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Inspection of Embassy Rabat and Consulate General Casablanca, Morocco

ISP-I-13-30A
    Report Contents
    Unclassified
    Category
    Locations
    Bureaus/Offices
    Recommendation Number
    1
    Closed Not Implemented $171,000,000

    The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, in coordination with Embassy Rabat, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, and the Under Secretary for Management, should close Consulate General Casablanca

    Recommendation Number
    2
    Closed Not Implemented

    The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, in coordination with Embassy Rabat and the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should identify and procure suitable property adjacent to the new embassy compound for the construction of a consular annex.

    Recommendation Number
    3
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should establish an interagency working group on commercial advocacy and export promotion.

    Recommendation Number
    4
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat, in coordination with the Office of Management Policy, Rightsizing and Innovation, should use the rightsizing exercise and report to prepare a plan for adjusting International Cooperative Administrative Support Services positions, with the goal of consolidating information technology and human resources services with those of the U.S. Agency for International Development when the embassy relocates to the new embassy compound.

    Recommendation Number
    5
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should establish first- and second-tour professional development and mentoring programs for Rabat and for Casablanca.

    Recommendation Number
    6
    Closed Not Implemented $571,000

    Embassy Rabat, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Bureau of Human Resources, should request the transfer of the economic officer, position number 02-980001, from Consulate General Casablanca to Embassy Rabat upon the departure of the incumbent.

    Recommendation Number
    7
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should redefine the responsibilities of the embassy’s economic section as they relate to commercial work to align them with the Department of State economic statecraft guidelines.

    Recommendation Number
    8
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should require public affairs staff members on the board of the Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange to submit to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs an evaluation of the performance of the commission’s executive director.

    Recommendation Number
    9
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should require all locally employed staff members in the public affairs section who act as grants officer representatives to complete appropriate online grants training courses offered by the Foreign Service Institute by the deadline.

    Recommendation Number
    10
    Closed Implemented $40,000

    Embassy Rabat should eliminate two locally employed staff positions in the information unit of the public affairs section.

    Recommendation Number
    11
    Closed Implemented $53,750

    Embassy Rabat, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, should eliminate the eligible family member program manager assistant position number (88- 94037002) in the public affairs section.

    Recommendation Number
    12
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should require the consular section to implement a formal training program, including cross-training for locally employed staff in the consular section.

    Recommendation Number
    13
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should reissue the worldwide visa referral policy and enforce the Department of State requirement that the visa referral mechanism is the only appropriate method for mission staff to advocate on behalf of visa applicants or to request appointments for visa applicants.

    Recommendation Number
    14
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should provide the deputy chief of mission a monthly report on all Class A and Class B visa referrals and on all communications outside the referral system.

    Recommendation Number
    15
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should charge appropriate fees for diplomatic visas and correct misinformation posted on its Web site.

    Recommendation Number
    16
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should require supervisory officers to complete reviews of visa issuances and refusals.

    Recommendation Number
    17
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should complete and submit the results of validation studies on student visas and visa referral cases to the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Fraud Prevention Programs.

    Recommendation Number
    18
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should require the assistant regional security officer-investigations in Casablanca to spend 80 percent of his work hours on visa and passport fraud.

    Recommendation Number
    19
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should establish missionwide motor vehicle and housing policies consistent with relevant Foreign Affairs Manual guidelines.

    Recommendation Number
    20
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should require Consulate General Casablanca to collect fees for school transport.

    Recommendation Number
    21
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should reduce the deputy chief of mission’s official residence expense staff to authorized levels.

    Recommendation Number
    22
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should review official residence expense staff levels and provide the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs with a response on reducing the official residence expense staff levels at the chief of mission residence.

    Recommendation Number
    23
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should develop a hiring and employment policy for official residence expense staff and require that all employment contracts for official residence expense staff members conform to Department of State regulations, local law, and prevailing practice.

    Recommendation Number
    24
    Closed Implemented

    Consulate General Casablanca should complete and submit its post hardship differential survey report.

    Recommendation Number
    25
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should establish an International Cooperative Administrative Support Services budget committee.

    Recommendation Number
    26
    Closed Acceptable Alternative

    Embassy Rabat, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should rebid the current banking services contract.

    Recommendation Number
    27
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should request a Bureau of Human Resources review of its withholding of Moroccan taxes and take appropriate steps consistent with Moroccan law.

    Recommendation Number
    28
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should convene a survey board to determine the status of missing property and take corrective actions as necessary.

    Recommendation Number
    29
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should establish a preventive maintenance plan for U.S. Government-owned and long-term leased properties in Rabat and Casablanca.

    Recommendation Number
    30
    Closed Implemented

    The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with Embassy Rabat, should provide funds and project management oversight to repair the structural damage to the pavilion building at the Tangier American Legation.

    Recommendation Number
    31
    Closed Implemented

    The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with Embassy Rabat, should replace the extra fiber optic cable that runs to each workstation in the new embassy compound with category 6 cables with Ethernet connectors.

    Recommendation Number
    32
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should either sell the temporary duty quarters currently maintained by Embassy Rabat’s employee association or include it in a property swap for a consular annex site.

    Recommendation Number
    33
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should restrict community liaison office involvement and funding to activities that benefit the entire embassy community, such as newcomers’ orientation and morale and recreation events and programs.

    Recommendation Number
    34
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should suspend the honorary chairmanship of the Ambassador’s spouse for the American International Women’s Association until it obtains the required authorizations from the Office of the Legal Adviser.

    Recommendation Number
    35
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should cease all fundraising activities by the Ambassador’s spouse until it has obtained the required authorization from the Office of the Legal Adviser and the deputy assistant secretary of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.

    Recommendation Number
    36
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should cease all fundraising activities for private organizations by mission employees, spouses, and family members until the Ambassador determines that the activities are in the foreign policy interest of the United States and that there is very little or no appearance of preference or use of public office for private gain.

    Recommendation Number
    37
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should cease the sale to unauthorized personnel of duty-free packaged goods imported by the Embassy Cooperative Association.

    Recommendation Number
    38
    Closed Implemented

    The Office of Medical Services should conduct a staffing review of Embassy Rabat’s health unit to determine the appropriate number and mix of health unit professionals required to provide adequate medical care to the mission.

    Recommendation Number
    39
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should conduct a risk assessment of all management functions in preparation for the 2013 chief of mission management controls statement of assurance.

    Recommendation Number
    40
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should issue a cash advance to the two backup consular cashiers.

    Recommendation Number
    41
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should issue a cash drawer to the second backup consular cashier.

    Recommendation Number
    42
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Rabat should require the Class B cashier in Casablanca to return a copy of the general receipt, Optional Form 158, to the accountable consular officer within 24 hours of receipt of funds from the consular cashier.