VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNM #0312/01 1200925
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300925Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4992 UNCLAS NIAMEY 000312 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OIG AND AF/EX 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:        
SUBJECT:  POST RESPONSE TO OIG REPORT NUMBER ISP-I-09-22A, MARCH 
2009 (INSPECTION OF EMBASSY NIAMEY) 
 
Ref:  McCormick - Amb. Allen e-mail of 03 April 09 
 
 1. (U) Embassy Niamey wishes to thank the OIG for a very successful 
and helpful visit by its inspection team.  Post's responses to its 
"Action" recommendations are provided below: 
 
a. (SBU) Recommendation 1:  Embassy Niamey should work with other 
mission elements to develop and implement a mission-wide 
communications strategy and public affairs calendar. (Action: 
Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team 
recommendation that Embassy Niamey should develop and implement a 
mission-wide communications strategy and public affairs calendar. 
The Public Affairs Officer (PAO) at post will meet with mission 
agency heads on a regular basis to share and receive information and 
updates on planned mission-wide events and initiatives, and 
coordinate a proactive media and public information plan to 
highlight these activities. 
 
b. (SBU) Recommendation 2:  The Bureau of Overseas Buildings 
Operations, in coordination with Embassy Niamey, should expand and 
reconfigure the consular section's workspace. (Action:  OBO, in 
coordination with Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that 
the Consular Section should be redesigned and expanded. Post has 
begun the initial planning for the Consular Section redesign.  The 
Facilities Manager and Consular Officer have held preliminary 
discussions on the optimal use of space and a decision has been made 
to remove non-load bearing walls that will allow additional space 
from an adjoining conference room to be absorbed by the Consular 
Section.  Post will coordinate with OBO as required to move forward 
with this renovation as expeditiously as possible. 
 
c. (SBU) Recommendation 3:  The Bureau of Overseas Buildings 
Operations, in coordination with Embassy Niamey, should provide 
controlled workspace for the collection of consular fees. (Action: 
OBO, in coordination with Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that 
the consular cashier should have controlled workspace for the 
collection of consular fees.  The Consular Officer and Facilities 
Manager have taken this into consideration in developing the 
preliminary plans for the redesign of the Consular Section.  An 
additional window is included in the preliminary design to permit 
the consular cashier to collect fees from a controlled workspace. 
 
d. (SBU) Recommendation 4:  The Bureau of Consular Affairs, in 
coordination with the Bureau of Resource Management, should devise a 
mechanism for setting a common exchange rate for consular fees for 
countries sharing the Communaute Africaine Financiere franc and for 
notifying affected posts. (Action:  CA, in coordination with RM) 
 
Management Decision:  Post has discontinued adjusting the rate of 
exchange on a daily basis and has established a system to adjust the 
rate periodically based on the fluctuation of the euro against the 
US dollar.  The rate is set above the prevailing exchange rate at an 
amount that limits the need for coins to provide change and is 
adjusted to insure that the consular exchange rate is never less 
than the prevailing exchange rate.  On average, the consular rate of 
exchange has been adjusted once a month since this process was 
established in January 2009. 
 
e. (SBU) Recommendation 6:  Embassy Niamey should implement a 
residential furniture pool. (Action:  Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post enthusiastically endorses this OIG 
Inspection Team recommendation.  The Management Officer submitted 
the proposal to the ICASS Council at a meeting on April 20, 2009. 
At this point in time the FF&E of all agencies at post is in 
relatively new, comparable condition.  This would facilitate 
establishment of an ICASS furniture pool without requiring any 
additional expenditures by an individual agency.  The agency 
representatives have been asked to consider the proposal and the 
ICASS Council will make a decision on adopting a furniture pool at 
the May 2009 meeting. 
 
f. (SBU) Recommendation 7:  Embassy Niamey should establish a 
preventive maintenance program and begin scheduling preventive 
maintenance visits to the residences. (Action:  Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  A preventive maintenance program already 
exists for monthly preventive maintenance of generators and 
quarterly preventive maintenance of water distillers.  The 
preventive maintenance program for air conditioners has been limited 
to annual inspection and servicing due to limited staffing in the 
Facilities section.  Post concurs with the OIG Team recommendation 
that a more robust preventive maintenance program should be 
established.  Additional staffing is required to implement a 
quarterly preventive maintenance program for air conditioners and 
 
establish a regular program for other household appliances.  A 
request for two trades helpers, a refrigeration/air conditioning 
technician, and an electrician were put forward to the ICASS Council 
for consideration at the April 20, 2009 meeting.  The Council Chair 
asked the Management Officer to prepare a document outlining the 
impact on ICASS service providers and their ability to meet the 
Uniform Service Standards under CMI if these positions were not 
funded.  This document will be submitted to the Chair for review and 
consideration before the May 2009 ICASS Council meeting when a 
decision will be made on funding the requested ICASS staffing 
increases. 
 
g. (SBU) Recommendation 8:  Embassy Niamey should use the complete 
WebPASS procurement software application. (Action: Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  The recommendation to use the complete WebPASS 
procurement software application was resolved with the introduction 
of eServices in March 2009.  Post began using the fully automated 
version of WebPass procurement at that time.  Requesters now submit 
procurement requests in eServices, which is directly linked to the 
WebPass system.  Automatic status updates are sent to all customers 
via the eServices application to keep all parties informed of 
progress on all procurement requests, including the length of time 
between initiation of a purchase request and placement of the order 
with a particular vendor. 
 
h. (SBU) Recommendation 9:  Embassy Niamey should add a locally 
employed staff member to the customs and shipping section. (Action: 
Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post strongly agrees with the OIG Inspection 
Team recommendation to augment staffing in the GSO customs and 
shipping section.  A request for a Shipping Assistant was put 
forward to the ICASS Council for consideration at the April 20, 2009 
meeting.  The Council Chair asked the Management Officer to prepare 
a document outlining the impact on ICASS service providers and their 
ability to meet the Uniform Service Standards under CMI if this 
position (and others) was not funded.  This document will be 
submitted to the Chair for review and consideration before the May 
2009 ICASS Council meeting when a decision will be made on funding 
the requested ICASS staffing increases. 
 
i. (SBU) Recommendation 10:  The Bureau of Overseas Buildings 
Operations, in coordination with Embassy Niamey, should build a 
structure to relocate unclassified telephone equipment. (Action: 
OBO, in coordination with Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that 
the unclassified telephone equipment should be relocated.  Post 
proposed an immediate temporary solution to relocate the equipment 
in the server room which unfortunately did not comply with all 
security requirements.  A low-cost temporary structure is currently 
nearing completion and arrangements are being made for the 
unclassified equipment to be moved into the post-funded, in-house 
constructed block building.  RIMC assistance will be sought to 
install the Virtual Private Network device and a visit from a 
telephone technician will be scheduled to connect the telephone 
switch to the new telephone demarcation point. 
 
j. (SBU) Recommendation 11:  Embassy Niamey should establish 
recordkeeping procedures that require staff to sign for entry and 
departure from the frame room. (Action:  Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  The recommendation to establish recordkeeping 
procedures requiring escorted staff to sign for entry and departure 
from the frame room was resolved in November 2008 when a log sheet 
was initiated.  All personnel requiring an escort now sign in and 
out on the log sheet when accessing the frame room, annotating the 
purpose of the visit, date, and time, as well as the name of the 
escort in the log. 
 
k. (SBU) Recommendation 12: Embassy Niamey should develop and 
implement procedures to ensure that cleared American personnel 
escort any uncleared personnel into the Embassy telephone frame 
room. (Action:  Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Cleared American escorts are currently 
required for all uncleared personnel entering the frame room, which 
is located in CAA space.  As indicated in the response to 
recommendation 11, the name of the escort is annotated in the log 
sheet to the frame room.  Once the unclassified equipment is moved 
to the newly-constructed building outside the chancery, requisite 
locks will be installed and uncleared personnel will be escorted at 
all times when accessing the facility. 
 
l. (SBU) Recommendation 13:  Embassy Niamey should develop a 
contingency plan and system documentation for its classified and 
unclassified information networks and systems. (Action:  Embassy 
Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team 
 
recommendation to develop a contingency plan and system 
documentation for both the classified and unclassified information 
networks and systems.  A Memorandum of Agreement has been 
established with Embassy Dakar for off-site storage of back-up tapes 
and the first shipment is scheduled for May 2009 with the classified 
diplomatic pouch collection.  Armored containers and extra tapes 
have been purchased to facilitate this procedure.  The 
newly-assigned IMO who arrived at post on April 21 will make systems 
documentation a priority.  A fully staffed IM section (for the first 
time in six months) will be able to address this recommendation in 
greater detail by documenting the systems configuration for both the 
classified and unclassified networks in the coming month. 
 
m. (SBU) Recommendation 14:  Embassy Niamey should identify and 
label wiring and cabling and remove unneeded wiring throughout the 
compound and the American Cultural Center. (Action:  Embassy 
Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that 
wiring and cabling throughout the compound and the ACC require 
labeling and are in need of attention.  An Enterprise & Integrity 
and Refurbishment (E&IR) Team conducted a survey in July 2004, 
making a similar recommendation.  A report issued in 2005 estimated 
a total cost of $171,000 to correct the cabling and wiring issues 
including a five-week timeframe by tdy personnel to complete the 
work.  Post will coordinate with OBO concerning the Chancery 
refurbishment project and DS concerning the security upgrade project 
to minimize repetitive work and streamline the labeling and clean up 
of cabling throughout the compound as upgrades are installed. 
 
n. (SBU) Recommendation 15:  Embassy Ouagadougou should conduct the 
required weekly high frequency radio checks with designated posts 
within its contract range, including Embassy Niamey. (Action: 
Embassy Ouagadougou, in coordination with RIMC Pretoria (Note:  It 
is actually RIMC Frankfurt.  End note.) and Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that 
weekly high frequency radio checks should be held.  Since January 1, 
2009, fifteen radio checks have been initiated by Embassy 
Ouagadougou.  The results of the radio check are transmitted to the 
Department via weekly cable.  On occasion, Niamey has not responded 
due to a failure to establish a link (due to atmospheric conditions) 
or due to a scheduling conflict which precluded the sole IM staffer 
at post from being available at the time of the test.  When 
communications have been established, they have ranged from 70-94 
percent link quality; with improved quality evident since the 
installation of a new antenna in late January 2009. 
 
o. (SBU) Recommendation 16:  Embassy Niamey should include the 
information management officer on its core Emergency Action 
Committee. (Action:  Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  This recommendation was resolved in November 
2008 when the IMO became a member of the Emergency Action Committee. 
 The latest Designation of Responsibilities published on April 30, 
2009 lists the IMO as a member of the Emergency Action Committee. 
 
p. (SBU) Recommendation 18:  Embassy Niamey should establish and 
implement a standard operating procedure for after-hours collection 
of consular fees. (Action:  Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  Post concurs with the OIG Inspection Team that 
an SOP for after-hours collection of consular fees is in order.  A 
standard operating procedure has been established to ensure that any 
consular fees collected after hours are fully recorded in a receipt 
book that provides numbered receipts in duplicate, and that the fees 
are held in a consular safe until they can be recorded in ACRS when 
the Consular Section opens. 
 
q. (SBU) Recommendation 19:  Embassy Niamey should establish a 
standard operating procedure for the deposit of consular fees with 
the Class B cashier. (Action:  Embassy Niamey) 
 
Management Decision:  This recommendation has been resolved with 
establishment of an SOP that allows the consular sub-cashier to 
deposit consular collections with the Embassy cashier until 15:00 
every day.  The consular sub-cashier collects fees between the hours 
of 9:00 and 13:00 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Since January 2009, 
daily receipts have been deposited with the Embassy cashier on the 
day of collection. 
 
 2. (SBU) Post considers OIG recommendations 4, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 
18, and 19 to be resolved, as discussed in the relevant management 
decisions.  Significant progress has been made on recommendations 1 
and 10.  ICASS Council approval is required before post can close 
recommendations 6, 7, and 9.  Proposals have been put before the 
ICASS Council and a response is expected in May 2009.  Post will 
continue to work with OBO to take additional measures to close out 
recommendations 2, 3, and 5.  Post will seek the necessary resources 
to address recommendations 13 and 14. 
 
ALLEN