U.S. Department of State Fiscal Year 2020 Agency Financial Report

while another 3 had expired POSHO certifications. Failure to conduct and document safety certifications and maintain housing lease files could lead to employees under chief of mission authority living in unsafe residences. 8 Additionally, OIG found several deficiencies at mission residences throughout posts in South Africa that included a lack of smoke detectors, interior and balcony railings that did not meet safety standards, and gates around pools that did not self-close or locks that did not meet the safe height requirement to prevent children from gaining access. 9 Operation of Official Vehicles Overseas As in previous years, several FY 2020 inspection reports identified a lack of compliance with motor vehicle safety standards in the operation of official vehicles overseas. 10 OIG found lapses in medical clearances for drivers, outdated or absent safety training for operators of armored vehicles or other official vehicles, and drivers working excessive hours, a practice that increases the risk of motor vehicle accidents caused by driver fatigue. Among several such examples, OIG found that nearly 50 drivers of armored vehicles at the embassy in Mauritania lacked required armored vehicle training. Likewise, a number of drivers had not received standard driver safety training or required retraining, and many held expired medical certifications or never received medical certifications before driving official vehicles. 11 Emergency Preparedness Department guidelines require Department bureaus and U.S. embassies to maintain bureau- or post-specific emergency action plans to respond to situations such as bombs, fires, civil disorder, or natural disasters. Although we frequently find substantial compliance with emergency planning standards, 8 ISP-I-20-20, May 2020. 9 ISP-I-20-09, January 2020. 10 OIG, Inspection of Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh (ISP-I-20-17, June 2020); OIG, Inspection of Embassy Kathmandu, Nepal (ISP-I-20-22, May 2020); OIG, Inspection of Embassy Bern, Switzerland (ISP-I-20-21, May 2020); OIG, Inspection of Embassy Nouakchott, Mauritania (ISP-I-20-04, November 2019); ISP-I-20-20, May 2020; ISP-I-20-07, February 2020; ISP-I-20-09, January 2020; ISP-I-20-02, November 2019. 11 ISP-I-20-04, November 2019. 12 OIG, Inspection of the Bureau of Counterterrorism (ISP-I-20-13, May 2020); OIG, Inspection of Embassy Mbabane, Eswatini (ISP-I-20-03, October 2019); ISP-I-20-09, January 2020; ISP-I-20-04, November 2019; ISP-I-20-02, November 2019. 13 ISP-I-20-13, May 2020. 14 ISP-I-20-03, October 2019. we continue to highlight those deficiencies that could result in significant life and safety issues. OIG’s FY 2020 work demonstrated that the Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) and several embassies did not meet Department standards in this area. 12 For example, CT did not have a completed bureau emergency action plan, as required. Bureaus are required to develop bureau emergency action plans to identify, prioritize, and perform functions when adverse events affect operations. 13 In Eswatini, we found that the embassy’s radio program, which included high frequency radio and the emergency and evacuation radio network, did not provide effective emergency communications. At the time of the inspection, the high frequency radio had been inoperable for approximately 18 months. 14 2 M anagement and O versight of C ontracts , G rants , and F oreign A ssistance The oversight of contracts, grants, and foreign assistance continues to be a significant challenge for the Department. Domestically and abroad, Department entities did not consis- tently and adequately ensure that foreign assistance programs achieved intended objectives and policy goals, monitor and document contractor performance, conduct thorough invoice reviews, and properly oversee construction contracts. Designing/Ensuring Foreign Affairs Programs That Achieve Intended Objectives and Policy Goals The Department continues to face challenges in designing foreign assistance programs that it can ensure will achieve 2020 A gency F inanci al R eport U ni ted S tates D epartment of S tate | 119 INSPECTOR GENERAL’S STATEMENT ON THE DEPARTMENT’S MAJOR MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE CHALLENGES | OTHER INFORMATION