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Department of State
U.S. Agency for Global Media
Embassy Freetown should review and correct its process for preparing the annual Statement of Assurance to ensure vulnerabilities are identified and appropriate corrective actions are taken.
Embassy Freetown should document procedures and required records for all grant awards in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Freetown should comply with Department standards for crisis preparedness.
Embassy Freetown should clear outstanding travel advances of $67,098 in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Freetown, in coordination with the Bureau of Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should clear all unprocessed and rejected transactions in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Freetown should establish a schedule that allows the alternate cashier to work as the principal cashier in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Freetown should implement standard operating procedures to require all sub-cashiers’ supervisors to conduct unannounced cash verifications and monitor compliance in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Freetown should terminate the practice of allowing locally employed staff to perform after-hour auto repairs, using government-owned facilities and equipment, on personally owned vehicles.
Embassy Freetown, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should update its locally employed staff human resources handbook and local compensation plan to reflect the Government of Sierra Leone’s labor law.
Embassy Freetown should review and update locally employed staff position descriptions in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Freetown should provide its drivers with the Smith System and armored vehicle driver training in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Freetown should complete a medical exam and certification for all incidental drivers in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Freetown should implement procedures to limit all drivers’ duty time to the 10-hour maximum.
Embassy Freetown should request, appoint, and train contracting officer’s representatives in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Freetown should conduct oversight of bulk fuel operations in accordance with Department guidelines.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with Embassy Freetown, should develop and implement an action plan to identify, prioritize and resolve maintenance deficiencies at the chancery.
Embassy Freetown should complete and record Information Systems Security Officer tasks as required by Department directives.
Embassy Freetown should establish a records management program in accordance with Department guidelines.
Embassy Tel Aviv, in coordination with Consulate General Jerusalem, should adopt a joint standard operating procedure to coordinate the tracking of pending transit permits for Consulate General Jerusalem locally employed staff and residents of Gaza and the West Bank invited to participate in U.S. Government-sponsored activities.
The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, in coordination with Embassy Tel Aviv, should assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Middle East Regional Cooperation Program interagency agreement to determine whether to renew the Agreement.
Embassy Tel Aviv should comply with Federal records management policies for the Middle East Regional Cooperation program.
Embassy Tel Aviv, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Bureau of Human Resources, should eliminate one of its four office management specialist positions in the Economic and Political Sections.
Embassy Tel Aviv should complete and publish a Public Diplomacy Implementation Plan and a Public Diplomacy Country Context in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Tel Aviv should complete risk assessments and develop monitoring plans for Public Affairs Section Federal assistance awards using Departmentapproved formats.
Embassy Tel Aviv, in coordination with the Bureau of International Information Programs, should implement a strategic plan for the American Corner in Akko to meet minimum standards for American Spaces.
Embassy Tel Aviv should implement a consular fee deposit schedule and require daily and monthly fee collection reports at the Haifa Consular Agency that comply with Department standards for internal consular management controls.
Embassy Tel Aviv should require Haifa Consular Agency personnel to complete all required training and provide them the equipment necessary to access the Department system via internet to do so.
Embassy Tel Aviv should verify and document that required security work is performed to standard on all residences before residents move in and that residential leasing files and the Real Property Application are up to date.
Embassy Tel Aviv, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should sell the Hassadot property and put the $8 million in estimated sales proceeds to better use.
Embassy Tel Aviv should use building maintenance expense funding for its preventive maintenance programs.
Embassy Tel Aviv should require all chauffeurs and incidental drivers under Chief of Mission authority to take the required Smith Safety driver training.
Embassy Tel Aviv should require that all chauffeurs and incidental drivers under Chief of Mission authority have the appropriate medical clearances before driving U.S. Government vehicles.
Embassy Tel Aviv should implement a program to establish oversight of driver performance and enforce appropriate disciplinary procedures.
Embassy Tel Aviv should comply with the Department’s Motor Vehicle Safety Management Program policy to not exceed the daily 10-hour limit on duty shifts.
Embassy Tel Aviv should transfer the responsibility for maintaining shuttle bus coupons and gas cards from the cashier office to another section or seek a waiver from the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services to allow the cashiers to continue as custodians for the coupons and gas cards.
Embassy Tel Aviv should update all outdated locally employed staff position descriptions.
Embassy Tel Aviv should implement standard operating procedures for Information Systems Security Officer duties.
Embassy Tel Aviv should complete and test the information technology contingency plans for the unclassified and the classified networks and develop a process for periodically updating the plans as systems environments and resources change.
Embassy Tel Aviv should develop a plan for conducting initial and annual refresher contingency training for personnel based on their classified and unclassified information technology contingency planning roles and responsibilities.
Embassy Tel Aviv should implement standard operating procedures for managing and tracking dedicated internet networks and register those networks with the Bureau of Information Resource Management.
Embassy Tel Aviv should implement standard operating procedures for managing mobile devices that include authorization, issuance, tracking, and inventory.
The Office of the Under Secretary for Management, in coordination with the Bureau of Budget and Planning and the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Finance Services, should reprogram 52 information management staff positions to the International Cooperative Administrative Support Services Working Capital Fund in order to realize annual funds put to better use of $4.23 million.
Embassy Colombo should require and train employees to transmit official record correspondence using State Messaging and Archive Retrieval Toolset archive record emails, in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Colombo should dispose of Political Section paper files in accordance with the Department's Foreign Records Disposition Schedules.
Embassy Colombo should establish a strategic planning process for Public Affairs Section activities in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Colombo should require supervisors to approve non- emergency overtime in advance.
Embassy Colombo should enforce the requirement that only the designated billing office receive invoices.
Embassy Colombo should enforce the requirement that sub-cashier supervisors complete unannounced cash verifications.
Embassy Colombo should comply with Department guidance applicable to management of its bulk fuel supplies.
Embassy Colombo should evaluate and certify its Purchase Card Program.
Embassy Colombo should establish a motor vehicle key control system.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations instruct Caddell Construction, Inc., to immediately replace the improperly altered security door components in accordance with contract terms and obtain confirmation from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security that the replaced components meet physical security standards.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, revise the physical security certification process to include a follow-up inspection by DS to confirm that OBO took actions to address all identified deficiencies in accordance with physical security standards prior to occupancy.
Embassy Bishkek should require and train employees to transmit official record correspondence using State Messaging and Archive Retrieval Toolset archive record emails in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Bishkek should determine if currency exchange services should be provided by the Class B Cashier.
Embassy Bishkek should require all sub-cashier supervisors to complete unannounced cash verifications in accordance with Department guidance.
Embassy Bishkek should assign Suspense Deposit Abroad accounting duties to an accountant.
Embassy Bishkek should require supervisors to approve non-emergency overtime in advance.
Embassy Bishkek should establish a system to control keys of all official vehicles.
Embassy Bishkek should require driver safety training for all employees operating official vehicles, including American employees self-driving official vehicles as mandated.
Embassy Bishkek should prepare written findings justifying "other authorized use" of official vehicles by Department employees who drive vehicles home after duty hours.
Embassy Bishkek should inspect and certify all embassy residences for compliance with Department safety criteria.
Embassy Bishkek should conduct information systems security officer duties.
Embassy Bishkek should establish annual contingency plan testing for the unclassified information system, examine results, and initiate corrective action as required.
The Bureau of Human Resources, in coordination with the Bureaus of African Affairs, European and Eurasian Affairs, Near Eastern Affairs, and Western Hemisphere Affairs, should require all delinquent missions to submit their personal domestic worker employment policy before the end of fiscal year 2017.
The Bureau of Human Resources, in coordination with the Bureaus of African Affairs, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, European and Eurasian Affairs, Near Eastern Affairs, South and Central Asian Affairs, and Western Hemisphere Affairs, should require missions not fully in compliance to revise and resubmit, before the end of fiscal year 2017, their policy on hiring personal domestic workers in accordance with Department guidelines.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, Office of Logistics Management, Office of Acquisitions Management, (a) determine whether the $40,452 in questioned costs identified related to unapproved changes in the scope of the grant agreement are allowable or supported and (b) recover any costs determined to be unallowable or unsupported.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, Office of Logistics Management, Office of Acquisitions Management, (a) determine whether the $35,608 in questioned costs identified related to compensation and other miscellaneous expenses are allowable or supported and (b) recover any costs determined to be unallowable or unsupported.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, Office of Logistics Management, Office of Acquisitions Management, (a) determine whether the costs associated with the $29,595 in unfulfilled cost sharing are allowable or supported and (b) recover funds for the portion of the cost sharing that is determined to be required to be paid.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, Office of Logistics Management, Office of Acquisitions Management, (a) determine whether the $10,976 in questioned costs identified related to indirect costs are allowable or supported and (b) recover any costs determined to be unallowable or unsupported.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, Office of Logistics Management, Office of Acquisitions Management, make a determination of the appropriate method to handle the $54,687 of income that was not generated by grant-related activities but that was used to fulfill a portion of the grantee’s cost-sharing requirements. If the grantee cannot use those funds to fulfill its cost-sharing arrangement, the Bureau of Administration, Office of Logistics Management, Office of Acquisitions Management, will need to recover funds from the grantee to cover the required cost-share amounts.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs develop and include in its invoice review guidance its expectations regarding the timely completion of post-payment reviews of expedited provisional payments and procedures that CMO-Frankfurt may follow to proactively request additional resources when invoice review backlogs are likely to occur.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration, provide sufficient resources to the Contract Management Office-Frankfurt to ensure all unallowable costs are identified and recovered in a timely manner. This review should begin with those invoices provisionally approved beginning in September 2014 and already identified as awaiting post-payment review and then going back to identify and review those provisionally approved invoices submitted before September 2014 that did not receive full review.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs report the status of the backlog to the Office of Inspector General, Assistant Inspector General for Audits, including the number of invoices reviewed and the dollar value of questioned costs, quarterly until such time as it is has been eliminated.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs direct its invoice review staff to fully document sampling done in each applicable checklist and to follow the checklist guidance.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs develop and implement a process to periodically review and address staffing requirements in Frankfurt and in Iraq to ensure invoice oversight staff levels are sufficient to complete effective and timely invoice reviews in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Foreign Affairs Manual, Foreign Affairs Handbook, Contract Management Office-Frankfurt Standard Operating Procedures, and Contract Management Office-Frankfurt invoice checklist.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs develop and implement a process to a) track and ensure that contracting officer’s representative inspections are completed in accordance with the inspection schedule; b) document the inspection results, including deficiencies found; and c) report the inspection results to the Contract Management Office-Frankfurt in a timely manner.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, develop reliable, objective, clear, and measurable performance metrics and include these metrics in all current and future Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Iraq contracts.
OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, Office of Logistics Management, Office of Acquisitions Management, develop and implement a) a methodology to calculate the cost associated with the contractor not meeting performance metrics and b) a process to reduce payment to the contractor when contractual requirements are not being met. This methodology and process should be included in all current and future Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Iraq contracts.
Embassy Islamabad, in coordination with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, should perform risk assessments of all agencies and sub-agencies receiving its government-to-government assistance.
The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, in coordination with Embassy Islamabad, should establish standard operating procedures that comply with Department standards for records management of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Pakistan Section’s program files.
Embassy Islamabad should implement standard operating procedures for processing passport and consular report of birth services.
Embassy Islamabad should develop action plans to provide the three constituent posts with regional management support services on a regular basis.
Embassy Islamabad should require the Principal Officer at Consulates General Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar to designate a training officer at their posts.
Embassy Islamabad, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should conduct a review of cash requirements for Consulate General Karachi to determine an adequate level of the cashier’s permanent advance.
Embassy Islamabad should prepare an annual acquisition plan and include the consulates general in the planning process.
Embassy Islamabad should consolidate its motor vehicle records into the Fleet Management Integrated System.
Embassy Islamabad, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, should implement a plan to provide armored vehicle training to all mission chauffeurs.
Embassy Islamabad, in coordination with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, should establish a memorandum of understanding defining General Services Operations’ support to the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement-Pakistan section.
Embassy Islamabad should assign responsibility for supervision, assessment, and coordination of information management programs at the consulates general to the Information Management Officer.
Embassy Islamabad should implement standard operating procedures for Regional Information Systems Security Officer duties to include the consulates general.
Embassy Islamabad should consolidate its dedicated internet networks and establish standard operating procedures for dedicated internet network management.
Embassy Islamabad should implement a standard operating procedure to manage its Active Directory groups.
Embassy Islamabad, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration and the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should require the United States Employee Association to submit a capital investment plan to the Bureau of Administration.
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Note: The information includes all open recommendations from reports that were issued October 1, 2014. Potential Monetary Benefits values are as stated in reports—subsequent Department and USAGM management decisions and actions may result in different values.
