Report Contents
What OIG Inspected
OIG inspected the executive direction, program and policy implementation, resource management, and information management operations of Embassy Sofia.
What OIG Recommends
OIG made 11 recommendations: 10 to Embassy Sofia and 1 to the Bureau of Administration. In its comments on the draft report, the Department concurred with 9 recommendations, neither agreed nor disagreed with 1 recommendation, and disagreed with 1 recommendation. OIG considers all 11 recommendations resolved. The Department’s response to each recommendation, and OIG’s reply, can be found in the Recommendations section of this report. The Department’s formal written responses are reprinted in their entirety in Appendix B.
What OIG Found
- The Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission led Embassy Sofia in a professional and collaborative manner consistent with Department of State leadership and management principles.
- Embassy Sofia exceeded the maximum number of in-office personnel approved by the Ambassador as part of the Department’s COVID-19 mitigation process.
- Washington end-users found embassy reporting on political, economic, and public diplomacy issues to be of high quality and relevance.
- The embassy did not conduct the required seismic safety assessments for all residences.
- Spotlight on Success: Proactive consular engagement allowed intercountry adoptions to continue during COVID-19-related restrictions.
- Spotlight on Success: Embassy Sofia developed an innovative solution to extend mobile phone service coverage for embassy-issued phones. The solution provided embassy users with worldwide phone coverage and eliminated roaming fees.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
Embassy Sofia should monitor the in-office presence of personnel to stay within the ceilings recommended by the Emergency Action Committee and approved by the Ambassador in accordance with the Department's COVID-19 Mitigation Process.
Embassy Sofia should comply with Department standards for grant file documentation.
Embassy Sofia should incorporate strategic planning principles, including evaluation, as part of digital outreach efforts, in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Sofia, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should store furniture, furnishings, and equipment removed from its designated representational residences in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Sofia should dismantle and remove its shipping containers and portable structures in accordance with Department requirements or obtain authorization from the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to use them as permanent storage.
Embassy Sofia should use the Integrated Logistics Management System to track all uniforms and personal protective equipment in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Sofia, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should perform seismic safety evaluations of its residential properties in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Sofia should administer facility management expendable supplies in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Sofia should complete information systems security officer duties in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Sofia should establish a records management program in accordance with Department standards.
The Bureau of Administration, in coordination with Embassy Sofia, should work with the U.S. Postal Service to resolve the problem of misrouted Diplomatic Post Office mail.