Report Contents
What OIG Inspected
OIG inspected the Office of Fire Protection, located under the Directorate of Operations, in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.
What OIG Recommends
OIG made 8 recommendations to the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.
In its comments on the draft report, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations concurred with all 8 recommendations. OIG considers all 8 recommendations resolved. The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations’ response to each recommendation, and OIG’s reply, can be found in the Recommendations section of this report. The bureau’s formal written response is reprinted in its entirety in Appendix B.
What OIG Found
- The Office Director did not fully model the Department of State’s leadership and management principles.
- Overall, the office carried out its mission to prevent fire-related fatalities and injuries. The office reported three fatalities and five injuries from FY 2006 to FY 2020.
- The office lacked sufficient internal control procedures in the Department’s annual Statement of Assurance templates and in the Department’s Management Controls Checklist on fire protection.
- Limitations in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operation’s Real Property Application database impeded the office’s ability to fully monitor overseas posts’ compliance with requirements of its high-rise building mitigation program.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should incorporate in the Annual Statement of Assurance templates an attestation requiring overseas posts to have an effective fire protection program that complies with all applicable Department standards.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should update and include fire protection program internal control procedures in the Department’s Management Controls Checklist.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations should implement a plan to increase American employees’ participation in fire protection training at overseas posts.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations should modify the Real Property Application database to identify residential units and functional spaces located in high-rise buildings.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should implement options to address impediments faced by the Office of Fire Protection’s third-party contractors carrying work tools and fire system repair parts through foreign customs.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Global Talent Management, should implement overtime policy and procedures for the Office of Fire Protection that comply with Department standards.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations should bring its contract administration into compliance with Department standards.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations should implement records and information life cycle management standard operating procedures for the Office of Fire Protection in accordance with Department standards.