Recommendations

Embassy Bridgetown should take administrative action, including formal counseling for the front office staff member, to address the problems arising from favoritism.

Embassy Bridgetown should conduct a review of executive office procedures and front office staff work requirements and responsibilities, use the results to realign duties in the front office, and communicate that realignment to the embassy community.

Embassy Bridgetown should assess the skill level of the Ambassador’s front office staff member and provide training as needed.

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs should send a senior official to Embassy Bridgetown to assess progress by the Ambassador and deputy chief of mission in resolving leadership shortcomings.

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs should prepare an employee evaluation report for the Embassy Bridgetown Ambassador.

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs should prioritize taskings to Embassy Bridgetown and send them directly to the front office by telegram or record email.

Embassy Bridgetown should finalize and issue its mission media policy, including an outreach plan for policy advocacy.

Embassy Bridgetown should adjust office assignments so that the accountable consular officer has direct line of site of the consular cashier booth.

Embassy Bridgetown, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should install an awning on the pedestrian bridge that connects the consular compound access control building to the main consular waiting room.

Embassy Bridgetown, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should implement measures to ensure privacy for consular customers during interviews.

Embassy Bridgetown should install a lower counter appropriate for customers in wheelchairs at one of the interview windows.

Embassy Bridgetown, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should install backup workstations and peripheral equipment in the two American citizens services windows.

Embassy Bridgetown should provide closer supervision of the consular agencies in Antigua and Martinique.

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Embassy Bridgetown, in coordination with the Bureaus of Western Hemisphere Affairs and Consular Affairs, should review staffing at the consular agency in Martinique and determine whether to replace or supplement the consular agent.

Embassy Bridgetown should enable the consular agent in Martinique to access the OpenNet system and email.

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Embassy Bridgetown should identify key vulnerabilities on the islands in its consular district and inform the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Consular Crisis Management.

Embassy Bridgetown should require Embassy St. George’s, Grenada, to identify key vulnerabilities on Grenada and inform the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Consular Crisis Management.

Embassy Bridgetown should enforce the visa referral policy.

Embassy Bridgetown should require the Class B cashier to provide the accountable consular officer with daily OF-158 receipt.

Embassy Bridgetown should require consular managers to perform nonimmigrant visa adjudication reviews in accordance with Department of State regulations.

Embassy Bridgetown should provide the deputy chief of mission with access to the Consular Consolidated Database to perform nonimmigrant visa adjudication reviews in accordance with Department of State regulations.

Embassy Bridgetown should repair the agency’s automated cash register system and record all consular fees in the system.

Embassy Bridgetown, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should obtain approval to accept other types of payment for consular services.

Embassy Bridgetown, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should raise the authorized advance to a level sufficient to sustain routine operations.

Embassy Bridgetown should conduct annual inventories of the consular agencies in Antigua and Martinique.

Embassy Bridgetown should establish a helpdesk coordinator position in the information systems center.

Sensitive Information Redacted

Embassy Bridgetown, in coordination with the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and Embassy Port of Spain, should establish a SharePoint training program.

Embassy Bridgetown should sell used vehicles in accordance with Department guidelines to ensure maximum proceeds from sales for the U.S. Government.

Embassy Bridgetown should place responsibility for the procurement of official vehicles in the procurement and contracting section.

Embassy Bridgetown should conduct a thorough review of the procurement, receipt, and payment processes for official gasoline purchases and bring them into compliance with applicable regulations.

Embassy Bridgetown should take corrective action to ensure that timekeepers do not certify their own time and attendance data and that separation of duties in the time-keeping function meets Department of State guidelines.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, develop and implement standard policies and procedures for requesting funds for physical security-related needs and document the policies and procedures in a manner that is easily accessible by post security officials (for example, in a “physical security funding handbook”). Consideration should be given to how the SharePoint tool currently in development can be used to simplify the request processes.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations develop and implement a process to respond to posts’ formal requests for physical security-related funding, which should include commitments to respond within certain timeframes.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security develop and implement a methodology to periodically communicate the processes to request funds for physical security-related needs to all post security officials.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security develop an implementation plan for the new SharePoint physical security survey tool. This implementation plan should establish a reasonable deadline for all posts to populate the tool with information on physical security deficiencies and should ensure that the tool has the functionality needed to generate sufficient reports in order to more easily determine posts’ physical security needs.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations develop and implement a formal process to document all formal requests made by posts for physical security funding, not just the requests that have been funded or approved, and the disposition of those requests.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security develop and implement a formal standardized process to vet informal physical security-related funding requests made by posts, which would include documenting all informal requests made by posts for physical security funding, not just the requests that have been approved, and the disposition of those requests.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), better define the roles and responsibilities of each bureau to ensure that both bureaus are fully involved in the process to prioritize and fund physical security needs at posts. As part of developing these roles and responsibilities, a process should be established to have a neutral party review and make decisions when disagreements arise about funding decisions between OBO and DS.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, develop and issue a Long-Range Physical Security Plan.

Embassy Manama should implement a planning effort that has broad participation by mission staff and includes all sections’ programs. The effort should include quarterly reviews.

Embassy Manama should conduct separate town hall meetings at least once a year with direct-hire staff, locally employed staff, and eligible family members.

The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources and Embassy Manama, should address each time and attendance item cited in the Office of Inspector General memorandum on the subject and refer unresolved discrepancies to the Bureau of Human Resources for appropriate action.

Embassy Manama should restructure the first- and second-tour officers program to provide better professional development opportunities.

Embassy Manama should implement a comprehensive reporting plan to complement spot reporting with additional analytical economic and political reporting.

Embassy Manama should determine the need for a U.S. direct-hire office management specialist in the political/economic section.

Embassy Manama should establish an interagency strategy to expand U.S. exports to Bahrain that is consistent with the National Export Initiative.

Embassy Manama should require the political/economic section to use a standardized filing system in shared section files.

Embassy Manama should update consular standard operating procedures and post them on the consular SharePoint site.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should approach the Government of Bahrain to address lack of reciprocity in visa fees.

Embassy Manama should implement a missionwide public affairs strategy that clarifies key messages and priorities and integrates the Ambassador more closely into the full range of public diplomacy activities.

Embassy Manama should establish a media plan to address mission priorities.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of International Information Programs, should implement a broad-based social media plan.

Embassy Manama should implement standard operating procedures to help all sections understand their responsibilities in the International Visitor Leadership Program process.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, should fill the regional educational advising coordinator vacancy.

Embassy Manama should require the public affairs grants specialist to complete grants management training courses offered by the Foreign Service Institute.

Embassy Manama should implement standard operating procedures for followup with noncompliant grantees.

Embassy Manama should update local employee position descriptions in the public affairs section.

Embassy Manama should review, update, and reissue all management policies and post them on the embassy Web site.

Embassy Manama should review locally employed staffing and planned retirements and develop a hiring and succession plan to align future staffing with operational needs.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should conduct a space planning study based on future staffing projections.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should produce a comprehensive action plan on land and property acquisition.

Embassy Manama should seek Department of State approval to use non-Department of State furnishings in the deputy chief of mission residence.

Embassy Manama should bring its housing program into compliance with the Foreign Affairs Manual with regard to attendance and record keeping.

Embassy Manama should bring its housing selection process into compliance with the Foreign Affairs Manual.

Embassy Manama should require the housing board to implement emergency action committee decisions expeditiously.

Embassy Manama should bring active contracts exceeding $3,000 into compliance with Department of State regulations on trafficking in persons.

Embassy Manama should implement and publish a policy restricting use of personally owned furniture and furnishings and include the new policy in the welcome and overseas briefing center materials.

Embassy Manama should enforce its policy on residential inventories.

Embassy Manama should designate and train a backup shipping and customs employee.

Embassy Manama should adopt a policy that forbids drivers to put a car into gear until all passengers fasten their seat belts.

Embassy Manama should review and define the roles in its E2 process.

Embassy Manama should review and update the travel clerk’s duties and work environment.

Embassy Manama should implement standard operating procedures on how to prioritize facilities work in accordance with Department of State regulations.

Embassy Manama should cease hiring non-Bahrainis without government work or residency permits or clarify under what circumstances this practice will continue.

Embassy Manama should send the Bureau of Human Resources a new list of appropriate comparator firms to help determine whether a 1-month bonus is warranted.

The Bureau of Human Resources should complete its analysis of Embassy Manama’s request to update the local compensation plan.

Embassy Manama should update the hiring portion of its locally employed handbook and its 2008 recruitment policy.

Embassy Manama should update its policy on hiring eligible family members.

Embassy Manama should require at least one voting member of the employment committee to participate in all job interviews for eligible family member positions.

Embassy Manama should limit the number of American and Bahraini holidays to 20 or fewer per calendar year.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Bureau of Human Resources, should eliminate the regional designation of Manama’s human resource officer.

Embassy Manama should review its language designated positions and submit resulting changes for the Department of State’s 2014 triennial review.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, should perform a cost-benefit analysis to determine the most cost effective location to process financial vouchers.

Embassy Manama should cease electronic funds transfer salary payments to official residence expenses staff.

Sensitive Information Redacted

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Frankfurt Regional Information Management Center, should conduct a survey to determine whether to relocate or augment VHF/UHF radio repeaters and dispose of equipment no longer used or needed.

Embassy Manama should require that a community liaison office coordinator attend emergency action committee meetings.

Embassy Manama should conduct an emergency preparedness seminar at least annually.

Embassy Manama should update the process by which the chief of mission reviews the annual statement of assurance.

Embassy Manama, in coordination with the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Bureau of Administration, should implement an action plan to correct deficiencies in procurement operations.

Embassy Manama should bring its receiving function into compliance with Foreign Affairs Manual requirements.

Embassy Manama should bring its maintenance storage and accountability functions into compliance with Foreign Affairs Manual requirements.

Embassy Manama should designate a single officer to oversee locally employed staff overtime compensation.

Embassy Manama should require all drivers to complete a trip ticket from the automated system, or Official Form-108, and obtain passenger signatures for every trip.

Embassy Manama should cease providing expeditor and motor pool services for personal trips.

Embassy Manama should conduct a management review to determine whether to continue to provide cash accommodation exchange services.

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.

Embassy San Salvador should hire and train a Spanish-speaking eligible family member to manage Leahy vetting.

Embassy San Salvador should develop and implement procedures for the use of working emails, record emails, and cables for communicating and reporting.

Embassy San Salvador should centralize information on all foreign assistance activities and designate who is responsible for monitoring each program and aligning program activities with embassy goals and objectives.

Embassy San Salvador should identify Department grants in the mission with a value of $100,000 or more and provide required grants management training to employees designated as grants officer representatives.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs should review the San Salvador International Law Enforcement Academy’s balances, with particular attention to funds that have not been subobligated, and reprogram them as appropriate.

Embassy San Salvador should prepare a single daily news summary that meets the respective needs of embassy and Washington clients.

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should implement Embassy San Salvador’s short-term consular space plan before the end of FY 2014.

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should review the consular section’s medium-term space needs, determine whether construction of an annex is feasible, and establish an appropriate timeline.

Embassy San Salvador should prepare a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether outsourcing voucher processing to the Post Support Unit would result in cost savings, and share the results with the mission’s Interagency Cooperative Administrative Support Services council.

Embassy San Salvador should issue a management notice outlining Department policy concerning use of government telecommunications equipment for long-distance calls and personal use.

Embassy San Salvador should review the duty logs of offices and agencies exempted from participation in the embassy duty officer program and broaden the duty officer roster appropriately.

Embassy San Salvador, in coordination with the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, should conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether outsourcing local position classification to a regional center in Frankfurt or Fort Lauderdale would result in cost savings or increased efficiency, and implement the lower cost option.

Embassy San Salvador should establish project plans, deployment schedules, and standard operating procedures in the information management office.

Embassy Panama City, in coordination with the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, should implement a plan to improve administrative support for grants management.

Embassy Panama City should request support visits from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s regional office to cover the semiannual meetings of the Ecological Trust Fund, the Chagres National Park Fund, and the Darien National Park Fund.

Embassy Panama City should submit Mission Activity Tracker reports for all its information and media activities.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs should remove Embassy Panama City from the regional consular officer program.

Embassy Panama City should request authorization from the Bureau of Consular Affairs to initiate a program for passport renewal by mail.

Embassy Panama City should implement a nonimmigrant interview waiver program for qualified citizens of Panama and appropriate permanent residents.

Embassy Panama City should assign the fraud prevention manager portfolio to the visa chief on the arrival of the assistant regional security officer for investigations.

Embassy Panama City should establish a mechanism to identify long-term temporary personnel stationed at the mission and, where appropriate, seek formal approval for them through the National Security Decision Directive 38 process.

Embassy Panama City should prepare a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether outsourcing voucher processing to the Post Support Unit would result in cost savings and share the results with the International Cooperative Administrative Support Services council.

Embassy Panama City, in coordination with the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, should compare its vouchering procedures to those of more efficient vouchering units and revise its procedures accordingly.

Embassy Panama City should reconcile outstanding travel advances, determine uncollectible amounts, and write off uncollectable amounts.

Embassy Panama City should establish an appropriate level of staffing to improve residential maintenance services.

Embassy Panama City should submit to the International Cooperative Administrative Support Services’ Service Center an updated furniture and appliance pool policy that complies with Department of State guidance.

Embassy Panama City should require all contracting officer’s representatives receive mandatory contracting officer’s representatives training.

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Embassy Panama City, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration, should obtain an advisory opinion on whether the American Employee Recreation Association’s employment policies comply with local labor laws.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should develop and implement a front office staffing plan that eliminates redundant or excess staffing.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should structure the principal deputy assistant secretary portfolio to encompass serving as the alter ego to the Assistant Secretary, managing the bureau, and exercising direct supervisory responsibilities only for those units that have bureauwide scope.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should develop a reorganization plan for review and implementation by the incoming Assistant Secretary that strengthens commercial diplomacy and entrepreneurship work, streamlines bureau operations, and rationalizes bureau resources.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should not engage in any new activities or grants under the U.S.-North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity and should turn over to embassies and U.S. Agency for International Development missions in the region, and to the Global Partnership Initiative, any residual responsibility for liaison with the national boards.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should develop an outreach strategy to serve the U.S. business community more effectively and carry it out in concert with the Department of Commerce.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should implement a standard operating procedure that improves oversight of the Commercial Service-State Post Partnership Program.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should work with the Commercial Service to establish specific support standards expected of the appropriate Commercial Service representatives.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should update its Foreign Affairs Manual section to reflect entrepreneurship responsibilities in the Office of Commercial and Business Affairs.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should allocate additional permanent positions to the Office of Commercial and Business Affairs as part of its reorganization plan.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should review its paper subscriptions and eliminate those adequately covered by the press clips contractor.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should integrate the two positions managing corporate social responsibility and the National Contact Point into the Office of Economic Policy Analysis and Public Diplomacy’s policy analysis team with appropriate supervisory arrangements.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should request that the Secretary or the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment formally designate the deputy assistant secretary for Trade Policy and Programs as the Department of State’s representative to the Trade Policy Staff Committee.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should reprogram at least two position from the Office of Bilateral Trade Affairs to higher priorities.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should reprogram one Foreign Service position from the Office of Multilateral Trade Affairs to a higher priority.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should structure the Office of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Textile Trade Affairs in accordance with 1 Foreign Affairs Manual 014.7 to eliminate the two existing divisions, provide a clear chain of command, and align resources with priorities.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should reprogram at least three positions from the office of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Textile Trade Affairs to higher priorities.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office defining the duties of the liaison position and providing a regular rotation of staff.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should assign a Foreign Service officer from the Office of Intellectual Property Enforcement as full-time liaison at the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should abolish the Office of Technology and Security Policy and reallocate staff to appropriate organizational units.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should merge the Office of Aviation Negotiations and the Office of Transportation Policy into a single Office of Transportation Affairs with two units corresponding to the existing offices.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should temporarily redeploy two short-tour positions to its Office of Investment Affairs.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Counterterrorism and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, should prepare options to realign counterterror finance and anti-money laundering resources and present those options to appropriate authorities in the Department of State for a decision.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, should establish requirements for intelligence support for sanctions functions.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should cease the practice of assigning supervisory and rating officer responsibility to employees in positions not classified as such.

The Bureau of Economic and Business affairs should review all position descriptions that have not been updated since 2010 to determine their accuracy and update them as necessary.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should establish and fill a third position in the budget and financial management unit.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should update its travel policy to document travel arranger support activities, including designation, training, and requirements for assisting travelers in preparing travel authorizations and vouchers.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should require supervisors to hold travel arrangers accountable for E2 duties in accordance with their performance plans and require training attendance for those who need it.

The Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, should designate a contracting officer’s representative for overseeing contract number SAQMMA12F1021.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should require the bureau information systems security officer and alternate to attend refresher information assurance training.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should update the information technology specialist position descriptions and request reclassification of the positions.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration, should implement procedures to maintain and retire official records in accordance with Department of State standards.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should complete the required annual purchase card review for the most recent 12-month period and perform monthly purchase card monthly reconciliations according to Department of State guidelines.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should update its BlackBerry standard operating procedure to require employee statements affirming official and nonofficial use for bills and reimbursement for nonofficial call charges exceeding a reasonable threshold.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs should process monthly BlackBerry bills on a timely basis.