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Inspection of Embassy Budapest, Hungary

ISP-I-14-03A
    Report Contents
    Unclassified
    Recommendation Number
    1
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should establish a periodic process to assess and report to the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and the ambassador/chargé d'affaires progress toward meeting the goals of the Integrated Country Strategy.

    Recommendation Number
    2
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest, in coordination with the Foreign Service Institute, School of Language Studies, should develop a plan to ensure that all officers arriving at the embassy have the ability to carry out their duties at the designated skill level.

    Recommendation Number
    3
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest, in coordination with the Foreign Service Institute, School of Language Studies, should update the Hungarian consular module to reflect current vocabulary and conversational skills.

    Recommendation Number
    4
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should return performance-rating duties for the environment, science, technology and health hub officer to the deputy chief of mission.

    Recommendation Number
    5
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest, in coordination with the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, should create a separate budget for the environment, science, technology and health hub’s regional travel requirements.

    Recommendation Number
    6
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should implement a final staffing plan and reporting structure for the consular section.

    Recommendation Number
    7
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should rewrite position descriptions of the consular staff to match new responsibilities.

    Recommendation Number
    8
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should develop individual training plans for consular staff to eliminate gaps in substantive and procedural knowledge.

    Recommendation Number
    9
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Service, update its warden program to reflect changes in communications capabilities.

    Recommendation Number
    10
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should develop standard operating procedures for funding emergency consular services and repatriations.

    Recommendation Number
    11
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should require the financial management office to perform all functions required as the post’s designated billing office.

    Recommendation Number
    12
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should review its Integrated Logistics Management System supply-chain management workflow and eliminate unnecessary steps, while maintaining adequate internal controls.

    Recommendation Number
    13
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should establish and monitor a “due in” receiving file.

    Recommendation Number
    14
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should assess and determine the adequate level of cashier advances, placing special emphasis on reducing the volume of cash purchases and employing non-cash methods to reduce the Class B cashier’s and facilities maintenance subcashier’s advances and accountability.

    Recommendation Number
    15
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should implement a policy of direct payment of salaries to official residence expense employees by the ambassador and deputy chief of mission.

    Recommendation Number
    16
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should promulgate a new representational policy, in accordance with Department of State regulations, that allows direct payment to vendors of representation expenses.

    Recommendation Number
    17
    Closed Implemented

    The Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services should determine and assign financial liability for Budapest Bank Center Building lease termination penalty payments.

    Recommendation Number
    18
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should engage a local labor lawyer to review its draft locally employed staff compensation, local leave, and separation plans, in terms of recent changes to Hungarian labor law, and submit the amended plan to the Bureau of Human Resources for review.

    Recommendation Number
    19
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should clarify its leave policy in writing and direct supervisors to administer it fairly and consistently.

    Recommendation Number
    20
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should require the human resources staff to implement controls and establish a schedule to remind supervisors to submit locally employed staff evaluations by the due dates.

    Recommendation Number
    21
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should implement a plan to maintain control of stock inventory and to strengthen safeguards and control of property.

    Recommendation Number
    22
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should affix bar-code labels to all items immediately upon receipt.

    Recommendation Number
    23
    Closed Implemented

    The Bureau of Administration should review the dispatching documentation required of the Fleet Management Information System and 14 FAM 430, and eliminate requirements that are redundant and unnecessary.

    Recommendation Number
    24
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should implement a plan for safety training and medical certification of chauffeurs and incidental drivers.

    Recommendation Number
    25
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should develop a structured process to track the progress of the information technology portion of the chancery expansion project.

    Recommendation Number
    26
    Closed Implemented

    Embassy Budapest should update the employee association charter to reflect services provided, review provisions of the license agreement to reflect agreement on how to share responsibilities, and submit them to the Office of Commissary and Recreation Affairs for approval.