Strategic Expansion of USAID Through 2012

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 004183 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AMGT APER KCOM KMRS SUBJECT: Strategic Expansion of USAID Through 2012 SUMMARY: To better meet national security and development requirements worldwide, USAID is growing and evolving. With the strong support and endorsement of the Secretary and Congress, USAID hired 157 additional Foreign Service officers in the past year. These officers will be trained for two years at USAID field missions, with some already deployed overseas for their training assignments. USAID?s planning goal is to double its Foreign Service workforce by 2012 and the Agency expects to continue hiring with an additional 300 with FY09 funds. Recognizing the serious space, security, and administrative support constraints at most posts, USAID Mission and Embassy staff are requested to begin contingency planning for this projected expansion, including through the Mission Strategic Plans. END SUMMARY. ¶1. With the strong support and endorsement of The White House, Secretary Rice, and Congress, USAID is being strengthened and revitalized to better meet national security and development goals of the United States. USAID proposes to address these current and new challenges by: - Expanding the size of its Foreign Service Officer (FSO) cadre; - Strengthening Foreign Service National (FSN) and Civil Service workforces; - Adding depth and breadth in technical areas; - Increasing capacity to conduct business in foreign languages; - Enhancing impact through Regional Centers, as well as expanded bilateral missions; - Complementing USG investment through partnerships; and, - Increasing public diplomacy. ¶2. This growth would enable the expansion of USAID?s direct hire presence from 87 cities in 84 countries to approximately 113 cities in 105 countries. USAID has developed lists of cities and countries in which a new or expanded presence is projected, pending full funding. These new positions will need to be included in the annual capital security cost sharing position count. ¶3. Expanding the USAID Foreign Service through the Development Leadership Initiative (DLI) is well underway with the hiring of 157 FSOs ? a 13 percent increase. The President?s FY09 budget request, with bipartisan support from the current Congress, includes funds to hire approximately 300 additional officers, with the planning goal of reaching 1200 additional Foreign Service Officers by 2012. The funding, already appropriated by Congress and contained in the FY09 requests, includes a package of support costs, including ICASS, for each officer as they are deployed to the field for training. ¶4. USAID builds the skills of new officers through approximately two years of on-the-job overseas training while working alongside experienced development professionals. Once these new officers complete their two-year training, they will be assigned to an expanded number of regular overseas positions. USAID?s revised workforce planning process places our Foreign Service Officers according to strategic and development priorities as well as where financial stewardship requirements demand. We need FSOs and FSNs based in critical countries to effect change, as well as manage program funds. ¶5. We recognize that many embassies have serious space, security, and administrative support constraints. We intend to form a joint USAID and State Department working group in Washington to begin to address the increased requirements, to place the FSO trainees in FY08 and FY09, and also to plan for the continued growth of USAID?s FSO workforce in future years including potential capital asset resource requests necessary. Embassy and USAID Mission staff are asked to work jointly to begin to address the challenges associated with this expansion. ¶6. As required by NSDD-38 and the President?s Letter of Instruction, USAID will link new staffing proposals to U.S. mission goals, ensuring there is no duplication of overseas positions or programs. As always, USAID will STATE 00004183 002 OF 002 propose individual positions via the NSDD-38 process, and individual Chiefs of Mission will make the final staffing decisions. USAID Washington will be sharing with each Mission proposed staffing increases based on the workforce planning model. These figures should become the basis for discussing the estimates included in the upcoming Mission Strategic Plans. USAID Washington will work with State and its Overseas Building Operations bureau to develop subsequent capital asset requests that may be necessary to support expansion. USAID Washington will also work with State and post management to implement administrative consolidation in order to achieve efficiencies and cost savings and to enable posts to better absorb workload increases. ¶7. Additional general information on the strategy and process for the strategic expansion of USAID can be found on the USAID Intranet at http://wip.inside.usaid.gov/COO/USAID2012.htm l. END TEXT. ¶8. Minimize considered. RICE