type: other

jurisdiction: US

text: b' SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\nOFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL\n\n United States Department of State\n and the Broadcasting Board of Governors\n Office of Inspector General\n\n\n\n\n OFFICE OF INSPECTIONS\n\n Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden\n\n\n\n\n Report Number ISP-I-11-30A, March 2011\nInspector\nGeneral\nOffice of\n\n\n\n\n IMPORTANT NOTICE\n This report is intended solely for the official use of the Department of State or the Broadcasting Board\n of Governors, or any agency or organization receiving a copy directly from the Office of Inspector\n General. No secondary distribution may be made, in whole or in part, outside the Department of State\n or the Broadcasting Board of Governors, by them or by other agencies or organizations, without prior\n authorization by the Inspector General. Public availability of the document will be determined by the\n Inspector General under the U.S. Code, 5 U.S.C. 552. Improper disclosure of this report may result in\n criminal, civil, or administrative penalties.\n\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\n PURPOSE, SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY \n\n OF THE INSPECTION\n\n\n\nThis inspection was conducted in accordance with the Quality\nStandards for Inspections, as issued by the President\xe2\x80\x99s Council\non Integrity and Efficiency, and the Inspector\xe2\x80\x99s Handbook,\nas issued by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S.\nDepartment of State (Department) and the Broadcasting Board\nof Governors (BBG).\n\nPurpose\nThe Office of Inspections provides the Secretary of State, the Chairman of\nthe BBG, and Congress with systematic and independent evaluations of the\noperations of the Department and the BBG. Inspections cover three broad\nareas, consistent with Section 209 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980:\n \xe2\x80\xa2 \t Policy Implementation: whether policy goals and objectives are being\n effectively achieved; whether U.S. interests are being accurately\n and effectively represented; and whether all elements of an office or\n mission are being adequately coordinated.\n \xe2\x80\xa2 \t Resource Management: whether resources are being used and \n\n managed with maximum efficiency, effectiveness, and economy and \n\n whether financial transactions and accounts are properly conducted,\n\n maintained, and reported.\n\n \xe2\x80\xa2 \t Management Controls: whether the administration of activities and\n operations meets the requirements of applicable laws and regulations;\n whether internal management controls have been instituted to ensure\n quality of performance and reduce the likelihood of mismanagement;\n whether instance of fraud, waste, or abuse exist; and whether adequate\n steps for detection, correction, and prevention have been taken.\n\nMethodology\nIn conducting this inspection, the inspectors: reviewed pertinent\nrecords; as appropriate, circulated, reviewed, and compiled the results\nof survey instruments; conducted on-site interviews; and reviewed the\nsubstance of the report and its findings and recommendations with\noffices, individuals, and organizations by this review.\n\n\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\n United States Department of State\n and the Broadcasting Board of Governors\n Office of Inspector General\n\n\n\n\n PREFACE\n\n\nThis report was prepared by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) pursuant to the\nInspector General Act of 1978, as amended, and Section 209 of the Foreign Service\nAct of 1980, as amended. It is one of a series of audit, inspection, investigative, and\nspecial reports prepared by OIG periodically as part of its responsibility to promote\neffective management, accountability and positive change in the Department of State\nand the Broadcasting Board of Governors.\n\nThis report is the result of an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the\noffice, post, or function under review. It is based on interviews with employees and\nofficials of relevant agencies and institutions, direct observation, and a review of\napplicable documents.\n\nThe recommendations therein have been developed on the basis of the best knowl\xc2\xad\nedge available to OIG and, as appropriate, have been discussed in draft with those\nresponsible for implementation. It is my hope that these recommendations will result\nin more effective, efficient and/or economical operations.\n\nI express my appreciation to all of those who contributed to the preparation of this\nreport.\n\n\n\n\n Harold W. Geisel\n Deputy Inspector General\n\n\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\x0cSENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\nSENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n TABLE OF CONTENTS\n\n\nKEY JUDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1\n\nCONTEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3\n\nEXECUTIVE DIRECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5\n\n Contact Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7\n\nPOLICY AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9\n\n Reporting, Analysis, and Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9\n\n Public Diplomacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12\n\n Consular Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17\n\nRESOURCE MANAGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25\n\n Management Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26\n\n Financial Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27\n\n Human Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27\n\n General Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28\n\n Best Practice: Local Employee Orientation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28\n\n Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29\n\n Underutilized Real Property \xe2\x80\x93 Oxenstiernsgatan Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30\n\n Excess Real Property \xe2\x80\x93 Bromma House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30\n\n Facilities Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31\n\n Preventive Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32\n\n Managing Maintenance and Repair Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33\n\n Information Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33\n\n Information Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34\n\nQUALITY OF LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37\n\n Health Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37\n\n Community Liaison Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37\n\n Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38\n\n U.S. Embassy Community Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38\n\n Equal Employment Opportunity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39\n\nMANAGEMENT CONTROLS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41\n\n Motor Vehicle Record Keeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41\n\n Official Vehicle Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41\n\n Procurement and Contracting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42\n\nRECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43\n\nINFORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47\n\nPRINCIPAL OFFICIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49\n\nABBREVIATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51\n\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 iv\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\nv OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nKEY JUDGMENTS\n\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 The development of the Mission Strategic and Resource Plan at Embassy\n Stockholm is a highly interactive process that gives staff a stake in the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s\n progress toward its strategic goals. Its use as a regular feature of country team and\n working group meetings keeps progress toward goals firmly on track and allows\n for timely adjustment to developments.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 \t Ambitious embassy efforts to reach out to Swedish society have galvanized\n embassy staff. The embassy needs to make a clear assessment of the trade-offs\n involved in these activities. It also needs to be willing to make adjustments to\n maximize the effectiveness of outreach activities and to minimize their displace\xc2\xad\n ment of other activities that advance broad U.S. interests.\n\xe2\x80\xa2 \t The embassy\xe2\x80\x99s considerable efforts to reduce energy consumption and green\xc2\xad\n house gas emissions have made it a model for the Department\xe2\x80\x99s \xe2\x80\x9cgreen embassy\xe2\x80\x9d\n initiatives.\n\nAll findings and recommendations in this report are based on conditions observed\nduring the on-site review and the standards and policies then in effect. The report\ndoes not comment at length on areas where the Office of Inspector General (OIG)\nteam did not identify problems that need to be corrected.\n\nThe inspection took place in Washington, DC, between September 1 and 29, 2010,\nand in Stockholm, Sweden, between October 15 and November 1, 2010. (b) (6)\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 1\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\n2 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nCONTEXT\n\n\nSweden is the third largest country in Western Europe; with a population of about\n9.4 million inhabitants\xe2\x80\x94most of whom are concentrated in the urban areas of the\nSouth\xe2\x80\x94it is also one of its most sparsely\npopulated. Although a large source of\nemigration before World War II, the largest\ncohort of which went to North America,\nSweden has since experienced significant\ninflows of population, primarily from other\nScandinavian countries. In recent years,\npolitical upheavals elsewhere have combined\nwith an open refugee and residency regime to\nswell the ranks of other nationalities. Today,\nsome 13.4 percent of those people residing in\nSweden were born abroad, nearly one-third of\nwhom are from Muslim-majority countries.\nThis influx has had its political effects, as\nborne out in the elections of September 2010,\nwhich returned a center-right coalition to\npower for the first time, and, for the first\ntime as well, gave representation to the nativ\xc2\xad\nist Sweden Democrats.\n\nThe 2009 Human Development Report\nranks Sweden at seventh on the human\ndevelopment index, primarily on the strength\nof life expectancy (80.8 years), per capita\nincome (nearly $37,000 on a purchas\xc2\xad Map of Stockholm, Sweden and its\ning power parity basis), and broad school surrounding region.\nattendance. With a gross domestic product Source: U.S. Government\ngrowth rate of some 4.6 percent forecast for\n2010, Sweden\xe2\x80\x99s economy has displayed vigor emerging from the global downturn.\nAccording to the Global Competitiveness Report, Sweden recently displaced the\nUnited States as the world\xe2\x80\x99s second most competitive economy.\n\nSweden\xe2\x80\x99s foreign policy touchstone has evolved from neutrality to military nonalign\xc2\xad\nment, as Sweden has joined the European Union and taken on increasing respon\xc2\xad\nsibility for European security generally. Today, though not a member of the North\nAtlantic Treaty Organization, Sweden has been active in its Partnership for Peace,\ncooperating closely with the United States on security undertakings, including\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 3\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n deployment to Afghanistan (where it heads a provincial reconstruction team in\n Mazar-i-Sharif), purchases of military equipment, and collaboration on counterter\xc2\xad\n rorism. Foreign policy priorities feature arms control, nuclear nonproliferation, and\n fostering democracy in developing countries, particularly in key African nations.\n\n There are 14 million Americans of Swedish heritage in the United States, many\n of whom remain in active contact with their relatives in Sweden. There are several\n university exchange programs between the two countries, and a recent series of events\n have included U.S. governors and mayors visiting Sweden to promote trade opportu\xc2\xad\n nities or exchange green energy ideas.\n\n Embassy employment has been stable for the past several years, although Centers\n for Disease Control and Prevention and Customs and Border Patrol programs have\n added to the mix. The Department of Agriculture transferred its American position\n to Norway in 2006. Department staffing has remained nearly static, with only a\n few small additions during the past 10 years and no additional positions anticipated\n during the next five. The new Ambassador understands that stable staffing can lead\n to established work routines that stifle innovation. His open and inclusive approach\n to planning has stimulated creative thinking and created embassy staff support for\n new programs and ways of doing business. Overall, the embassy has resources to\n support its key initiatives, though funds to maintain government-owned properties\n are at a lower than optimal level.\n\n\n\n\n4 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nEXECUTIVE DIRECTION\n\n\nSince arriving in August 2009, the Ambassador has concentrated on carrying out\nPresident Obama\xe2\x80\x99s directives focused on our global challenges. He has looked for\nopportunities to deepen U.S. engagement in Sweden. He brought the entire mission\nteam together in a coordinated effort to develop and carry out the goals stated in the\nMission Strategic and Resource Plan (MSRP) in an exemplary manner.\n\nEarning Swedish support for U.S. foreign policy priorities is the major mission goal.\nThis goal is reflected in the MSRP through targeted goals which include strengthen\xc2\xad\ning U.S.-Swedish military ties, providing counterterrorism assistance, increasing\nU.S. exports, and widening the focus of the pre-existing green energy partnership\nto encompass other aspects of sustainable development. The Ambassador seeks to\nfocus the embassy on sustainable development\xe2\x80\x94a broader agenda from that of his\npredecessor on alternative energy. He seeks thereby to advance efforts to boost trade,\nimprove U.S.-Swedish relations, and enhance the reputation of the United States as a\npromoter of clean energy.\n\nThe new generation of Swedish citizens is too young to remember the United States\nas the liberator of Europe in World War II or as the protector of Europe during the\nCold War. They remember instead the Kyoto Protocol and U.S. intervention in\nIraq. They are focused on climate change, sustainable development, and other global\nissues, and they communicate in ways not dreamed of only a few years ago. The\nAmbassador feels that engaging this group and building their trust is an independent\nstrategic goal. One avenue of doing so is by promoting the Global Network Initiative\n\xe2\x80\x94a private sector effort promoting Internet freedom, for which the Secretary voiced\nsupport in January 2010, and to which Swedish Foreign Minister Karl Bildt gave\nearly and energetic support. It touches on a variety of mission priorities, from cyber\nsecurity to human rights and trade, and can be instrumental in advancing U.S.\npriorities in these areas.\n\nThe Ambassador has adopted strategic planning, as embodied in the MSRP process,\nas the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s touchstone for virtually all of its activity. He uses his weekly senior\nstaff meeting, weekly country team meetings, and targeted meetings to ensure that\nthe country team\xe2\x80\x99s efforts are directed towards meeting the goals of the MSRP. In\naddition, he has town hall meetings and expanded country teams that include local\nemployees in the process, achieving an understanding throughout the mission of\nkey goals and priorities. This approach also has fostered a high degree of collabora\xc2\xad\ntion among Department of State (Department) and non-Department entities at the\nembassy. The heads of agencies reported that they play an active role in developing\nand implementing the MSRP, and they share their agency\xe2\x80\x99s reporting and analysis\nplans with senior management.\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 5\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n The development of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s strategic vision was a textbook case of consensus-\n building, and as such, one that found particular resonance among the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s local\n employees. The Ambassador led a series of meeting among section heads to discuss\n goals, coordinating within their sections and, as appropriate, with other sections\n involved in joint efforts. The Ambassador directed the formation of working groups\n on each of these goals, to ensure embassy-wide coordination and to review progress.\n The Ambassador then worked with the section heads to develop a one-page summary\n of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s key goals to share with each member of the mission, culminating\n with a town hall meeting to encourage everyone at the mission to embrace the MSRP\n and understand their potential role in it.\n\n The one-page summary encompasses the seven strategic goals set forth in the\n MSRP, plus an eighth objective, \xe2\x80\x9cdiplomatic platform for engagement,\xe2\x80\x9d which\n draws the seven goals together and treats the contributions of consular, security, and\n management functions. To follow up and maintain progress toward goals, country\n team meetings (open on alternative weeks to all embassy staff and among cleared\n Americans) take the strategic goals as their point of departure and discuss develop\xc2\xad\n ments in terms of these goals. As a result, every employee, regardless of level, has a\n clear sense of his or her role in advancing the mission\xe2\x80\x99s priorities. At the same time\n that it has focused staff effort, this comprehensive approach to strategic planning has\n vastly improved morale, fostered cooperation among sections, and raised effectiveness\n of the embassy.\n\n The offices of both the Defense attach\xc3\xa9 and the Foreign Commercial Service are\n located in the embassy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offices are\n located at a separate site. All the agencies work together, cooperatively and effectively.\n\n The Ambassador envisages an ambitious series of events to engage Swedish society in\n the American experience. These have ranged in scale from weekly lunches for small\n groups of contacts and monthly, themed cocktails at the Ambassador\xe2\x80\x99s residence, to\n a highly orchestrated \xe2\x80\x9croad show.\xe2\x80\x9d The latter effort aims to make all employees as\n mobile, connected, and effective as possible through a monthly series of day-long\n activities\xe2\x80\x94complete with town hall meetings and breakout sessions\xe2\x80\x94in medium-\n sized urban areas that normally have little contact with the embassy. This event has\n been an inspiration for embassy employees. Despite demands on their time (including\n daily countdown meetings and advance visits to the site), embassy staff have thrown\n themselves into the planning and look forward to a successful, high-profile event.\n Other plans to extend the diplomatic platform include hosting online streaming of\n a global Technology Entertainment and Design conference for Nobel laureates, and\n hosting an ongoing \xe2\x80\x9cliving laboratory\xe2\x80\x9d on the embassy grounds, to showcase clean\n energy technologies.\n\n\n\n\n6 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nParticipants in the road show activities find them interesting and satisfying, although\nmany admit that participating in them takes them away from their core responsibili\xc2\xad\nties. The OIG team had some concerns regarding the balanced use of scarce embassy\nresources.\n\nInformal Recommendation 1: Embassy Stockholm should, after the first road\nshow, conduct a cost-benefit review to assess whether and to what degree this activity\nimposed trade-offs with advancing other, broad national interests; to consider what\ntasking changes would take maximum advantage of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s own expertise and\ncapacities; and to assess other means of maximizing the impact of subsequent events.\n\nThe relationship between the Ambassador and the former deputy chief of mission\n(DCM) was strained. The last 3 months of the former DCM\xe2\x80\x99s time at post were\nspent completing well defined tasks (such as employee evaluation reports) that\nminimized his contact with embassy staff. During this time, the Ambassador and\neconomic counselor shouldered the responsibility for managing the substantive\nfunctions of the mission, until the current DCM arrived in May 2010. The new\nDCM has assumed the day-to-day management of the mission, with responsibility\nfor directing operation of the mission\xe2\x80\x99s sections. This has obviated the need for the\nAmbassador to be involved in the day-to-day, internal processes of the individual\nsections and freed him to assume a broader view that enables him to play a greater\nrole in representing the public face of the embassy. Morale is very good throughout\nthe mission. Staff commented on the Ambassador\xe2\x80\x99s open, friendly, and outgoing\nnature. It is his habit to walk around the mission and engage the staff and officers\nduring these walks. Mission personnel feel comfortable around him, and he encour\xc2\xad\nages them to express their interests and concerns.\n\nAlthough the Ambassador took the Department\xe2\x80\x99s course for new chiefs of mission,\nhe feels that it did not adequately prepare him for the work he faced upon his arrival\nat post. Nonetheless, he has been able to maintain an excellent working relationship\nwith all levels of the Government of Sweden.\n\n\n\n\nCONTACT MANAGEMENT\nNearly all sections manage their contacts through the Contact 7 software, but the\npublic affairs section (PAS) is dissatisfied with its capabilities. Other sections, nota\xc2\xad\nbly the front office and the political section, maintain their contacts in Microsoft\nOutlook, which is an even less robust and more limited system. The OIG\xe2\x80\x99s 2003\ninspection report informally recommended that the embassy convert its entire\ncontact management database to the Goldmine software, which at the time had\nmore capabilities and flexibility than the Contact 7 software the main database was\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 7\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n using. The report noted that the Information Resource Center was in the process of\n converting to Goldmine. However after the 2003 inspection, efforts to widen PAS\xe2\x80\x99s\n experimental use of Goldmine had petered out, because no one had pushed hard for\n its implementation embassy-wide.\n\n At the time of the current inspection, the embassy database was still using Contact\n 7, but the staff was not taking advantage of its full capabilities. Individual records in\n the database contain very little information beyond basic directory-type information\n and the automatically generated lists of events to which the person has been invited.\n The embassy was not entering information about contacts\xe2\x80\x99 interests, institutions,\n and background. At this point, with Contact 7 firmly in place, the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s best\n way forward would be to push ahead with a full implementation of that database,\n perhaps upgrading the software to Contact 8. The embassy needs to take a systematic\n approach, and the project will require strong leadership with a clear mandate from\n the front office. Embassy staff will need to become more fully familiar with all the\n capabilities of the system by having access to it from their desktops. This access\n should be read-only to ensure the integrity of the database.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 1: Embassy Stockholm should systematically\n improve its use of the Contact 7 software by appointing an individual to\n take charge of the database; investigating whether to upgrade the software\n to Contact 8; consulting with the program\xe2\x80\x99s creator in Frankfurt about the\n database\xe2\x80\x99s capabilities; involving a variety of staff in designing the fields; and\n providing staff training on database use. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 2: Embassy Stockholm should install access to the\n database on most staff work stations, although the ability to make changes\n to records should remain limited to ensure consistency. (Action: Embassy\n Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n8 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nPOLICY AND PROGRAM\nIMPLEMENTATION\n\n\nREPORTING, ANALYSIS, AND ADVOCACY\nThe embassy has separate economic and political sections. Washington end-users\nuniversally praised their reporting and analysis, particularly on elections, Sweden\xe2\x80\x99s\nAfghan deployment, and regional efforts. Environment, science, technology and\nhealth (ESTH) work is strong. Reporting in both sections makes appropriate use of\nreporting channels: the section uses emails to report on time-critical developments,\nfollowed up by cables (which are the communication vehicle of choice). Both sections\nunderstand and make appropriate use of record emails.\n\nThe sections face considerable capacity challenges and have cobbled together staff\xc2\xad\ning to deal with their heavy workloads. The political section relies on a professional\nassociate for its core work on the Muslim community and Internet freedom, and\nemploys an intern to support the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s road show. The economic section also\nuses its interns to assemble the section\xe2\x80\x99s required reporting, and calls on them to do\nspot reporting as well. The OIG team\xe2\x80\x99s assessment is that both sections are working\nat the limit of their capacities.\n\nThe July 2003 inspection report noted that the sections met daily to coordinate\ntheir activities, and that in general, communication between the sections was \xe2\x80\x9csolid.\xe2\x80\x9d\nThe current OIG team noted a fall-off in the frequency of these formal coordinat\xc2\xad\ning sessions, and the staff almost unanimously agreed that coordination difficulties\nremain. Responsibilities overlap with regard to Iran sanctions, dual use technology,\nterrorist financing, and Internet issues. There are also a number of issues bearing\non the equities of the Department of Homeland Security (which is not resident in\nStockholm) that do not find natural \xe2\x80\x9chomes\xe2\x80\x9d in the sections and need clear delinea\xc2\xad\ntion of responsibility.\n\nThe two sections could usefully share a number of overlapping support functions,\nincluding d\xc3\xa9marche tracking, contact management, visitor support, and records\ndisposition. In view of the potential efficiencies, particularly given the capacity chal\xc2\xad\nlenges both sections face, the OIG team concluded that the embassy should combine\nthese two sections into a single, political-economic section. It should take care,\nhowever, to maintain the staffing balance between the two cones, to avoid a section\noverly weighted toward one mode of substantive work.\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 9\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 3: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with\n the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and the Bureau of Human\n Resources, should combine the economic and political sections, while main\xc2\xad\n taining the current staffing balance between economic- and political-coned\n officers in the combined section. (Action: Embassy Stockholm, in coordina\xc2\xad\n tion with EUR and DGHR)\n\n\n\n Political Section\n The political section has the lead on some of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s highest priorities. It\n has closely followed the Swedish debate on deployment in Afghanistan and has a\n sustained dialog with ministries and legislatures regarding the legal underpinnings of\n that operation. It has dedicated substantial effort to Sweden\xe2\x80\x99s demographics, integra\xc2\xad\n tion, and policies toward its Muslim minorities\xe2\x80\x94producing first a series of analyses\n and then building on these analyses with outreach that it coordinates with PAS.\n It kept Washington informed in the run-up to the September 2010 elections and\n produced a series of analyses on the outcome, which put the strong showing of the\n right in context. The section also has followed the U.S. Government\xe2\x80\x99s counterterror\xc2\xad\n ism effort with a close reading of new Swedish legislation, informed by contacts with\n ministry and legislative authorities alike. It participates in the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s counterintel\xc2\xad\n ligence working group and a recently formed counterterrorism working group. Senior\n management is considering the formation of a law enforcement working group to\n include the section as well.\n\n The section coordinates with the front office, PAS, the economic section, and the\n office of the Defense attach\xc3\xa9. There is extensive communication with other Nordic\n embassies, notably Oslo and Helsinki, on issues that benefit from efforts across a\n broader front. These include Nordic defense cooperation, through which Norway\n and Sweden seek economies of scale in joint efforts on missions, military base\n support, and procurement. The embassy also is working on Internet freedom issues\n with Embassy Helsinki, in an effort to get support for the U.S. position on these\n issues from some of the world\xe2\x80\x99s leading technology companies. The OIG team found\n this coordination appropriate and effective.\n\n The section is fortunate to employ local specialists with extensive contacts and high\n skills in both spoken and written English. It has empowered these local employees to\n undertake a substantial amount of the political section workload, including produc\xc2\xad\n tion of mandated and required reporting and a considerable amount of spot reporting\n and analysis.\n\n\n\n\n10 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nAs mentioned above, a professional associate shares the section\xe2\x80\x99s extensive reporting\nand outreach workload. It is likely that the volume of reporting will decrease once her\ntour concludes, and the work on Muslim outreach and Internet freedom will move to\nother officers. This shift will coincide with a large turnover in the section, including\nboth the counselor and deputy positions.\n\n\nEconomic Section\nThough small, the economic section handles a heavy workload, notably serving\nas the lead on the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s signature activity, SAGA. This effort facilitates broad\ncooperation between Americans and Swedes in the areas of renewable and alternative\nenergy, clean technology, and sustainable growth. Along with pursuing its goals to\ndouble exports by 2015 and improve Swedish efforts against Internet piracy, SAGA\nhas served as an organizing principle for the economic section\xe2\x80\x99s work. In fact, SAGA\ncommands most of the section\xe2\x80\x99s time and effort, making its work heavily ESTH-\noriented and bilateral in nature.\n\nThe economic counselor is an experienced senior officer who has filled in as needed\nas acting DCM and charg\xc3\xa9 d\xe2\x80\x99affaires. Embassy Stockholm agreed to cede the deputy\nposition to an entry-level officer (ELO) provided that officer had good Department\nexperience. The embassy was fortunate in being able to staff the position with an\nELO with 6 years of civil service in the Department. The counselor\xe2\x80\x99s experience\nhas enabled the deputy to be successful in her position. The OIG team concurred\nwith the counselor\xe2\x80\x99s view that the incumbent\xe2\x80\x99s eventual replacement will need to be\nan experienced officer\xe2\x80\x94whether ELO or not\xe2\x80\x94in order to maintain the quality of\neconomic work.\n\nThe section has one locally employed (LE) staff specialist, who fills in on many\nfronts, notably on drafting much of the section\xe2\x80\x99s reporting. She too spends much\nof her time on ESTH and intellectual property rights issues. The economic section\nhandles the lion\xe2\x80\x99s share of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s visitors, and as a consequence much of this\nemployee\xe2\x80\x99s time is taken up with arranging schedules and logistics for them. A July\n2010 rightsizing analysis indicates the need for an additional LE staff member for\nthe section. The OIG team concurs, and made an informal recommendation on this\nmatter.\n\nInformal Recommendation 2: Embassy Stockholm should request resources for an\nadditional local employee position in its Mission Strategic and Resource Plan.\n\nThe section employs a cleared American citizen on a local hire basis as a dedicated\noffice management specialist (OMS). She has taken the initiative to develop a\nnumber of products that are of use to the embassy as a whole (such as a d\xc3\xa9marche\ntracker and an official visitors log), but she lacks the institutional background and\ntraining that form the basis of a Department OMS\xe2\x80\x99s expertise. Furthermore, the\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 11\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n staffing of the political section with an experienced OMS and the need for both\n sections to comply with 5 FAM 400 and 5 FAH-4 on records management provides\n an opportunity for collaboration and knowledge transfer between the sections.\n\n Informal Recommendation 3: Embassy Stockholm should provide appropriate\n training for the office management specialist in the economic section.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 4: Embassy Stockholm should require that the\n political and economic sections collaborate on bringing their files into compli\xc2\xad\n ance with Department regulations on records management. (Action: Embassy\n Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n PUBLIC DIPLOMACY\n With a focus on mission goals, the two-officer PAS has directed its public outreach\n efforts on improving the image of Americans and climate change/clean technology,\n an issue that has resonance in Sweden. The section has used one of its seven LE staff\n slots to create an unusual position, in which the employee focuses on green energy\n and the environment and uses the full range of public diplomacy tools to address\n it. The public affairs officer formally supervises the employee, who also receives\n direction from the economics counselor. During the inspection, PAS was nearly\n fully occupied with a major initiative this employee had spearheaded \xe2\x80\x93 bringing 11\n American mayors to the European Green Capital Conference in Stockholm to talk\n about their efforts to make their communities \xe2\x80\x9cgreen.\xe2\x80\x9d The audience was comprised\n of people who generally had viewed the United States as an environmental laggard.\n\n The section also takes advantage of the Ambassador\xe2\x80\x99s public diplomacy skills,\n supporting him on his travels and arranging public outreach events. To aid in strate\xc2\xad\n gic planning, PAS has a public diplomacy implementation plan that spells out how it\n will use various programs to carry out MSRP goals.\n\n\n Information Outreach\n Even in a highly wired society like Sweden, in-person outreach can be very effective\n and appreciated. In addition to its U.S. speaker program, PAS runs its own embassy\n speakers program, primarily in schools (about 12 schools a year). However, only a\n few embassy staff members volunteer for speaking engagements. In early 2010, PAS\n sent an embassy-wide email seeking volunteers, but received little response. Speakers\n\n\n12 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nare particularly welcome outside of Stockholm, and PAS could easily find venues for\npresentations, but officers who are planning travel to the provinces rarely give PAS\nadvance notice, so the section does not have time to set up speaking engagements.\nThis is a missed opportunity, particularly for newer officers who could use the\nchance to hone their public speaking skills. PAS is planning to develop a tool kit to\nhelp speakers prepare effective school presentations, but strong front office attention\nand encouragement would help to encourage more widespread participation.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 5: Embassy Stockholm should develop and imple\xc2\xad\n ment a plan to broaden participation in the embassy speaker program and\n encourage staff members to incorporate speaking events in their official travel.\n (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nEmbassy sections and agencies recognize the leading role that PAS plays in press\nmatters and normally refer press questions and media matters to it. It is a standard\npractice to have an embassy media policy that establishes ground rules and encour\xc2\xad\nages appropriate interaction with the press. Embassy Stockholm does not have such a\npolicy.\n\nInformal Recommendation 4: Embassy Stockholm should develop a formal media\npolicy and circulate it periodically to embassy staff.\n\nAt the time of the inspection, the information management (IM) section had recently\nunveiled an upgraded, internal SharePoint site to improve information sharing within\nthe embassy. However, PAS is not yet taking advantage of this SharePoint site.\n\nInformal Recommendation 5: Embassy Stockholm should include on its SharePoint\nsite information from the public affairs section, including daily news summaries,\npress guidance, outreach presentations, and other briefing materials.\n\nIn order to engage a younger and broader audience, PAS has moved heavily into\nsocial media, with a Facebook page, YouTube channel, Flickr photo gallery, Twitter\nfeed, Ambassador\xe2\x80\x99s blog, and SAGA blog. PAS started the Facebook page in August\n2009, and now has a respectable 1,400 fans and some interactivity in the form of\nquestions from them. The YouTube and Flickr sites primarily serve as repositories for\ncontent that PAS distributes to the media and the public and do not receive many\nviews (generally a few dozen to a few hundred for most items). The Information\nResource Center (IRC) staff frequently updates the social media sites, but the staff\nupdates the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s home page far less frequently. For example, on October 25,\nthe social media sites had news of the just-completed European Green Capital\nConference, while the \xe2\x80\x9cEmbassy news from Sweden\xe2\x80\x9d at the top of the embassy Web\nsite led with a report on a September 13-14 U.S. speaker, as well as other older items.\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 13\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n These sites would benefit from more and broader local content. The PAS staff\n members write the articles for the embassy Web site and social media site, but they\n have had a hard time getting content from other embassy sections and agencies. In\n addition, the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s home page does not link to the Facebook, YouTube, or Flickr\n sites, and none of the sites cross-link to each other.\n\n Informal Recommendation 6: Embassy Stockholm should direct all sections and\n agencies to contribute items to the embassy Web site and social media sites and cross\xc2\xad\n link the sites among themselves.\n\n In June 2010, the Department issued a new subsection of the Foreign Affairs Manual\n dealing with social media (5 FAM 790). At the start of the inspection, the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s\n social media sites did not meet some of the requirements of that subsection, such as\n the regulations requiring terms of use statements (5 FAM 793.4 b.), privacy state\xc2\xad\n ments (5 FAM 795.1 a.-i.), and compliance with Section 508 rules regarding acces\xc2\xad\n sibility for the disabled (5 FAM 794 a. (7)). The OIG team discussed these new rules\n with embassy staff, and they began to make changes immediately.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 6: Embassy Stockholm should bring its social media\n sites into compliance with the new Foreign Affairs manual subsection on\n social media. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n Education and Exchanges\n The recent elections gave Embassy Stockholm a chance to highlight its achievements\n in selecting participants for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and\n Voluntary Visitor Program (VVP). The Swedish Parliament has 15 newly established\n committees, and IVLP alumni hold key positions in 10 of them. In all, 22 parlia\xc2\xad\n mentarians are alumni of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s IVLP or VVP exchanges. The prime minis\xc2\xad\n ter, foreign minister, defense minister, and other ministers are IVLP alumni, as well.\n\n However, like many other European posts, Embassy Stockholm has seen its number\n of exchange slots decline due to budget cuts and the movement of resources to other\n parts of the world. For FY 2010, the embassy had eight IVLP slots (which it was able\n to increase to 10 by taking advantage of Department incentives). It has created addi\xc2\xad\n tional exchange opportunities for Swedes by taking advantage of the VVP, sending\n 34 voluntary visitors to the United States in FY 2010. Virtually all VVP participants\n were self-funded, and in cases where the Department\xe2\x80\x99s Voluntary Visitors Division\n could not accommodate Swedish visitors, PAS made direct grants to U.S. program\n agencies to arrange programs for Swedish individuals or groups. For the IVLP, the\n\n\n\n14 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nsection received ample, strong nominations from a wide variety of embassy sections\nand agencies.\n\nOfficers in other sections may not be making full use of the program\xe2\x80\x99s potential. The\nmajority of the VVP nominees contact PAS directly, having heard about the program\nonly by word of mouth. The section normally invites the relevant sections to the pre\xc2\xad\ndeparture briefings and post-return debriefings of participants, but few attend. These\nsections are missing the opportunity to use these programs to cement a relationship\nwith the contact. Thus, VVP participants form a connection with PAS, instead of\nwith the substantively relevant officer, which is of less benefit to the mission.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 7: Embassy Stockholm should require that nomi\xc2\xad\n nating officers or other relevant section staff attend the briefings and debrief\xc2\xad\n ings for participants in the International Visitor Leadership Program and the\n Voluntary Visitor Program. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 8: Embassy Stockholm should develop and imple\xc2\xad\n ment a plan to encourage more widespread nominations for the Voluntary\n Visitor Program. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nMost, but not all, of the exchange programs alumni are in the Contact 7 database.\nEach exchange program participant represents a significant investment of program\nfunds, but the database entries do not indicate whether that contact has participated\nin a U.S. Government-sponsored exchange, and if so, what type and when. It is\npossible to add such fields to the database. PAS keeps separate lists of IVLP and\nVVP alumni and could request complete lists of Fulbright alumni from the Fulbright\nCommission.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 9: Embassy Stockholm should create the appropri\xc2\xad\n ate fields in its Contact 7 database and use these fields to record informa\xc2\xad\n tion on all exchange program alumni regarding their participation in U.S.\n Government exchange programs. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nOne of the goals of the two-person IRC is to increase the amount of targeted infor\xc2\xad\nmation outreach it is conducting. Currently, the IRC primarily uses mailing lists\nin Outlook for such outreach, and PAS would like to have a more robust contact\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 15\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n management system for electronic outreach. The section acknowledges that using\n a different database than the rest of the embassy would not be wise. In conjunction\n with the wider embassy upgrade (mentioned in Recommendation 1), PAS could\n make better use of the Contact 7 software, which has greater capabilities for record\xc2\xad\n ing and sorting individuals\xe2\x80\x99 interests than what PAS currently uses..\n\n Informal Recommendation 7: Embassy Stockholm should include interests and\n other public diplomacy information in the Contact 7 database to make it more useful\n for information outreach.\n\n\n Administrative and Personnel Issues\n As public diplomacy programs and priorities have evolved and PAS staffing has\n changed, work duties within the section have become imbalanced. The administra\xc2\xad\n tive/grants assistant position would benefit from additional responsibilities, as would\n the position of the IRC deputy, who also serves as Web master and outreach assistant.\n\n Informal Recommendation 8: Embassy Stockholm should look at the position\n descriptions of the Information Resource Center assistant/Web master and the\n administrative/grants assistant with a view towards giving these staff members addi\xc2\xad\n tional responsibilities.\n\n Examination of a sampling of the PAS grants files showed that current files are in\n good order, and PAS is using the proper forms and following grants regulations. The\n files of recently expired grants generally contained program and financial reports and\n proper close-out records. The files showed a couple of minor documentation issues,\n on which the OIG team counseled the staff.\n\n Although no LE staff said that they had inadequate training for their jobs, PAS does\n not have a record of who has received which training and when it occurred. For\n future planning purposes, especially as the American officers change periodically, it\n would be useful to have a spreadsheet showing this information.\n\n Informal Recommendation 9: Embassy Stockholm should develop a spreadsheet to\n record staff training in the public affairs section.\n\n\n\n\n16 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nCONSULAR OPERATIONS\n\nSweden is home to a diverse population of third country nationals and an estimated\n30,000 American citizens. These, plus applicants for non-tourist visas, make up the\nbulk of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s clientele for consular services. Since most Swedish passport\nholders take advantage of the visa waiver program for tourist and business travel, the\nembassy\xe2\x80\x99s visa workload consists of the more complex cases of student, au pair, and\nwork-related applications, as well as third country nationals, including applicants\nwith questionable documents or identities. American citizens services are focused on\npassports, reports of birth, and an occasional arrest, repatriation, welfare, or death\ncase.\n\nStaffing\nWith three American officers, a consular associate, and 11 LE staff members, the\nconsular section appears adequately staffed. However, because the embassy must\nfollow Swedish law and practice concerning leave policies for local employees, the\nsection is often stretched to cover absences. More careful management of the leave\nand appointment schedule would help. However, backlogs and overtime are often\nunavoidable, due to unexpected and extended absences for sick or maternity leave and\nthe need to grant each LE staff member a lengthy summer vacation (during the busi\xc2\xad\nest time for the consular section). Given these circumstances, the section frequently\nneeds temporary local employee staff assistance.\n\nInformal Recommendation 10: Embassy Stockholm should engage local staff\nin planning their vacation leave well in advance of the summer season to ensure\nadequate coverage for the consular section.\n\nMorale in the section is good. The problems that surfaced a few years ago which\ncaused serious morale problems appear to be behind them. Visits by the consular\nmanagement assistance team and regional consular officer, along with a change in\nsection leadership, appear to have resolved most of the issues. A more collegial atmo\xc2\xad\nsphere is evident, and most of the staff commented on the good team work in the\nsection.\n\n\nLeadership\nThe consul brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the American citizens\nservices section in particular, and pitches in when needed on the nonimmigrant visa\n(NIV) line. The NIV and immigrant visa (IV) officers are effective and efficient.\nVeteran local employees commented that these officers are among the best they have\nseen in a long series of ELOs. The local staff is customer-oriented, and several have\nmany years of experience and valuable contacts. However, because of two impending\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 17\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n retirements and the leave issues described above, cross training to provide better\n backup and extend the experience of the local staff would be helpful.\n\n Informal Recommendation 11: Embassy Stockholm should survey the training and\n skills of consular locally employed staff and support cross training to ensure the flex\xc2\xad\n ibility needed when there are gaps or workload demands in one of the units.\n\n The section chief holds meetings on an as-needed basis with the front office and\n within the consular section as a whole. The NIV unit schedules regular weekly\n meetings. While communications seem to work well, several employees believe\n more regular meetings of all staff would be beneficial, provided there is a planned\n agenda and a focus on relevant and current issues. This suggestion was one of the key\n recommendations in both the Consular Management Assistance Team report and\n the regional consular officer report, following their respective visits, and implement\xc2\xad\n ing it has helped resolve some of the issues that had led to earlier morale problems.\n The consul also should meet regularly with the deputy chief of mission to keep him\n apprised of issues of concern to the section.\n\n Informal Recommendation 12: Embassy Stockholm should direct the consular\n section to hold regularly scheduled meetings.\n\n Informal Recommendation 13: Embassy Stockholm should establish a regular\n schedule of meetings between the consular chief and the deputy chief of mission.\n\n The consular chief does not have a good grasp of his International Cooperative\n Administrative Support Services (ICASS) role. Under guidance from the Bureau\n of Consular Affairs (CA), and as outlined in 09 State 99062 and on the CA Web\n intranet site, the consular chief should be active in ICASS. The ICASS council for\n Embassy Stockholm has not met since April 2010, and another meeting should occur\n soon. In preparation for his role in ICASS, the consular chief should adhere to CA\n guidance regarding his involvement in the ICASS process and seek ICASS training\n when possible.\n\n Informal Recommendation 14: Embassy Stockholm should require that the\n consular chief take on an appropriate role to fulfill his duties with regard to\n International Cooperative Administrative Support Services.\n\n\n Language Training\n All three consular positions are language designated, and two of the officers (includ\xc2\xad\n ing the consular chief) had the full 6 months of Swedish language training at the\n Foreign Service Institute prior to coming to post. The consular chief, who is also the\n American citizens services officer, neither uses nor needs Swedish for his work, since\n his clientele are primarily English-speaking American citizens, permanent resident\n\n\n18 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\naliens, or Swedes who have American citizen children. His interactions with Swedish\nauthorities usually are conducted in English, and his duties as chief of section do not\nrequire Swedish. According to 13 FAM 221, only those positions for which language\nproficiency is essential should be language designated. The visa interviewing officers\nbelieve that knowledge of Swedish is useful when interviewing applicants, such\nas third country nationals who may speak better Swedish than English or older\nSwedes from rural areas whose English may be limited. However, English has been\ncompulsory in Swedish schools for more than 50 years, and almost all visa applicants\nwho have been educated in Sweden speak good or even excellent English. In the few\ncases where interpretation is required, any of the LE staff can assist. In 2009, only 3\npercent of the total NIV cases required an interpreter.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 10: Embassy Stockholm should notify the\n Department that language training is not essential for position number\n 30-032004 and request that it not be language designated. (Action: Embassy\n Stockholm)\n\n\n\nPhysical Space\nThe consular section office space is sufficient for the current workload, but its\nconfiguration is poor. Officers generally have good line of sight over their respective\nunits, but the workspace and interview windows are in the form of a large \xe2\x80\x9cU,\xe2\x80\x9d with\nthe waiting room in the middle where both visa and American clients wait together\nfor assistance.\n\nVisa applicants apply online for appointments, which minimizes the waiting line\noutside the embassy. There is no shelter, however, and people who are waiting are\nexposed to the elements. The embassy has attempted to address this problem by\nhandling the visa appointment process carefully, and by considering construction of\na sheltered area as part of a future project. However, it must first overcome Swedish\nobjections to building an addition onto the exterior of the chancery. In the interim,\nthe embassy has a supply of umbrellas available for loan to the waiting public during\ninclement weather.\n\nThe failure of the air conditioning system on the sunny side of the building is a\nsource of discomfort and irritation during the summer, and attempts to rectify the\nproblem with the existing system have been unsuccessful. While the waiting room\nhas adequate ventilation, the office area in the American citizens services section does\nnot.\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 19\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n Informal Recommendation 15: Embassy Stockholm should install air condition\xc2\xad\n ing in the consular section and ensure that it has good ventilation before the next\n summer season.\n\n Almost all staff members commented on the lack of privacy in the waiting room.\n American citizens who have sensitive issues must discuss their cases at a window\n within earshot of others. The local antifraud employee must conduct interviews at\n the visa window, which limits his effectiveness. DNA testing for immigrant visa cases\n has to be scheduled at a time when no one else is in the waiting room. The consular\n staff has raised concerns about this situation and proposed construction of a privacy\n booth, but little has been done. The embassy should make this project a priority.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 11: Embassy Stockholm should propose, and\n the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations should approve and fund,\n the construction of a privacy booth in the consular waiting room. (Action:\n Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with OBO)\n\n\n\n Public Inquiries\n The embassy encourages the use of email for inquiries from the public. The\n embassy\xe2\x80\x99s Web site provides extensive guidance to seekers of visas and other consular\n services. The section also has set aside 1 hour per day, 4 days a week, during which\n the public may call in with inquiries. In the summer, the volume of these calls strains\n the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s capacity to respond. Many callers to the consular section and other\n elements of the embassy have complained of their inability to get through. Recently,\n the embassy tried a new approach. One consular staff member answers the phone\n and takes down the inquirer\xe2\x80\x99s number or email and basic question. The staff member\n then sends an email to a responder in the section, who will either call back or answer\n the inquiry by email. After a few days of trying this method, the staff could field\n most calls during the designated hour, while reducing the time each caller is on hold.\n\n\n Visas\n Embassy Stockholm processes both IVs and NIVs. A large percentage of its 17,000\xc2\xad\n plus NIV adjudications are petition-based visas (16 percent), students (20 percent),\n exchange visitors (25 percent), and third country nationals (21 percent). Treaty trader\n and treaty investor visas consume the most processing time. Both visa units see a\n large number of third country nationals because of Sweden\xe2\x80\x99s relatively open refugee\n and asylum programs. The third country national applicant pool poses particular\n\n\n\n\n20 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nchallenges, because it is difficult to establish the identity of many applicants, and\nmany come from countries of concern. About 80 percent of Stockholm\xe2\x80\x99s IV appli\xc2\xad\ncants are third country nationals, and about 10 percent have no legal residence in\nSweden. Swedish authorities can and do grant travel documents to these individuals\nbased on their verbal claims, without confirming their identities. Thus, IV cases from\nIraq, Iran, Somalia, and Eritrea, in particular, require extra attention from both the\ninterviewing officer and the anti-fraud unit.\n\nThe embassy does a very small number of visa referrals annually and has a visa refer\xc2\xad\nral process in place. However, a recent review of referrals indicated several problems\nwith processing, and inappropriate designations as either A or B referrals. The prob\xc2\xad\nlems included adjudication by an untenured officer, lack of appropriate signatures for\nreferring and approving officers, lack of scanned referral forms, and justifications that\ndo not meet the requirements of 9 FAM Appendix K. While there were some systems\nproblems when the deputy chief of mission attempted to review some visa adjudica\xc2\xad\ntions, this difficulty appears to have been overcome.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 12: Embassy Stockholm should reissue its visa\n referral policy under the Ambassador\xe2\x80\x99s signature and provide training for all\n staff on the requirements and process for making referrals. (Action: Embassy\n Stockholm)\n\n\nThe 9/11 Commission legislation included a requirement to negotiate data shar\xc2\xad\ning agreements with countries that have visa waiver privileges. These agreements\nmust be concluded by the next visa waiver review in 2012. Both U.S. and Swedish\nGovernment officials have been working on the final wording of a draft Preventing\nand Combating Serious Crime agreement, and once the Swedes have reviewed the\ntext and submitted final comments, the agreement is expected to be ready for signa\xc2\xad\nture. The Homeland Security Presidential Directive 6 agreement on information data\nsharing regarding known and suspected terrorists is on hold until the Preventing and\nCombating Serious Crime agreement is signed, given the directive\xe2\x80\x99s sensitivity with\nthe Swedish parliament and the public.\n\nThe Visas Viper committee meets regularly under the chairmanship of the consular\nchief. Cooperation appears good, and the consular chief checks that all proposed\nnames are in the system, and if they are not he refers them to the Department for\nvetting.\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 21\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n Anti-Fraud\n Embassy Stockholm is a relatively low fraud post, but it has a steady stream of\n difficult cases and a busy anti-fraud unit, due to Sweden\xe2\x80\x99s liberal policies toward\n the identity documents of its diverse population of refugees and asylees. The local\n employee in the anti-fraud unit has developed a level of expertise and established\n contacts that make him a valuable resource \xe2\x80\x93 not only for Sweden, but also for other\n posts in the region and for the Foreign Service Institute. To make better use of this\n asset, the consular section has proposed hosting a conference to share best anti-fraud\n practices and to foster cooperation in the region, which has never had such a forum.\n The focus of the proposed conference would be on applicants for H (worker) and L\n (intracompany transfer) visas; however, it also could spur other cooperative anti-fraud\n efforts through follow-on visits by or video conferences with the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s anti-fraud\n staff. The section has proposed conference presenters who could provide information\n to the regional group, and it has requested funding for this purpose from CA.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 13: The Bureau of Consular Affairs should approve\n Embassy Stockholm\xe2\x80\x99s request for funding to host a regional anti-fraud confer\xc2\xad\n ence. (Action: CA, in coordination with Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n American Citizens Services\n Many of the U.S. citizens residing in Sweden have young children, and the section\n sees several applicants for consular reports of birth abroad (CRBA) each week. Since\n CRBAs are time-consuming and often involve small children, the section sets aside\n appointments for these applicants. This approach works well, especially because\n the scheduling process directs applicants to the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s Web site, where there is\n a checklist of documents needed for the CRBA. As a result, parents usually come\n prepared with everything they need, saving both themselves and the section time and\n preventing the need for repeat visits, which is an important consideration for appli\xc2\xad\n cants who undertake the long and expensive trip to Stockholm from more distant\n parts of this large country.\n\n The American citizen services section is considering expanding the appointment\n system to include passport applicants and others. Doing so would help clients to\n arrive with all the required documents and would reduce waiting time, especially\n during periods when the section is short-staffed. Implementing an appointment\n system also is likely to cut down on telephone and email queries.\n\n Informal Recommendation 16: Embassy Stockholm should expand the consular\n appointment system to include all applicants for American citizens services.\n\n\n22 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nEmbassy Stockholm uses its Web site and its email list of about 5,500 registered\nAmericans to distribute warden notices. This method appears to work well for the\nfew notices the embassy sends out each year. However, the system could be more\neffective if there were wardens to reach those people who may not be online, and to\nprovide feedback on communications.\n\nInformal Recommendation 17: Embassy Stockholm should establish a warden\nsystem for Sweden.\n\nEmbassy Stockholm handles a few repatriation and whereabouts cases each year.\nMost death cases are routine and involve family members in-country. At present,\nthere are two Americans in prison in Sweden. Although the prisoners have few\ncomplaints and the prisons are located some distance from Stockholm, the section\nvisits them regularly. A prisoner exchange treaty is in place. Cooperation with the\nhost government is good, but sometimes slow.\n\nSweden is the protecting power for the United States in North Korea, and when\xc2\xad\never there is an American detained in North Korea the consular section is a key\ncommunications link between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stockholm and the\nDepartment. It attends to this function in a timely and conscientious manner.\n\nSweden is party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and\nCo-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption and the Hague Abduction\nConvention. In practice, however, there are no adoptions of Swedish children by\nAmericans, unless the parents are related or have strong ties to Sweden. The embassy\nis active in supporting requests by left-behind parents of abducted children, and it\nresponds to welfare and whereabouts queries promptly. The section has good working\nrelations with Swedish authorities.\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 23\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\n24 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nRESOURCE MANAGEMENT\n\n\n U.S.\n U.S. Locally Total\n Direct- Total\n Agency Local-Hire Employed Funding\n Hire Staff\n Staff Staff FY 2010\n Staff\nDepartment \xe2\x80\x93 D&CP 24 5 13 42 3,650,071\nDepartment - MRV 1 2 3 188,454\nDepartment \xe2\x80\x93 ICASS 3 8.5 33 44.5 6,048,000\nDepartment \xe2\x80\x93 Public\n 2 2 25 9 1,000,800\nDiplomacy\n\nDepartment \xe2\x80\x93 Diplomatic\n 4 9 24 37 1,416,124\nSecurity\n\nDepartment \xe2\x80\x93 Marine\n 6 1 4 389,661\nSecurity\n\nDepartment \xe2\x80\x93 Representation 53,100\n\nDepartment \xe2\x80\x93 OBO 1 1 1,642,236\nCenters for Disease Control\n 1 1 75,000\nand Prevention\nForeign Commercial Service 1 6 7 774,109\nDefense Attach\xc3\xa9 Office 7 3 10 671,905\n\nDepartment of Homeland\n Not\nSecurity (Customs & Border 2 2\n available\nPatrol)\n\nForeign Agricultural Service 2 2 262,570\nTotals 51 25.5 109 162.5 16,172,030\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 25\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS\n\n The management officer arrived in Stockholm less than 3 months before the inspec\xc2\xad\n tion but had already made his mark on embassy operations. He has focused on\n customer service and team building within the section. The OIG team found him\n knowledgeable about the section\xe2\x80\x99s strengths and areas for improvement. He is tack\xc2\xad\n ling each challenge as he encounters it; other embassy sections reported noticeable\n improvement in overall customer service.\n\n Stockholm has a unique workforce made up of 19 nationalities (including 24 resident\n Americans), all of whom are hired under and subject to Swedish labor law and taxa\xc2\xad\n tion. Sweden\xe2\x80\x99s exceptionally generous leave policy challenges embassy management to\n find creative staffing solutions, particularly during the summer when local employees\n are entitled to six or more weeks of leave. Many of the local-hire Americans have\n security clearances and thus can assist the small, U.S. direct-hire staff in many\n sections. Their assistance helps fill LE staffing gaps, but it also tends to reduce\n employment opportunities for eligible family members of embassy officers,\n The management officer and the commu\xc2\xad\n nity liaison office (CLO) coordinators are actively engaged with the human resources\n (HR) unit to increase family member employment opportunities within the embassy.\n The CLO coordinators also have worked with family members to locate employment\n opportunities on the local economy.\n\n Facilities operations and some general services units present the management section\n with small challenges. As noted below, the facilities management unit needs training\n and reorganization, as well as the possible elimination of a position. A discussion of\n internal control weaknesses in the general services operation is in the management\n controls section of this report.\n\n The management section has been at the forefront of creating the most energy-\n efficient embassy possible. The chancery\xe2\x80\x99s heating system was converted to municipal\n steam heat, a cost neutral solution that has significantly reduced the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s\n carbon footprint. The embassy converted several government-owned residences to\n efficient geothermal heating systems, which saves approximately 40 percent per year\n in utility costs; more conversions are planned when funding is available. Likewise,\n there are plans to upgrade windows in government-owned houses to windows with\n higher efficiency ratings. The embassy has an active recycling program and encour\xc2\xad\n ages two-sided printing. The entire embassy is involved in thinking of ways to make\n the embassy even \xe2\x80\x9cgreener,\xe2\x80\x9d and employees have an excellent awareness of green\n initiatives.\n\n\n\n\n26 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nManagement could devote more energy to emergency planning. The Emergency\nPlanning Handbook (12 FAH-1) suggests that embassies prepare contingency travel\norders, employee and family member lists, emergency contact systems, etc., which\nEmbassy Stockholm has not done. A Department-sponsored crisis management exer\xc2\xad\ncise took place when the CLO coordinator was on leave and before the new manage\xc2\xad\nment team arrived. The management section should coordinate emergency planning\nefforts with the regional security office and the emergency action committee, so that\nthe entire embassy is aware of the existence and location of emergency information.\n\nInformal Recommendation 18: Embassy Stockholm should review its emergency\nplanning information and develop emergency resources including evacuation travel\norders and up-to-date employee and family member lists.\n\n\n\n\nFINANCIAL MANAGEMENT\nThe management officer oversees operations of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s financial management\nunit. The unit provides strong customer service and manages funds in accordance\nwith Department regulations. Embassy Stockholm\xe2\x80\x99s Class B cashier offers accommo\xc2\xad\ndation exchange to allow employees to cash personal checks. Requiring the cashier to\nprovide accommodation exchange increases both the cashier\xe2\x80\x99s workload and the need\nfor a cash advance from the U.S. Treasury. Guidance in 4 FAH-3 H-361.2 requires\nthat the chief of mission issue a written determination to provide accommodation\nexchange service, based on specific considerations, such as availability of satisfactory\nlocal commercial banking facilities, automated teller machines, or currency exchange\nservices. Embassy Stockholm did not have a current chief of mission determination.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 14: Embassy Stockholm should determine whether\n to maintain accommodation exchange services, based on the factors described\n in the Foreign Affairs Handbook. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\nHUMAN RESOURCES\nThe three-person HR unit operates in a professional manner and provides excellent\nservice to the mission. Each employee in the unit is fully engaged with the issues\nunder his or her purview. Local employee performance evaluations were up-to-date;\nthe few problems that had existed with late evaluations were resolved with the arrival\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 27\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n of the new management officer. The unit updated the LE staff handbook only a\n few months prior to the inspection, and it provides a comprehensive overview of the\n embassy\xe2\x80\x99s employment policies. As noted below, the embassy has an excellent orienta\xc2\xad\n tion program for new LE staff members. (Orientation of U.S. direct-hire employees is\n the responsibility of the community liaison office.)\n\n\n BEST PRACTICE: Local Employee Orientation Program\n\n\n\n Issue: Most new LE staff members at Embassy Stockholm have no experience\n working for the U.S. Government and are arriving to work at a leanly-staffed\n embassy with minimal staff turnover. They need an orientation to their new\n working environment.\n Response: The embassy has created an orientation program in which each\n new local employee is assigned a sponsor, generally an LE staff member from a\n different section in the embassy. Using a checklist, the sponsor introduces the\n new employee to every person in the mission, shows him or her key offices, and\n ensures that the employee has someone to sit with at lunch during their first\n week at work. In addition, the HR office gives the new employee a schedule of\n meetings with many sections in the embassy for check-in briefings, including a\n courtesy call with the deputy chief of mission.\n Result: New local staff report excellent results from this program. They imme\xc2\xad\n diately feel welcome in their new work environment, and much of the stress of\n the first week at a new job is eliminated. Sponsors take their job quite seriously,\n and all appreciate this excellent introduction to Embassy Stockholm.\n\n\n\n\n GENERAL SERVICES\n The general services office (GSO) performs most of its responsibilities well; its scores\n for all services were average, compared to other embassies that the OIG team had\n recently inspected. A third-tour American general services officer is the sole U.S.\n direct-hire employee in the office. Morale within the office is good, and LE staff\n members perform effectively as a team. Embassy customers gave slightly lower marks\n to GSO for customer service orientation. The OIG team discussed several ways to\n improve customer communication and expectation management. In common with\n other European embassies, Embassy Stockholm does not provide government-owned\n furniture to embassy employees. This practice, which differs from what employees\n expect based on previous assignments, needs to be clearly explained to incoming\n officers.\n\n\n28 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nThe management officer notes that unfurnished residences are undesirable from\na morale perspective, and the embassy has formally requested permission to join a\npilot program to lease residential furniture through a commercial company. This\nproposal is likely to increase costs to the U.S. Government and is under review by the\nDepartment.\n\nThe GSO has fully implemented new electronic applications for shipping, procure\xc2\xad\nment, travel, and property management. The embassy also has a blanket purchase\nagreement with a local taxi vendor, which allows the embassy to outsource most\nmotor pool functions, a cost-effective alternative to running a larger motor pool.\n\nThe OIG team noted that several of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s indefinite delivery, indefinite\nquantity contracts resulted in selections of single vendors. Although permitted under\nthe regulations, Federal Acquisition Regulation, part 16.504(c)(1)(i) requires that, to\nthe maximum extent possible, an embassy should make multiple award selections for\nthese types of contracts.\n\nInformal Recommendation 19: Embassy Stockholm should make multiple\nawards for indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts to the maximum extent\npracticable.\n\n\n\n\nHOUSING\nThe embassy maintains a housing inventory of 18 government-owned properties\nand 23 short-term leased properties. Embassy employees rated suitability of housing\nslightly above average, compared to other recently inspected embassies. Leased prop\xc2\xad\nerties typically are within space and cost standards for Embassy Stockholm\xe2\x80\x99s leasing\nrental benchmarks. The embassy notes that a recent surge in housing costs, combined\nwith an illiquid rental market, has driven up rental costs; accordingly, it is in the\nprocess of submitting new rental benchmarks for review by the Bureau of Overseas\nBuildings Operations (OBO).\n\nThere are several problematic issues related to management of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s govern\xc2\xad\nment-owned properties. First, a number of underutilized or excess properties in the\nresidential property inventory are undesirable for various reasons, including street\nnoise, awkward space configuration, or excessive distance from the chancery. Second,\nthe deputy chief of mission\xe2\x80\x99s apartment has suitable representational space, but\nfamily living quarters are small. The embassy is interested in finding a replacement\nproperty for this long-term leased apartment. It has initiated preliminary negotiations\nto obtain new apartments on a build-to-lease basis from a local developer, a solution\nthat could address both issues. The developer has proposed highly energy-efficient\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 29\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n designs for the apartments and \xe2\x80\x9cgreen\xe2\x80\x9d construction methods, which would reduce\n long-term operating costs. Working with a developer during the construction process\n also would allow the embassy to make sure new units meet Department specifica\xc2\xad\n tions, which is particularly important for the deputy chief of mission residence. The\n OIG team believes that this proposal has merit and supports the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s efforts to\n negotiate an agreement that addresses long-term housing needs.\n\n\n\n\n UNDERUTILIZED REAL PROPERTY \xe2\x80\x93 OXENSTIERNSGATAN\n APARTMENTS\n\n Embassy Stockholm purchased five apartments in 1997 at a cost of $1.15 million at\n current exchange rates. These apartments historically have attracted housing board\n appeals from occupants who complained of excessive street noise and deficiencies\n in apartment layout and size. Currently, two of the apartments have been vacant\n for an extended period, and the embassy does plan not to assign new occupants to\n the apartments of another three employees after their departure in summer 2011.\n According to 15 FAM 261 (5), government-owned quarters generally should not be\n used as transient quarters or kept vacant for longer than 3 months. These housing\n units represent a significant government investment, intended to defray high costs\n of leasing properties. According to estimates provided by the embassy, their market\n value is estimated at $3 million. Sale of the properties would allow the Department\n to put these funds to better use.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 15: Embassy Stockholm should request permission\n from the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to sell properties X23023,\n X24024, X25025, X26026, and X27027. (Action: Embassy Stockholm, in\n coordination with OBO)\n\n\n\n\n EXCESS REAL PROPERTY \xe2\x80\x93 BROMMA HOUSE\n The embassy retains a government-owned single family house that has been vacant\n for several years. The Department of Agriculture acquired the property in 1958 at\n a cost of $45,000, and it was used as the dedicated residence for the agricultural\n attach\xc3\xa9 for many years. The embassy first proposed selling the house in 2001, but the\n Department of Agriculture declined to provide authorization. In 2006, the position\n\n\n\n30 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nof agricultural attach\xc3\xa9 was transferred to a neighboring post, and the residence has\nbeen vacant for most of this period. The house, which has an estimated market value\nof $1.5 million, has not been occupied for 2 years and is in poor repair. With the\npermanent departure of the agricultural attach\xc3\xa9 from the embassy, it is unlikely to be\noccupied any time soon. It also will deteriorate further, the longer it remains unoc\xc2\xad\ncupied. Sale of the property would allow the Department to put the government\xe2\x80\x99s\ninvestment to better use.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 16: Embassy Stockholm should request permission\n from the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to sell property X03003.\n (Action: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with OBO)\n\n\n\n\nFACILITIES MANAGEMENT\nThe facilities management operation in Stockholm has long operated without appro\xc2\xad\npriately targeted resources. The section is exceedingly top-heavy. It needs to be reor\xc2\xad\nganized, or should eliminate a position to have a more appropriate mix of skill sets\nand supervisor-to-supervised ratio. Some of the staffing structure problems are relics\nof a time when there was no American facilities manager at the embassy. Since the\nfirst American facilities manager was assigned to Stockholm 10 years ago, a first-time\nfacilities manager has filled the position during each assignment cycle. The new offi\xc2\xad\ncers stay only 2 years, versus the normal 3-year tour for a tenured facilities manager.\nAt present, the embassy is experiencing a gap in the position that will last more than\na year, and a temporary contractor currently is filling the position. At present, the\nsenior LE staff holds few regular meetings with unit staff. The previous facilities\nmanager held regular safety meetings and gave lectures that were well-received by the\nsection staff, but when he left the safety meetings stopped. The management officer\nhas scheduled team-building training for the facilities management unit in February\n2011.\n\nDespite the number of higher-level supervisors, there are only ad hoc preventive\nmaintenance schedules, and the unit does little strategic planning. Until the recent\naddition of a work order clerk, work was accomplished in a somewhat chaotic\nmanner. Supervisors appear to have little awareness of projects that are coming down\nthe road. Workers in the section appear to have good skills and work ethic, but\nleadership is lacking. The top-heavy structure reflects poor management practices\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 31\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n and works against efficiency. There are enough positions in the unit to have a robust\n preventive maintenance program and to handle both routine and non-routine work\n orders, but reorganization of both positions and work is necessary to accomplish this\n goal.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 17: Embassy Stockholm should reorganize the facili\xc2\xad\n ties management section, eliminating or reprogramming at least one of the\n senior positions. The reorganization should include planning and realignment\n of the unit\xe2\x80\x99s workload among the facilities staff. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE\n Preventive maintenance is performed on some equipment. There is no formal preven\xc2\xad\n tive maintenance schedule. The Department\xe2\x80\x99s computerized maintenance manage\xc2\xad\n ment system (Work Orders for Windows) is outdated and not in use for preventive\n maintenance scheduling, nor is anyone at the embassy fully trained to use it. As\n a result, much of the important preventive maintenance work is performed on an\n ad hoc basis, or not at all, which increases the risk of expensive equipment failures.\n Service agreements with contractors cover some of the key preventive maintenance\n issues, such as the generator and elevator maintenance; the maintenance foreman and\n work order clerk write on-the-spot work orders for other needs, such as checking fire\n extinguishers or changing air filters. Developing a preventive maintenance program\n in which all section members have clearly assigned roles would ensure that critical\n maintenance is performed on a regular and timely basis.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 18: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with\n the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should develop a preventive\n maintenance program that includes updating the Work Orders for Windows\n system, training key employees in the section to use it, assigning clear roles\n to all section members, and monitoring the preventive maintenance program.\n (Action: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with OBO)\n\n\n\n\n32 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nMANAGING MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROJECTS\nThe facilities staff did not appear to have a good understanding of upcoming proj\xc2\xad\nects. For example, a remodel of the consular section to create a privacy booth had\nreceived short shrift, even though senior facilities employees were aware of the issue.\nThe embassy did not request special funding, nor was this project on the section\xe2\x80\x99s\nradar screen. Likewise, when the OIG team asked about an upcoming security\nupgrade project, facilities unit personnel were not fully aware that the project existed,\nand had no detailed information about when it would begin or what their role might\nbe in it. Work on government-owned properties (to change out windows, install\ngeothermal heat, and remodel kitchens and bathrooms) had begun, but there was no\nevidence of a strategic plan for completing this work or for the maintenance of these\nproperties on a long-term basis. The facilities unit operates in a reactive mode; the\nOIG team found little evidence of a plan for identifying and prioritizing maintenance\nand construction projects.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 19: Embassy Stockholm should develop a prioritized\n project plan for embassy maintenance and construction projects, aligning\n those projects to request necessary funding and to take advantage of last-\n minute funding opportunities. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\nINFORMATION MANAGEMENT\nThe OIG team assessed technical and management operating procedures, as well as\nthe physical security of the information technology spaces of Embassy Stockholm.\nIts information management (IM) program currently meets the expectations of the\ninformation technology needs of all users in Embassy Stockholm and provides the\nappropriate level of information system security for the embassy. The OIG team\nperformed a penetration test, a network analysis, and systems cyber security reviews;\nit noted no major deficiencies.\n\nThe OIG team counseled Embassy Stockholm on issues such as labeling, consular\nphone use, power panel labeling, individual development plans, contingency plans,\nexpired passwords, patches, and file restoration from backup tapes. The embassy\naddressed all concerns to the satisfaction of the OIG team; some mitigation activities\nremain in progress.\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 33\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n The IM program is also responsible for switchboard operations, telephone and radio\n management, and classified and unclassified pouch operations. The OIG inspectors\n reviewed these operations and found that the embassy follows the Department\xe2\x80\x99s poli\xc2\xad\n cies and guidelines. (There are no guidelines assigning responsibility for local mail\n handling.) The local mail functions for Embassy Stockholm are performed by the\n motor pool staff, who pick up the mail, screen it for suspicious material, and sort it.\n\n Embassy Stockholm\xe2\x80\x99s IM officer oversees the information systems and information\n processing centers for the embassy. The section includes, in addition to the IM offi\xc2\xad\n cer, an information program officer and an IM specialist in charge of the classified\n systems.\n\n There are three American officers, three cleared Americans, eight local employees,\n and a part-time eligible family member supporting Embassy Stockholm\xe2\x80\x99s unclassi\xc2\xad\n fied systems, diplomatic post office, pouch operations, and telephone switchboard.\n Overall, the IM office supports 260 users on the unclassified side. The classified\n network consists of approximately 40 users.\n\n\n\n\n INFORMATION SECURITY\n The information security section of Embassy Stockholm is adequate. A staffing\n shortage recently resulted in insufficient attention to information system security\n officer duties. The shortage has been resolved and the current staff performs the\n information system security officer duties adequately.\n\n Embassy Stockholm uses eServices to track the IM work orders. Some users do not\n think it is necessary to fill out the request forms, perhaps because senior embassy\n management has not clearly communicated that the use of eServices by the end user\n is mandatory. Using work orders enables the embassy to track services and verify\n that all customer needs are satisfied and work is being performed in an efficient and\n timely manner. Not logging tickets on the eServices system can result in dropped\n work orders, unresolved problems, and improper allocation of human resources.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 20: Embassy Stockholm should issue clear guidance\n directing all personnel to use the eServices system when requesting informa\xc2\xad\n tion management support. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n34 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n SCHOOLS\n (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6)\n Embassy employees relayed concerns (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6) to the OIG team, citing issues\n with the school\xe2\x80\x99s curriculum, homework policies, discipline policies, and facilities.\n As is the case with other schools in Scandinavia, (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6) has\n limited resources to assist special needs students, which is another area of concern.\n The management officer is well aware of parent concerns and is working with the\n school\xe2\x80\x99s director to seek improvements in these areas. (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6)\n This school\n receives high marks from parents, but it does not follow a U.S. curriculum a(b)(2)(b)\n (5)(b)(6)\n\n\n The Office of Overseas Schools recently concluded an assessment visit to Stockholm\n and determined that (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6) does not provide an education\n that is reasonably comparable to a school in the United States (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6)\n\n The visit also gave the Department an oppor-\n tunity to formally communicate the concerns of embassy management and parents\n to (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6) and to support the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s efforts to engage\n constructively with the school. (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6)\n\n\n\n\n U.S. EMBASSY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION\n The USECA was struggling for survival until the fall of 2009, when it elected a\n new board. The Office of Commissary and Recreation Affairs worked with the\n board to complete old audits and clear up problems with the association\xe2\x80\x99s finances.\n The association\xe2\x80\x99s finances are now well run and USECA\xe2\x80\x99s operations are profitable,\n although the cleanup of old accounts must be completed before any new services are\n added. The association provides ordering services through the Ramstein Air Base\n commissary in Germany, a vending machine in the consular section, and a small\n video and snack store. The association is solvent and makes enough money to assist\n the CLO with event planning. The current USECA board chair, who has experience\n on the boards of other community associations, has helped to recruit other employees\n to serve on the board. The association employs one family member on a part-time\n basis; however, there was no formal employment agreement in place, so the board is\n regularizing the employee\xe2\x80\x99s contract. In addition, the previous model of having the\n board treasurer serve as the association\xe2\x80\x99s bookkeeper proved to be ineffective, so the\n association now pays a local employee to provide bookkeeping and audit support.\n\n\n38 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\n36 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nQUALITY OF LIFE\n\n\nHEALTH UNIT\nTwo LE staff nurses operate the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s health unit, each working 32 hours per\nweek. The nurses provide medical support and serve as liaisons between embassy\npersonnel and the local medical establishment. A local doctor serves as the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s\nmedical advisor and general practitioner, and he can refer embassy staff and their\nfamilies to relevant specialists. This system has worked well in the Swedish medical\nenvironment; however, that environment is changing with the recent development\nand expansion of private medicine to supplement Sweden\xe2\x80\x99s over-extended, state run\nhealth system.\n\nMost employees and family members are satisfied with the medical office, which\nhas taken an active role in health promotion and wellness activities for the embassy\ncommunity. The nurses also provide a tour of Stockholm\xe2\x80\x99s major medical facilities for\nnew employees and family members; they visit the four main hospitals and explain\nhow to access emergency services in Sweden. This tour is well attended and well\nreceived.\n\n\n\n\nCOMMUNITY LIAISON OFFICE\nTwo CLO coordinators, each working 20 hours, staff an active CLO. They are\nconcerned with morale and recruiting issues resulting from the inadequacy of local\nschools (see school discussion below) and the paucity of employment opportunities\nfor eligible family members. The long, dark winters also take a toll on employees\nand their families. The CLO coordinators have an active winter program, beginning\nin November, to help get people out of the house and alleviate some of the winter\ndoldrums. The program will start with a speaker who recommends coping mecha\xc2\xad\nnisms and suggests ways to enjoy the Swedish winter.\n\nThe coordinators work well together, respect each other\xe2\x80\x99s strengths, and are a key\ncomponent in the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s positive morale. They work closely with the U.S.\nEmbassy Community Association (USECA) to plan and fund social events for\nembassy employees and family members. The coordinators also work with the health\nunit to support and publicize community wellness activities.\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 37\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n SCHOOLS\n\n Embassy employees relayed concerns to the OIG team, citing issues\n with the school\xe2\x80\x99s curriculum, homework policies, discipline policies, and facilities.\n As is the case with other schools in Scandinavia, has\n limited resources to assist special needs students, which is another area of concern.\n The management officer is well aware of parent concerns and is working with the\n school\xe2\x80\x99s director to seek improvements in these areas.\n This school\n receives high marks from parents, but it does not follow a U.S. curriculum a\n\n\n The Office of Overseas Schools recently concluded an assessment visit to Stockholm\n and determined that does not provide an education\n that is reasonably comparable to a school in the United States\n\n The visit also gave the Department an oppor\xc2\xad\n tunity to formally communicate the concerns of embassy management and parents\n to and to support the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s efforts to engage\n constructively with the school. (b)(2)(b)(5)(b)(6)\n\n\n\n\n U.S. EMBASSY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION\n The USECA was struggling for survival until the fall of 2009, when it elected a\n new board. The Office of Commissary and Recreation Affairs worked with the\n board to complete old audits and clear up problems with the association\xe2\x80\x99s finances.\n The association\xe2\x80\x99s finances are now well run and USECA\xe2\x80\x99s operations are profitable,\n although the cleanup of old accounts must be completed before any new services are\n added. The association provides ordering services through the Ramstein Air Base\n commissary in Germany, a vending machine in the consular section, and a small\n video and snack store. The association is solvent and makes enough money to assist\n the CLO with event planning. The current USECA board chair, who has experience\n on the boards of other community associations, has helped to recruit other employees\n to serve on the board. The association employs one family member on a part-time\n basis; however, there was no formal employment agreement in place, so the board is\n regularizing the employee\xe2\x80\x99s contract. In addition, the previous model of having the\n board treasurer serve as the association\xe2\x80\x99s bookkeeper proved to be ineffective, so the\n association now pays a local employee to provide bookkeeping and audit support.\n\n\n38 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nEQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY\n\nThe embassy\xe2\x80\x99s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counselor is new to the posi\xc2\xad\ntion, having taken the Department\xe2\x80\x99s EEO training in September 2010. She is taking\nher responsibilities seriously and is working with the management officer and the LE\nstaff committee to promote EEO awareness. The embassy has posted information on\ncentrally located bulletin boards and has issued recent EEO announcements.\n\nThe new counselor\xe2\x80\x99s performance contrasts with several employees\xe2\x80\x99 reports that EEO\nissues raised in 2009 had not been appropriately handled. The OIG team was unable\nto determine whether these earlier EEO complaints were handled in accordance with\nregulations. However, the team determined that the current counselor understands\nthe scope and importance of her responsibilities, and can be expected to deal with\nany future EEO complaints appropriately.\n\nLocal employees appreciate what they perceive as significant, recent improvements in\nEEO sensitivity. The embassy is actively looking for a new EEO liaison for the LE\nstaff. There has been no EEO training at the embassy recently, but the regional HR\nofficer in Frankfurt was scheduled to provide EEO training for LE staff during her\nvisit to the embassy in December 2010.\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 39\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\n40 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nMANAGEMENT CONTROLS\n\n\nEmbassy Stockholm has adequate safeguards in place to protect against waste, fraud,\nand mismanagement of government resources in most areas. On July 23, 2010, the\nembassy submitted its annual Chief of Mission certification of management controls\nand identified no reportable conditions. The OIG team identified internal controls\nissues pertaining to procurement and motor vehicle operations, both of which are\naddressed below.\n\n\n\n\nMOTOR VEHICLE RECORD KEEPING\nThe embassy is not in compliance with motor vehicle fleet records requirements.\nEmployees who drive on official business are not filling out daily vehicle use records\n(OF-108) to document and identify whether trips are for official business or other\nauthorized use, as required by 14 FAH-1 H-814.1-1 a. The motor pool unit also is\nnot preparing the monthly fuel/oil consumption record (DS-1775) to reconcile fuel\nusage and mileage driven, as required by 14 FAH-1 H-814.2 b. Finally, the embassy\ndoes not conduct or keep records on systematic preventive maintenance on the\nofficial fleet. The motor pool supervisor recently returned from training and is fairly\nnew on the job. However, responsibility for maintaining information required for\nvehicle records rests primarily with motor vehicle operators. In the absence of internal\ncontrols over motor vehicles, vehicles could be misused.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 21: Embassy Stockholm should issue a manage\xc2\xad\n ment notice requiring drivers of embassy vehicles to complete daily vehicle\n use records and monthly fuel fuel/oil consumption records, as outlined in\n Department regulations. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\nOFFICIAL VEHICLE POLICY\nThe embassy\xe2\x80\x99s official vehicle policy is outdated. The last policy was issued on July\n22, 2008, and does not contain authorization for home-to-office transportation and\nself-driving policies, among other subjects. The Chief of Mission is required to review\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 41\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n and annually republish a country-wide official vehicle policy in accordance with 14\n FAM 432.5. This policy must provide procedures for business and other authorized\n use, instructions for safe vehicle operations, and uniform treatment of employees.\n Clearly defining the procedures for official vehicle use prevents misuse of government\n vehicles.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 22: Embassy Stockholm should issue a comprehen\xc2\xad\n sive, country-wide official motor vehicle policy. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n\n PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING\n The embassy procures goods and services to an extent typical of a mid-size\n embassy, totaling about $2.1 million in FY 2010. With the introduction of an elec\xc2\xad\n tronic procurement system, it has migrated to digital storage of most procurement\n documents. In some cases, the embassy is not retaining documentation required\n by the Federal Acquisition Regulations and Department of State Acquisition\n Regulations. For example, some files did not contain information on the names of\n bidders invited to participate in solicitations, contractor bids, proposal receipt dates\n and times, or sole source justifications where required. As a result, the embassy could\n not document that it had sought full and open competition for these procurement\n actions, as required by 14 FAH-2 H-225 a. The OIG team\xe2\x80\x99s review of a sample of\n eight procurement files totaling $275,280 found only two files that had evidence of\n full and open competition or sole source justifications. Without documentation that\n acquisitions were competed fully and openly, the embassy cannot be assured that it is\n obtaining the best prices for goods and services.\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 23: Embassy Stockholm should develop and imple\xc2\xad\n ment a checklist of procurement documentation to be retained in electronic\n procurement form, consistent with Department regulations. (Action: Embassy\n Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n42 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nRECOMMENDATIONS\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 1: Embassy Stockholm should systematically improve its\nuse of the Contact 7 software by appointing an individual to take charge of the data\xc2\xad\nbase; investigating whether to upgrade the software to Contact 8; consulting with the\nprogram\xe2\x80\x99s creator in Frankfurt about the database\xe2\x80\x99s capabilities; involving a variety\nof staff in designing the fields; and providing staff training on database use. (Action:\nEmbassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 2: Embassy Stockholm should install access to the database\non most staff work stations, although the ability to make changes to records should\nremain limited to ensure consistency. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 3: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with the Bureau\nof European and Eurasian Affairs and the Bureau of Human Resources, should\ncombine the economic and political sections, while maintaining the current staff\xc2\xad\ning balance between economic- and political-coned officers in the combined section.\n(Action: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with EUR and DGHR)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 4: Embassy Stockholm should require that the politi\xc2\xad\ncal and economic sections collaborate on bringing their files into compliance with\nDepartment regulations on records management. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 5: Embassy Stockholm should develop and implement a\nplan to broaden participation in the embassy speaker program and encourage staff\nmembers to incorporate speaking events in their official travel. (Action: Embassy\nStockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 6: Embassy Stockholm should bring its social media sites\ninto compliance with the new Foreign Affairs manual subsection on social media.\n(Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 7: Embassy Stockholm should require that nominating\nofficers or other relevant section staff attend the briefings and debriefings for partici\xc2\xad\npants in the International Visitor Leadership Program and the Voluntary Visitor\nProgram. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 43\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 8: Embassy Stockholm should develop and implement a\n plan to encourage more widespread nominations for the Voluntary Visitor Program.\n (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 9: Embassy Stockholm should create the appropriate fields\n in its Contact 7 database and use these fields to record information on all exchange\n program alumni regarding their participation in U.S. Government exchange\n programs. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 10: Embassy Stockholm should notify the Department\n that language training is not essential for position number 30-032004 and request\n that it not be language designated. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 11: Embassy Stockholm should propose, and the Bureau\n of Overseas Buildings Operations should approve and fund, the construction of a\n privacy booth in the consular waiting room. (Action: Embassy Stockholm, in coordi\xc2\xad\n nation with OBO)\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 12: Embassy Stockholm should reissue its visa referral\n policy under the Ambassador\xe2\x80\x99s signature and provide training for all staff on the\n requirements and process for making referrals. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 13: The Bureau of Consular Affairs should approve\n Embassy Stockholm\xe2\x80\x99s request for funding to host a regional anti-fraud conference.\n (Action: CA, in coordination with Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 14: Embassy Stockholm should determine whether to\n maintain accommodation exchange services, based on the factors described in the\n Foreign Affairs Handbook. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 15: Embassy Stockholm should request permission from\n the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to sell properties X23023, X24024,\n X25025, X26026, and X27027. (Action: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with\n OBO)\n\n\n RECOMMENDATION 16: Embassy Stockholm should request permission from\n the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to sell property X03003. (Action:\n Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with OBO)\n\n\n\n44 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 17: Embassy Stockholm should reorganize the facilities\nmanagement section, eliminating or reprogramming at least one of the senior posi\xc2\xad\ntions. The reorganization should include planning and realignment of the unit\xe2\x80\x99s\nworkload among the facilities staff. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 18: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination with the Bureau\nof Overseas Buildings Operations, should develop a preventive maintenance program\nthat includes updating the Work Orders for Windows system, training key employees\nin the section to use it, assigning clear roles to all section members, and monitoring\nthe preventive maintenance program. (Action: Embassy Stockholm, in coordination\nwith OBO)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 19: Embassy Stockholm should develop a prioritized proj\xc2\xad\nect plan for embassy maintenance and construction projects, aligning those projects\nto request necessary funding and to take advantage of last-minute funding opportu\xc2\xad\nnities. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 20: Embassy Stockholm should issue clear guidance direct\xc2\xad\ning all personnel to use the eServices system when requesting information manage\xc2\xad\nment support. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 21: Embassy Stockholm should issue a management\nnotice requiring drivers of embassy vehicles to complete daily vehicle use records and\nmonthly fuel fuel/oil consumption records, as outlined in Department regulations.\n(Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 22: Embassy Stockholm should issue a comprehensive,\ncountry-wide official motor vehicle policy. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\nRECOMMENDATION 23: Embassy Stockholm should develop and implement\na checklist of procurement documentation to be retained in electronic procurement\nform, consistent with Department regulations. (Action: Embassy Stockholm)\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 45\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\n46 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nINFORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS\n\n\nInformal recommendations cover operational matters not requiring action by orga\xc2\xad\nnizations outside the inspected unit and/or the parent regional bureau. Informal\nrecommendations will not be subject to the OIG compliance process. However, any\nsubsequent OIG inspection or on-site compliance review will assess the mission\xe2\x80\x99s\nprogress in implementing the informal recommendations.\n\nInformal Recommendation 1: Embassy Stockholm should, after the first road\nshow, conduct a cost-benefit review to assess whether and to what degree this activity\nimposed trade-offs with advancing other, broad national interests; to consider what\ntasking changes would take maximum advantage of the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s own expertise and\ncapacities; and to assess other means of maximizing the impact of subsequent events.\n\nInformal Recommendation 2: Embassy Stockholm should request resources for an\nadditional local employee position in its Mission Strategic and Resource Plan.\n\nInformal Recommendation 3: Embassy Stockholm should provide appropriate\ntraining for the office management specialist in the economic section.\n\nInformal Recommendation 4: Embassy Stockholm should develop a formal media\npolicy and circulate it periodically to embassy staff.\n\nInformal Recommendation 5: Embassy Stockholm should include on its SharePoint\nsite information from the public affairs section, including daily news summaries,\npress guidance, outreach presentations, and other briefing materials.\n\nInformal Recommendation 6: Embassy Stockholm should direct all sections and\nagencies to contribute items to the embassy Web site and social media sites and cross\xc2\xad\nlink the sites among themselves.\n\nInformal Recommendation 7: Embassy Stockholm should include interests and\nother public diplomacy information in the Contact 7 database to make it more useful\nfor information outreach.\n\nInformal Recommendation 8: Embassy Stockholm should look at the position\ndescriptions of the Information Resource Center assistant/Web master and the\nadministrative/grants assistant with a view towards giving these staff members addi\xc2\xad\ntional responsibilities.\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 47\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n Informal Recommendation 9: Embassy Stockholm should develop a spreadsheet to\n record staff training in the public affairs section.\n\n Informal Recommendation 10: Embassy Stockholm should engage local staff\n in planning their vacation leave well in advance of the summer season to ensure\n adequate coverage for the consular section.\n\n Informal Recommendation 11: Embassy Stockholm should survey the training and\n skills of consular locally employed staff and support cross training to ensure the flex\xc2\xad\n ibility needed when there are gaps or workload demands in one of the units.\n\n Informal Recommendation 12: Embassy Stockholm should direct the consular\n section to hold regularly scheduled meetings.\n\n Informal Recommendation 13: Embassy Stockholm should establish a regular\n schedule of meetings between the consular chief and the deputy chief of mission.\n\n Informal Recommendation 14: Embassy Stockholm should require that the\n consular chief take on an appropriate role to fulfill his duties with regard to\n International Cooperative Administrative Support Services.\n\n Informal Recommendation 15: Embassy Stockholm should install air condition\xc2\xad\n ing in the consular section and ensure that it has good ventilation before the next\n summer season.\n\n Informal Recommendation 16: Embassy Stockholm should expand the consular\n appointment system to include all applicants for American citizens services.\n\n Informal Recommendation 17: Embassy Stockholm should establish a warden\n system for Sweden.\n\n Informal Recommendation 18: Embassy Stockholm should review its emergency\n planning information and develop emergency resources including evacuation travel\n orders and up-to-date employee and family member lists.\n\n Informal Recommendation 19: Embassy Stockholm should make multiple\n awards for indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts to the maximum extent\n practicable.\n\n Informal Recommendation 20: Embassy Stockholm should create a service level\n agreement between the information management and public affairs sections defining\n duties regarding the dedicated Internet network.\n\n Informal Recommendation 21: (b)(2)(b)(5)\n\n\n\n48 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nPRINCIPAL OFFICIALS\n\n\n Name Arrival Date\n\nAmbassador Matthew W. Barzun 08/09\nDeputy Chief of Mission William R. Stewart 05/10\n\nChiefs of Sections:\n\nConsular Martin B. Tatuch 06/09\nEconomic Laura J. Kirkconnell 06/09\nManagement William H. Boyle 07/10\nPolitical Marc D. Koehler 08/08\nPublic Affairs Christopher G. Dunnett 06/09\nRegional Security Michael D. Reimer 09/08\n\nOther Agencies:\n\nCenters for Disease Control Jonathan T. Weber 06/07\n and Prevention\nDepartment of Defense Col. Bruce H. Acker 06/07\nDepartment of Homeland Security Rodolfo E. Maeda 03/09\nForeign Commercial Service Frank G. Carrico 08/08\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 49\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\n50 OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0c SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nABBREVIATIONS\n\n\nCA Bureau of Consular Affairs\nCLO community liaison officer\nCRBA consular report of birth abroad\nDIN dedicated Internet network\nEEO Equal Employment Opportunity\nELO entry-level officer\nESTH environment, science, technology, and health\nFAH Foreign Affairs Handbook\nGSO general services office\nHR human resources\nICASS international Cooperative Administrative Support\n Services\nIM information management\nIRC Information resource center\nIV immigrant visa\nIVLP International Visitor Leadership Program\nLE locally employed\nMSRP Mission Strategic and Resource Plan\nNIV nonimmigrant visa\nOIG Office of Inspector General\nOMS Office management specialist\nSAGA Swedish-American Green Alliance\nUSECA U.S. Embassy Community Association\nVVP Voluntary Visitor Program\n\n\n\n\n OIG Report No. ISP-I-11-30A - Inspection of Embassy Stockholm, Sweden - March 2011 51\n\n\n SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\x0cSENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\nSENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\x0cSENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\n\nSENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\x0cSENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\n\n\nFRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE\n\nOR MISMANAGEMENT\n\n of Federal programs hurts everyone.\n\n\n\n Contact the\n\n Office of Inspector General\n\n\n HOTLINE\n\nto report illegal or wasteful activities:\n\n\n 202-647-3320\n 800-409-9926\n\n oighotline@state.gov\n\n oig.state.gov\n\n Office of Inspector General\n\n U.S. Department of State\n\n P. O. Box 9778\n\n Arlington, VA 22219\n\n\n\n Cables to the Inspector General\n should be slugged \xe2\x80\x9cOIG Channel\xe2\x80\x9d\n to ensure confidentiality.\n\n\n\n\nSENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED\n\n\x0c'