monitoring unclassified equipment and network performance improved customer service and productivity.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
Embassy Riyadh should implement strategic plans to allocate mission-wide reporting, travel, and representation resources according to Integrated Country Strategy priorities.
Embassy Riyadh should implement the commitments made in its approval for the Department of Energy Office Director position.
Embassy Riyadh should implement a plan to eliminate duplication of the existing responsibilities of the Political/Military and Office of Program Management- Ministry of Interior Sections with the new Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché position.
Embassy Riyadh should implement standard operating procedures for convening Emergency Action Committee meetings that provide for attendance as required by Department standards.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs, in coordination with Embassy Riyadh and the Bureaus of Diplomatic Security, Intelligence and Research, and Near Eastern Affairs, should establish a process for assessing sensitive security threat information that appropriately addresses the requirements of the no double standard policy in Saudi Arabia.
Embassy Riyadh should seek a legal review and opinion from the Office of the Legal Adviser about whether the Office of Program Management-Ministry of Interior’s U.S. Program Director may use a dedicated Ministry of Interior self-drive vehicle for business and non-official purposes.
Embassy Riyadh should require that Consulate General Dhahran’s Public Affairs Officer report directly to the Consul General and manage a separate Public Affairs Section
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs should require that a Regional Educational Advising Coordinator visit the Dhahran EducationUSA Advising Center to evaluate and certify its level of service.
Embassy Riyadh should maintain complete State Assistance Management System-Overseas records of its Federal assistance activity in accordance with Department standards and guidance.
Embassy Riyadh should include Grants Officer Representative designation letters in official Federal award files in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Riyadh should require that the Consulate General Dhahran Public Affairs Officer obtain a grants officer warrant and refer the matter to the Office of Legal Counsel if warranted.
Embassy Riyadh should conduct required audits of adjudicated passport applications in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Riyadh should implement nonimmigrant visa referral procedures that conform to Department standards.
Embassy Riyadh should implement procedures that conform to Department standards on the use of U.S. Government telecommunications equipment for personal use, and put $40,296 to better use.
Embassy Riyadh should require supervisors to approve overtime in advance and in writing.
Embassy Riyadh, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should implement procedures to require U.S. direct-hire employees to comply with Department of State Standard Regulation 532 a)2) and collect overpayments made in cases of non-compliance.
Embassy Riyadh should implement procedures for the use of cash payments, in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Riyadh, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should reprogram at least one program-funded information management position to an International Cooperative Administrative Support Services-funded position to realize funds put to better use of up to $153,480.
Embassy Riyadh should submit the Retail Price Schedule and Hotel and Restaurant Survey to the Bureau of Administration Office of Allowances.
Embassy Riyadh should update its embassy and consulates general post reports.
Embassy Riyadh should update its Locally Employed Staff Performance Management Policy Guidebook.
Embassy Riyadh should require supervisors to complete locally employed staff performance evaluations on time and hold supervisors accountable for non-compliance.
Embassy Riyadh, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should determine the per employee cost of the homeward passage benefit and pay it to eligible employees through the payroll system to realize funds put to better use of $361,773.
Embassy Riyadh should require all professional and incidental drivers under chief of mission authority to comply with applicable Department motor vehicle safety training requirements.
Embassy Riyadh should follow required management control procedures for fuel coupons.
Embassy Riyadh should conduct its bulk fuel operations in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Riyadh should complete an annual mission-wide acquisition plan.
Embassy Riyadh should conduct an annual utilization survey of its personal property inventory.
Embassy Riyadh should require that Information Systems Security Officers perform information security duties in accordance with Department guidance.