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Inspection of Embassy Mexico City, Mexico

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SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED JUNE 2015 OFFICE OF INSPECTIONS WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS Inspection of Embassy Mexico City, Mexico What OIG Found The Ambassador and deputy chief of mission provide integrative leadership of Mission Mexico, one of the largest View the full report: ISP-I-15-28A. and most geographically dispersed U.S. diplomatic missions. Washington officials credit the Ambassador and his team with strengthening and deepening the bilateral relationship over What OIG Inspected the past 3 years. OIG inspected the U.S. Embassy in Mexico The Ambassador brought improved communication, strategic City from September 28 through November planning, and coordination to the mission. Extensive digital 25, 2014. Members of the team inspected video conferencing links the far-flung constituent posts to the U.S. Consulates in Ciudad Juarez, embassy and one another; nonetheless, senior embassy Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, officials need to visit the constituent posts at least annually. Merida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Mission Mexico’s physical plants range from old, inadequate, and Tijuana during October 10–November and dangerous to a 3-month-old consulate compound. An 13, 2014. ambitious $1.67-billion construction program is underway; however, facilities problems noted in the 2009 Office of What OIG Recommended Inspector General report remain. OIG made 65 recommendations to Embassy Several deficiencies exist in grants management. Embassy Mexico City intended to improve its Mexico City’s grants exhibited inaccurate reporting, operations and programs. Most addressed incomplete closeout, and insufficient oversight. management control weaknesses, training Management has paid insufficient attention to communication deficiencies, personnel planning and needs in emergency management. assignment processes. OIG made five recommendations to the Department’s The mission will need increased staff to meet demand for Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to American citizens services. address security vulnerabilities and design The age and composition of several Mission Mexico facilities issues, at consulate locations. The report highlight the need for greater physical security mitigation to addressed the growing demand for eliminate vulnerabilities. American citizens services. Public diplomacy programs and resources are overly centralized. Consulate public diplomacy sections should be given greater authority over budget and program decisions. Growth is straining the administrative support platform. From 2009 to 2014, the embassy added 146 U.S. direct-hire and 223 locally employed staff positions. Mission Mexico estimates that it will need an additional 4 U.S. direct-hire and 51 locally employed staff positions to manage current workloads. SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ISP-I-15-28A Office of Inspections June 2015 Inspection of Embassy Mexico City, Mexico WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS Important Notice: This report is intended solely for the official use of the Department of State or the Broadcasting Board of Governors, or any agency or organization receiving a copy directly from the Office of Inspector General. No secondary distribution may be made, in whole or in part, outside the Department of State or the Broadcasting Board of Governors, by them or by other agencies of organizations, without prior authorization by the Inspector General. Public availability of the document will be determined by the Inspector General under the U.S. Code, 5 U.S.C. 552. Improper disclosure of this report may result in criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED CONTENTS KEY FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................................................... 2 LEADERSHIP .............................................................................................................................................................. 3 GRANTS MANAGEMENT........................................................................................................................................ 8 Public Affairs Grants ........................................................................................................................................ 9 International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Grants .......................................................................... 11 POLICY AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION .................................................................................................. 12 Foreign Assistance ....................................................................................................................................... ... 12 International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Section ........................................................... 13 Political and Economic Sections ................................................................................................................. 15 Interagency Cooperation in Law Enforcement ....................................................................................... 18 Public Diplomacy .......... .................................................................................................................................. 19 Consular Affairs ............................................................................................................................................... 22 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................................. 31 Management Operations .............................................................................................................................. 33 Rightsizing ........................................................................................................................................................ 33 Financial Management Operations ............................................................................................................ 38 Human Resources ........................................................................................................................................... 41 General Services Operations ........................................................................................................................ 43 Facilities Management .................................................................................................................................. 45 Information Management ............................................................................................................................ 48 Information Systems Center ........................................................................................................................ 51 MISSION SUPPORT SERVICES............................................................................................................................. 53 Health Unit ....................................................................................................................................................... 54 Community Liaison Office ............................................................................................................................ 55 Schools .............................................................................................................................................................. 55 Employee Association .................................................................................................................................... 55 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED MANAGEMENT CONTROLS ................................................................................................................................ 56 RECOMMENDATIONS........................................................................................................................................... 58 PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS ........................................................................................................................................... 64 APPENDIX A: SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................... 66 Purpose and Scope......................................................................................................................................... 66 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................... 66 ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................................................... 67 INSPECTION TEAM MEMBERS ........................................................................................................................... 68 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED KEY FINDINGS The Ambassador and the deputy chief of mission provide integrative leadership of Mission Mexico, one of the largest and most geographically dispersed U.S. diplomatic missions. Washington officials credit the Ambassador and his team with strengthening and deepening the bilateral relationship over the past 3 years. The Ambassador brought improved
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