FY - 2010 MISSION STRATEGIC PLAN (MSP) AWARDS

UNCLAS STATE 117260

FROM RM ASSISTANT SECRETARY BRADFORD R. HIGGINS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ABUD AMGT AFIN KICA KSEP KSPR
SUBJECT: FY - 2010 MISSION STRATEGIC PLAN (MSP) AWARDS


1. I am pleased to announce the winners of the MSP
Award for the FY - 2010 cycle. The regional bureaus
nominated high quality MSPs for consideration which
were reviewed by an RM/SPP review committee that
addressed specific strengths and shortcomings of each
nominated MSP using a standardized set of criteria.


2. The FY - 2010 MSP award goes to Costa Rica, with
Tajikistan as first runner up. Nepal and China receive
honorable mention.


3. The criteria used to judge the MSPs included: (1)
the summary effectiveness of the Chief of Mission (COM)
and Foreign Assistance Priorities statements; (2) the
succinctness and coherence of the mission goals, and
linkage to the COM statement; (3) the resource table
linkage with the goals; and (4) the overall
persuasiveness of the MSP.


4. The MSP produced by mission Costa Rica has several
particular strengths. The COM statement was well
organized, and clearly explained the U.S. vision in
country for FY - 2010, how post plans to achieve that
vision, and provided good justifications for the new
resources requested. Additionally, the COM Statement
included strong ties to the MSP goal papers. The MSP
incorporated good use of strategies with ties to
creative indicators. The foreign assistance section of
Costa Rica's MSP was an excellent description of how it
would use its foreign assistance resources in support
of the mission's overall objectives. It provided
strong arguments for what it could accomplish if its
preferred budget was approved and what initiatives it
would scale back, and why, if it were only allowed its
"control" request. While many missions did this, Costa
Rica excelled in the use of past performance
information to demonstrate how changes in the budget
would affect their ability to achieve the objectives
that they had put forth.


5. Tajikistan's Chief of Mission Statement
demonstrated a novel approach in outlining the
mission's "Future Outlook" which described the
country's trajectory for each goal. Tajikistan's goal
paper descriptions outlined clear and specific tactics
and effectively utilized high level contextual
indicators.


6. Over the coming MSP cycle, RM/SPP looks forward to
working with missions and bureaus to improve MSPs even
further. Efforts are still needed in the areas of
internal coherence and consistency, as well as in the
use of indicators that focus on outcomes and that
incorporate targets that include links to USG and
Mission programs and activities.


7. I extend hearty congratulations to Missions Costa
Rica and Tajkistan and thank the many posts that
submitted high quality MSPs. In addition, I thank the
regional bureaus for the high level of support provided
to posts during the preparation and review process.
Funding for the MSP Awards will be addressed after the
FY - 2009 financial Plan is finalized.


8. Minimize considered.
RICE