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

Throughout 2020, the Department continued establishing the Enterprise Governance Board (EGB), a senior group that meets monthly to discuss strategic issues and provide input into enterprise-level decisions. This enhances transparency, agility, and efficient alignment of resources for priorities. The EGB reviews enterprise-level matters, such as recommendations to the Secretary for the Department's annual budget request; Department legislative priorities; Enterprise Risk Management issues; policies with enterprise-wide implications (such as major multi-region U.S. policy initiatives, cybersecurity, and realignment of the Department's global staffing presence); and other topics as determined by the Board. The Under Secretary for Management (M) also continued working across M family bureaus to advance his “High Five” priorities: Talent; Security & Infrastructure; Excellence & Innovation; Data & Analytics; and Technology. He continued to work through action plans and key tasks of the “High Five,” and monitored associated metrics. COVID-19 has changed the way the Department operates. Working through this challenging time has shown that the Department is capable of operating in new, exciting ways to advance Foreign Policy. To capitalize on the lessons learned from COVID-19, the Department created the Reimagine Task Force, a group charged with developing ways to provide our workforce with the tools and flexibility to engage in activities that move our missions forward most effectively – no matter where we are. The Enterprise Governance Board and the M High Five together with the M “Field First” focus that centers on responsiveness to post needs, provides a framework to plan strategically and promptly and efficiently take corrective actions in response to OIG findings and recommendations. Highlights are summarized below. 1 P rotection of P eople and F acilities The protection of people and facilities remains of utmost importance for the Department, exemplified by the High Five priority of Security & Infrastructure. The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), for example, remains committed to enhancing the security, safety, functionality, and resiliency of facilities and residences for overseas personnel through the Embassy After Next, the Diplomatic Residential Initiative, and the Facilities Maintenance and Upkeep strategic priorities. Below is additional information about specific issues raised by the OIG and improvements the Department has made in its systems for protecting people and facilities. Constructing and Maintaining Safe and Secure Diplomatic Facilities The OIG highlighted problems related to constructing and maintaining safe and secure diplomatic facilities during their routine inspections of overseas posts. The Department is continuing to build more secure facilities completing three projects and moving nearly 800 people to safer facilities in 2020. OBO’s Embassy After Next strategic priority is focused on: ■ Improving project management and oversight during design and construction; ■ Increasing innovation and leveraging OBO (and industry) standards to reduce costs, shorten schedules, and increase quality; and ■ Leveraging technology to increase efficiency and effectiveness throughout the planning, design, and construction processes. 2020 A gency F inanci al R eport U ni ted S tates D epartment of S tate | 131 MANAGEMENT’S RESPONSE TO INSPECTOR GENERAL | OTHER INFORMATION