USING CHIEF OF MISSION AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 049647 SIPDIS TO CHIEFS OF MISSION FROM U/S KENNEDY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT AODE KCOM KMRS SUBJECT: USING CHIEF OF MISSION AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN CONSOLIDATED SUPPORT PLATFORMS REF: (A) 2 FAH-2 H-110, (B) 2 FAM 112, (C) 09 STATE 046087, (D) 09 STATE 004183, (E) 07 STATE 029140, (F) 06 STATE 168672 ¶1. SUMMARY: State and other foreign affairs agencies plan to increase overseas staffing in the coming months. Secretary Clinton's vision - "smart power" - includes significant new numbers of foreign service personnel. To better support the coming build-up, I ask Chiefs of Mission (COMs) to ensure all elements under their authority establish and maintain consolidated support platforms under the International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) program. No Executive Branch agencies or sub-agencies with staffs operating under COM authority, including State elements, should plan to establish new administrative systems or expand existing support operations outside of the ICASS framework, nor should COMs allow them to do so. Instead I ask you to use your staffing authority to consolidate management platforms, consistent with the President's Letter of Instruction and National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 38. END SUMMARY ¶2. To reduce waste, conserve resources, and minimize the overseas security footprint, most posts are already making an effort to eliminate duplicative support operations. The Joint Management Council (JMC) assists overseas posts with the consolidation of State and USAID platforms. Individual posts conduct scheduled rightsizing reviews, producing 5-year staffing projections based on key U.S. mission goals. As we develop these and other strategic staffing plans, ICASS must be the default choice for administrative support in the overseas environment. ¶3. The President delegates authority over U.S. mission staffing to COMs, asking them to regularly review programs, personnel and funding, and to adjust staffing levels when needed to maintain a lean and efficient overseas workforce. National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 38 requires all agencies with staffs operating under COM authority, including State, to ensure "the Chief of Mission's approval is sought on any proposed changes in the size, composition or mandate of such staff elements." COM authority over Executive Branch staffing is also a traditional part of the President's Letter of Instruction, which gives COMs "full responsibility for the direction, coordination, and supervision of all United States Government executive branch employees, regardless of their employment categories or location." ¶4. As we expand the overseas diplomatic workforce, individual missions should look for opportunities to eliminate duplication in management support positions. When any mission element establishes a new office or increases the size of its local program, the default plan should be to purchase the necessary support service from ICASS rather than to set up or expand parallel support systems. Making ICASS the first choice for management support is wholly consistent with NSDD-38 and the President's Letter of Instruction. ¶5. I understand that funding constraints have not allowed ICASS to keep pace with growth. M/PRI and the ICASS Service Center are working with State and other foreign affairs agencies to reduce these constraints and ensure new budget resources are made available when needed for expanded operations. Exceptions to consolidating management platforms under ICASS may be granted in very limited instances in which ICASS cannot meet increased demand for services, such as large, rapid increases that are critical to meeting mission goals. Post managers who wish to request exceptions should contact their regional bureaus and M/PRI for guidance. M/PRI is revising 2 FAM 125, which outlines the Department's existing policy on combined administrative operations. Meanwhile, I call upon you and your management team to consolidate your support platform in tandem with any strategic plans to strengthen mission staffing. ¶6. Additional guidance appears in the above-referenced documents. These and other references are posted on the M/PRI website at http://mpri.m.state.gov (click on the rightsizing link at the center of the page). Your points of contact in M/PRI are Scott Heckman, 202-647- 6483, HeckmanS@state.gov, and Sandra Cimino, 202-647- 6208, CiminoSM@state.gov. ¶7. Minimize considered. CLINTON