Report Contents
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
The Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, in coordination with the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations and the Office of the Legal Adviser, should define the meaning of “whole-of-government” approach to conflict prevention and resolution.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, should update its mandate, mission, and goals and develop a strategic communication plan to update bureaus, embassies, and agencies in advance of the 2014 Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review.
The Bureau of Human Resources should direct the Office of Resource Management and Organizational Analysis to perform an organization assessment of the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, including a workforce and workload analysis and a review of similar functions performed by other bureaus in the Department.
The Bureau of Human Resources, in coordination with the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, should reduce the bureau’s front office staff to no more than two deputy assistant secretary positions and the principal deputy, including one Senior Foreign Service officer.
The Office of Civil Rights, in coordination with the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, the Bureau of Human Resources, and the Foreign Service Institute, should develop a tailored leadership management seminar for mandatory attendance by the front office team.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Office of Civil Rights, should issue a statement from the Assistant Secretary stressing commitment to EEO principles; conduct onsite training on EEO principles and procedures for all employees; and implement a mechanism to track EEO training.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should develop and implement a structured process for seeking input from Department of State and interagency stakeholders at the beginning of its engagement selection process.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should include an exit strategy in the design of its engagements.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should implement a procedure to balance the human and travel resources it employs to support its overseas programs against the resources employed by other U.S. Government entities engaged in comparable activities.
The Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights should require a fully cleared action memo from the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations before approving a program activity.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, should establish a memorandum of agreement regarding security support to deployed teams.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should include grants officer representative responsibilities in employee work commitments or work requirements for performance appraisals or evaluation reports.
The Bureau of Administration should conduct a grants management review of the Bureau of Conflict Stabilization Operations.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration, should use full and open competition for awarding grants and cooperative agreements.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should require employees expecting to travel more than twice per year to use a government travel charge card for official travel expenses.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should require travelers to file vouchers within 5 business days after completing travel.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should require justifications linked to bureau goals for conference and meeting travel requests and approve only those trips representing priority use of employee time.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should implement a records management process that articulates procedures for records identification, storage, organization, and retention.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should train all staff and require them to follow Department of State practices and procedures in drafting and clearing official documents.
The Bureau of Human Resources should review the hiring practices used by the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations and the Bureau of Administration, as its service provider, for posting and filling positions to confirm that they comply with Department of State regulations and legal requirements.
The Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, should identify office space in State Annex-3 for employee counseling and drafting until the bureau moves to permanent facilities.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should complete a purchase card program annual review for FY 2013.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration, should identify government technical monitors to assist in monitoring contractors.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, should ensure that third-party contractors are properly vetted prior to hiring.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration, should review the bureau’s contract work to eliminate potentially inherently governmental functions.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should maintain complete contracting officer representative files.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should establish an information technology strategic plan outlining the mission, objectives, and short-term and long-term goals for its information technology operations that aligns with the bureau’s strategic plan.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should disseminate to bureau staff and appropriate Department of State bureaus a notice detailing the management reporting structure for the information technology group and a single point of contact for all information technology related matters.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should fill the information technology lead position with an individual who has knowledge, skills, and experience managing information technology operations.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should update the position descriptions of all full-time information technology staff, and the statement of work for information technology contract staff, to reflect current responsibilities.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should establish a training curriculum and individual development plans for its information technology staff.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should develop and implement required information management and security documentation to include standard operating procedures and key emergency preparedness documentation.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Information Resource Management, should update its 2007 service level agreement to reflect current roles and responsibilities for desktop support, inventory of information technology equipment, and associated costs.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should disseminate and enforce a policy requiring use of the information technology help desk system.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should ban the use of personal devices for Department of State work during deployments.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should disseminate a formal policy on the use of information technology equipment during deployments to include guidance on allowable use, security requirements, and check-in/check-out procedures.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should designate a primary and alternate information systems security officer.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should implement a content management process that defines procedures for updating content and explains the responsibilities of the information technology group and other bureau offices.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should develop a design framework to improve its SharePoint sites and Web sites.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Information Resource Management and the Bureau of Administration, should conduct a certification and accreditation of the Civilian Response Network database to include risk assessments and privacy impact assessments.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations should implement a domestic security program that meets Department of State physical and procedural security standards.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, should complete a memorandum of agreement on bureau security officer support.
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, should require the bureau security officer to maintain a regular, part-time physical presence in the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.