Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NIAMEY312
2009-04-30 09:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:  

POST RESPONSE TO OIG REPORT NUMBER ISP-I-09-22A, MARCH

Tags:  AMGT ASIG CMGT NG 
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VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNM #0312/01 1200925
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300925Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4992
UNCLAS NIAMEY 000312 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR OIG AND AF/EX

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT ASIG CMGT NG
SUBJECT: POST RESPONSE TO OIG REPORT NUMBER ISP-I-09-22A, MARCH
2009 (INSPECTION OF EMBASSY NIAMEY)

Ref: McCormick - Amb. Allen e-mail of 03 April 09

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000312

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR OIG AND AF/EX

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT ASIG CMGT NG
SUBJECT: POST RESPONSE TO OIG REPORT NUMBER ISP-I-09-22A, MARCH
2009 (INSPECTION OF EMBASSY NIAMEY)

Ref: McCormick - Amb. Allen e-mail of 03 April 09


1. (U) Embassy Niamey wishes to thank the OIG for a very successful
and helpful visit by its inspection team. Post's responses to its
"Action" recommendations are provided below:

a. (SBU) Recommendation 1: Embassy Niamey should work with other
mission elements to develop and implement a mission-wide
communications strategy and public affairs calendar. (Action:
Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team
recommendation that Embassy Niamey should develop and implement a
mission-wide communications strategy and public affairs calendar.
The Public Affairs Officer (PAO) at post will meet with mission
agency heads on a regular basis to share and receive information and
updates on planned mission-wide events and initiatives, and
coordinate a proactive media and public information plan to
highlight these activities.

b. (SBU) Recommendation 2: The Bureau of Overseas Buildings
Operations, in coordination with Embassy Niamey, should expand and
reconfigure the consular section's workspace. (Action: OBO, in
coordination with Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that
the Consular Section should be redesigned and expanded. Post has
begun the initial planning for the Consular Section redesign. The
Facilities Manager and Consular Officer have held preliminary
discussions on the optimal use of space and a decision has been made
to remove non-load bearing walls that will allow additional space
from an adjoining conference room to be absorbed by the Consular
Section. Post will coordinate with OBO as required to move forward
with this renovation as expeditiously as possible.

c. (SBU) Recommendation 3: The Bureau of Overseas Buildings
Operations, in coordination with Embassy Niamey, should provide
controlled workspace for the collection of consular fees. (Action:
OBO, in coordination with Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that
the consular cashier should have controlled workspace for the
collection of consular fees. The Consular Officer and Facilities
Manager have taken this into consideration in developing the
preliminary plans for the redesign of the Consular Section. An

additional window is included in the preliminary design to permit
the consular cashier to collect fees from a controlled workspace.

d. (SBU) Recommendation 4: The Bureau of Consular Affairs, in
coordination with the Bureau of Resource Management, should devise a
mechanism for setting a common exchange rate for consular fees for
countries sharing the Communaute Africaine Financiere franc and for
notifying affected posts. (Action: CA, in coordination with RM)

Management Decision: Post has discontinued adjusting the rate of
exchange on a daily basis and has established a system to adjust the
rate periodically based on the fluctuation of the euro against the
US dollar. The rate is set above the prevailing exchange rate at an
amount that limits the need for coins to provide change and is
adjusted to insure that the consular exchange rate is never less
than the prevailing exchange rate. On average, the consular rate of
exchange has been adjusted once a month since this process was
established in January 2009.

e. (SBU) Recommendation 6: Embassy Niamey should implement a
residential furniture pool. (Action: Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Post enthusiastically endorses this OIG
Inspection Team recommendation. The Management Officer submitted
the proposal to the ICASS Council at a meeting on April 20, 2009.
At this point in time the FF&E of all agencies at post is in
relatively new, comparable condition. This would facilitate
establishment of an ICASS furniture pool without requiring any
additional expenditures by an individual agency. The agency
representatives have been asked to consider the proposal and the
ICASS Council will make a decision on adopting a furniture pool at
the May 2009 meeting.

f. (SBU) Recommendation 7: Embassy Niamey should establish a
preventive maintenance program and begin scheduling preventive
maintenance visits to the residences. (Action: Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: A preventive maintenance program already
exists for monthly preventive maintenance of generators and
quarterly preventive maintenance of water distillers. The
preventive maintenance program for air conditioners has been limited
to annual inspection and servicing due to limited staffing in the
Facilities section. Post concurs with the OIG Team recommendation
that a more robust preventive maintenance program should be
established. Additional staffing is required to implement a
quarterly preventive maintenance program for air conditioners and

establish a regular program for other household appliances. A
request for two trades helpers, a refrigeration/air conditioning
technician, and an electrician were put forward to the ICASS Council
for consideration at the April 20, 2009 meeting. The Council Chair
asked the Management Officer to prepare a document outlining the
impact on ICASS service providers and their ability to meet the
Uniform Service Standards under CMI if these positions were not
funded. This document will be submitted to the Chair for review and
consideration before the May 2009 ICASS Council meeting when a
decision will be made on funding the requested ICASS staffing
increases.

g. (SBU) Recommendation 8: Embassy Niamey should use the complete
WebPASS procurement software application. (Action: Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: The recommendation to use the complete WebPASS
procurement software application was resolved with the introduction
of eServices in March 2009. Post began using the fully automated
version of WebPass procurement at that time. Requesters now submit
procurement requests in eServices, which is directly linked to the
WebPass system. Automatic status updates are sent to all customers
via the eServices application to keep all parties informed of
progress on all procurement requests, including the length of time
between initiation of a purchase request and placement of the order
with a particular vendor.

h. (SBU) Recommendation 9: Embassy Niamey should add a locally
employed staff member to the customs and shipping section. (Action:
Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Post strongly agrees with the OIG Inspection
Team recommendation to augment staffing in the GSO customs and
shipping section. A request for a Shipping Assistant was put
forward to the ICASS Council for consideration at the April 20, 2009
meeting. The Council Chair asked the Management Officer to prepare
a document outlining the impact on ICASS service providers and their
ability to meet the Uniform Service Standards under CMI if this
position (and others) was not funded. This document will be
submitted to the Chair for review and consideration before the May
2009 ICASS Council meeting when a decision will be made on funding
the requested ICASS staffing increases.

i. (SBU) Recommendation 10: The Bureau of Overseas Buildings
Operations, in coordination with Embassy Niamey, should build a
structure to relocate unclassified telephone equipment. (Action:
OBO, in coordination with Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that
the unclassified telephone equipment should be relocated. Post
proposed an immediate temporary solution to relocate the equipment
in the server room which unfortunately did not comply with all
security requirements. A low-cost temporary structure is currently
nearing completion and arrangements are being made for the
unclassified equipment to be moved into the post-funded, in-house
constructed block building. RIMC assistance will be sought to
install the Virtual Private Network device and a visit from a
telephone technician will be scheduled to connect the telephone
switch to the new telephone demarcation point.

j. (SBU) Recommendation 11: Embassy Niamey should establish
recordkeeping procedures that require staff to sign for entry and
departure from the frame room. (Action: Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: The recommendation to establish recordkeeping
procedures requiring escorted staff to sign for entry and departure
from the frame room was resolved in November 2008 when a log sheet
was initiated. All personnel requiring an escort now sign in and
out on the log sheet when accessing the frame room, annotating the
purpose of the visit, date, and time, as well as the name of the
escort in the log.

k. (SBU) Recommendation 12: Embassy Niamey should develop and
implement procedures to ensure that cleared American personnel
escort any uncleared personnel into the Embassy telephone frame
room. (Action: Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Cleared American escorts are currently
required for all uncleared personnel entering the frame room, which
is located in CAA space. As indicated in the response to
recommendation 11, the name of the escort is annotated in the log
sheet to the frame room. Once the unclassified equipment is moved
to the newly-constructed building outside the chancery, requisite
locks will be installed and uncleared personnel will be escorted at
all times when accessing the facility.

l. (SBU) Recommendation 13: Embassy Niamey should develop a
contingency plan and system documentation for its classified and
unclassified information networks and systems. (Action: Embassy
Niamey)

Management Decision: Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team

recommendation to develop a contingency plan and system
documentation for both the classified and unclassified information
networks and systems. A Memorandum of Agreement has been
established with Embassy Dakar for off-site storage of back-up tapes
and the first shipment is scheduled for May 2009 with the classified
diplomatic pouch collection. Armored containers and extra tapes
have been purchased to facilitate this procedure. The
newly-assigned IMO who arrived at post on April 21 will make systems
documentation a priority. A fully staffed IM section (for the first
time in six months) will be able to address this recommendation in
greater detail by documenting the systems configuration for both the
classified and unclassified networks in the coming month.

m. (SBU) Recommendation 14: Embassy Niamey should identify and
label wiring and cabling and remove unneeded wiring throughout the
compound and the American Cultural Center. (Action: Embassy
Niamey)

Management Decision: Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that
wiring and cabling throughout the compound and the ACC require
labeling and are in need of attention. An Enterprise & Integrity
and Refurbishment (E&IR) Team conducted a survey in July 2004,
making a similar recommendation. A report issued in 2005 estimated
a total cost of $171,000 to correct the cabling and wiring issues
including a five-week timeframe by tdy personnel to complete the
work. Post will coordinate with OBO concerning the Chancery
refurbishment project and DS concerning the security upgrade project
to minimize repetitive work and streamline the labeling and clean up
of cabling throughout the compound as upgrades are installed.

n. (SBU) Recommendation 15: Embassy Ouagadougou should conduct the
required weekly high frequency radio checks with designated posts
within its contract range, including Embassy Niamey. (Action:
Embassy Ouagadougou, in coordination with RIMC Pretoria (Note: It
is actually RIMC Frankfurt. End note.) and Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that
weekly high frequency radio checks should be held. Since January 1,
2009, fifteen radio checks have been initiated by Embassy
Ouagadougou. The results of the radio check are transmitted to the
Department via weekly cable. On occasion, Niamey has not responded
due to a failure to establish a link (due to atmospheric conditions)
or due to a scheduling conflict which precluded the sole IM staffer
at post from being available at the time of the test. When
communications have been established, they have ranged from 70-94
percent link quality; with improved quality evident since the
installation of a new antenna in late January 2009.

o. (SBU) Recommendation 16: Embassy Niamey should include the
information management officer on its core Emergency Action
Committee. (Action: Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: This recommendation was resolved in November
2008 when the IMO became a member of the Emergency Action Committee.
The latest Designation of Responsibilities published on April 30,
2009 lists the IMO as a member of the Emergency Action Committee.

p. (SBU) Recommendation 18: Embassy Niamey should establish and
implement a standard operating procedure for after-hours collection
of consular fees. (Action: Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that
an SOP for after-hours collection of consular fees is in order. A
standard operating procedure has been established to ensure that any
consular fees collected after hours are fully recorded in a receipt
book that provides numbered receipts in duplicate, and that the fees
are held in a consular safe until they can be recorded in ACRS when
the Consular Section opens.

q. (SBU) Recommendation 19: Embassy Niamey should establish a
standard operating procedure for the deposit of consular fees with
the Class B cashier. (Action: Embassy Niamey)

Management Decision: This recommendation has been resolved with
establishment of an SOP that allows the consular sub-cashier to
deposit consular collections with the Embassy cashier until 15:00
every day. The consular sub-cashier collects fees between the hours
of 9:00 and 13:00 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Since January 2009,
daily receipts have been deposited with the Embassy cashier on the
day of collection.


2. (SBU) Post considers OIG recommendations 4, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16,
18, and 19 to be resolved, as discussed in the relevant management
decisions. Significant progress has been made on recommendations 1
and 10. ICASS Council approval is required before post can close
recommendations 6, 7, and 9. Proposals have been put before the
ICASS Council and a response is expected in May 2009. Post will
continue to work with OBO to take additional measures to close out
recommendations 2, 3, and 5. Post will seek the necessary resources
to address recommendations 13 and 14.

ALLEN