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