Report Contents
What OIG Inspected
OIG inspected the executive direction, policy and program implementation, resource management, and information management operations of Embassy Oslo.
What OIG Recommends
OIG made 8 recommendations to Embassy Oslo. In its comments on the draft report, Embassy Oslo concurred with all 8 recommendations. OIG considers all 8 recommendations resolved. The embassy’s response to each recommendation, and OIG’s reply, can be found in the Recommendations section of this report. The embassy’s formal response is reprinted in its entirety in Appendix B.
What OIG Found
- Embassy Oslo’s Chargé d'Affaires established cordial relations with officials at the highest levels of the Norwegian Government and worked with them to accomplish U.S. goals and objectives.
- Some locally employed staff expressed concerns about the lack of a formal channel through which individual locally employed staff could confidentially bring workplace issues to the attention of embassy leadership.
- Behavior in one embassy section did not meet Department of State standards for a safe, civil, and respectful workplace environment.
- Embassy Oslo did not comply with Department requirements in administering its accommodation exchange program.
- The Embassy Employee Association’s board of directors did not sufficiently oversee the association’s operations as required by Department standards.
- Embassy Oslo’s high frequency radio network needed repairs, potentially hindering the embassy’s ability to communicate with regional posts.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
Embassy Oslo should bring its panel physician program into compliance with Department Standards.
Embassy Oslo should conduct a semiannual management review and spot checks of its expendable and nonexpendable property in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Oslo should comply with Department training standards in the use of powered industrial trucks, such as forklifts.
Embassy Oslo should comply with applicable Department overseas motor vehicle safety requirements for chauffeurs and incidental drivers under chief of mission authority.
Embassy Oslo should submit updated hotel and restaurant reports and educational allowance questionnaires to the Bureau of Administration in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Oslo should comply with Department procedures for accommodation exchange services.
Embassy Oslo should require the Embassy Employee Association board to conduct its oversight responsibilities in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Oslo, in coordination with Regional Information Management Center Frankfurt and the Bureau of Information Resource Management, should bring the embassy’s high frequency radio equipment into compliance with Department standards.