INL TRAINING, OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 2, FRANKFURT RSC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000559 SIPDIS POSTS FOR INL AND FMO DEPT FOR INL/AAE, INL/RM, SCA/CEN, EUR/EX, EUR/RUS FROM THE REGIONAL INL OFFICER ASTANA SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM AMGT AFIN ASEC SUBJECT: INL TRAINING, OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 2, FRANKFURT RSC REF: ASTANA 097 ¶1. Summary: INL/RM, INL Regional Officer, and INL/AAE conducted training for INL personnel and financial management staff from missions in Central Asia, Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine at the Frankfurt Regional Support Center (RSC) October 30-November 2. ¶2. The training introduced participants to INL's new Local Financial Management System (LFMS); introduced new employees (and refreshed the memory of the experienced officers) to INL procurement procedures and policies; provided an overview of INL funding and budgeting; included a round table discussion on vetting which will be reported septel; updated all participants on changes to the new foreign assistance funding "F" process; generated enthusiasm for regular training continuum for INL Officers and in particular LES employees; and generated thanks and praise for RSC Frankfurt's facilities and staff. End summary. -------------- LFMS, PROCUREMENT, BUDGET -------------- ¶3. Russ Hugo, Paul Schindwolf, Saowanee Wannawichya, and Wanlabha Kumhaeng from INL/RM Bangkok guided all participants through the new LFMS application. Attendees reacted positively to the options it provides and look forward to implementing it at their posts. Participants requested INL Washington issue guidance on how to distribute LFMS data entry workload between ICASS service providers and INL personnel. ¶4. Mary Pat Hayes-Crow from INL/RM/MS provided a comprehensive overview of procurement and even arranged for extra sessions from RPSO Frankfurt and the Defense Logistics Agency. Suggestions by participants on procurement included exploring the possibility of a blanket waiver for countries of the former Soviet Union to purchase Russian language/manufacture computers, other equipment, and vehicles. ¶5. Ellen Winchester and Dabriun Swain from INL/RM/BUD briefed the participants on the movement of funds. All participants now have a better idea of processes that result in funds arriving at post from Congressional appropriations. It is expected that the mechanics of the funding process that distributes funds from the Department to post will be simplified once LFMS is fully implemented. ¶6. INL/AAE's Aaron Alton, Andrew Buhler and Elizabeth Carroll briefed post personnel on the new F budgeting process and on INL's role in the core teams and the decision making on funding levels for INL programs. -------------- VETTING -------------- ¶7. Vetting was the subject of a group discussion that revealed many frustrations with the process, although absolutely no disagreement about the need to implement the law. All agreed with the necessity of vetting police/security/law enforcement participants receiving INL funded assistance, but similarly agreed that there were too many gray areas in the policy guidance. In particular, participants noted lack of clarity regarding vetting of police officers receiving assistance through third party implementers such as the United Nations or the International Organization for Migration or non-governmental organizations (NGOs). INL/AAE attendees offered to consolidate the numerous questions and clarify the uncertainties via front channel cable to all posts. -------------- TRAINING -------------- ¶8. Many participants advocated improving the quantity and quality of training for INL American and LES employees. The ongoing session (and its two previous iterations for Central Asian posts in June 2006 and October 2005) were viewed as excellent venues to develop ASTANA 00000559 002 OF 002 project proposals, improve employee skills, and disseminate information about new programs and policy. Suggestions were raised that training could further be improved by establishing regular INL courses/modules at FSI on procurement, budget, project design and implementation, end-use monitoring, vetting, etc, especially for INL LE staff members as they are the continuity for all INL overseas programs. A regular training continuum would be useful so that newly hired employees would be trained in introductory courses, while those with several years of experience would progress through a series of higher level courses to provide the necessary knowledge to properly and effectively fulfill the INL mission. -------------- KUDOS FOR RSC FRANKFURT -------------- ¶9. Participants unanimously offered kudos to RSC Annett Jurkutat who made all arrangements for use of training rooms at the RSC and requested hotel reservations for the participants. Ms. Jurkutat was organized, logical, and efficient and participants appreciated her flexibility in the face of numerous changes to the participant list. ORDWAY