VZCZCXYZ0012
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSB #0086/01 0270749
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 270749Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9503

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ACTION FOR OIG; AF/EX FOR S. NOLAN, B. NEULING, B. GATES 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2016 
TAGS: ASIG AMGT
SUBJECT: EMBASSY HARARE RESPONSES TO OIG FORMAL 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
 
REF: A. OIG REPORTS OF INSPECTION FOR EMBASSY HARARE 
     ¶B. ZIMBABWE NUMBER ISP-I-05-37A AND ISP-S-05-37A 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Christopher W. Dell for reasons 
1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (U) Following are Embassy Harare's responses to the formal 
recommendations made by the OIG Report of Inspection, Embassy 
Harare, Zimbabwe number ISP-I-05-37A, dated September 2005. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 1: (U) Embassy Harare should establish and 
implement grant management procedures that include linking 
grants to mission performance plan priorities, requiring and 
monitoring the submission of reports from grantees, and 
assuring that grant documents are prepared in a standard 
fashion with all relevant information. (Action: Embassy 
Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 1: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and has put a grant management tracking 
control system in place.  Attached to each grant is a sheet 
showing the MPP goal to which the grant is dedicated, a 
narrative space for a timeline for completion and remarks 
upon completion with designated individuals from PAS to 
certify satisfactory completion. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 2: (U) Embassy Harare should complete the 
standard operating procedures required by the Consular 
Management Handbook's Chapter Six.  (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 2: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and has begun drafting the standard operating 
procedures required by the Consular Handbook.  Two SOPs have 
been completed and are in practice and we expect to finish 
the full portfolio of SOPs by the end of FY06. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 3: (U) Embassy Harare should complete a 
Disposition of Remains report and transmit a copy of it to 
the Bureau of Consular Affairs.  (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 3: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and has completed the update and drafting of 
the Disposition of Remains report.  It is currently in the 
clearance process and should be available to the Bureau of 
Consular Affairs by the end of February, 2006. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 4: (U) Embassy Harare should conduct a 
rightsizing review in preparation for the move to a new 
embassy compound to determine whether some American and 
locally employed staff positions could be eliminated. 
(Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 4: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and submitted a comprehensive Rightsizing 
Report to AF and M/R in November 2005, which reflects 
projected reductions of both U.S. and LES desk positions. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 5: (U) Embassy Harare should conduct a cost 
analysis of duplicative services provided by the Department 
of State and the United States Agency for International 
Development, and if savings are identified, combine the 
duplicative services.  (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 5: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and has developed plans and staffing 
projections to eliminate duplicative services in conjunction 
with FY 2009 occupancy of consolidated NEC office space.  In 
the interim, services will be consolidated where feasible. 
Full consolidation at this stage is complicated by the 
dispersal of mission offices across six facilities, and by 
agencies, maintenance of separate systems in such areas as 
accounting, computer systems, and communications.  USAID 
Washington has instructed USAID Harare to implement a 
Reduction in Force (RIF) during 2006, and its staffing 
decisions will be tailored to the mission's plans to 
consolidate services.  Following this, USAID services in such 
areas as financial management and cashiering will be 
consolidated and/or regionalized. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 6: (U) Embassy Harare should establish 
patching procedures to ensure that all workstations and 
servers meet Department patch management requirements. 
(Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 6: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and corrective action has been completed and 
added to the Standard Operating Procedures and implemented. 
Patching procedures have been added to the Information 
Programs Center (IPC) and Information Systems Center's (ISC) 
standard operating procedures.  All Information Management 
personnel and LES systems personnel have now subscribed to 
 
the patch management distribution email list ensuring all 
personnel receive notification from the Department when 
security patches are released.  The Information Programs 
Officer (IPO) ensures that the current security patch is 
applied on the classified system.  The Information Systems 
Officer (ISO) ensures that the current security patch is 
applied to the OpenNet system.  Once the security patches are 
installed the IPO and ISO cross check each system for 
verification that patches have been installed correctly. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 7: (U) Embassy Harare should designate the 
senior information management specialist in the information 
processing center as the information systems security officer 
for the unclassified network and designate the senior 
information systems security officer in the information 
systems center as the information systems security officer 
for the classified network.  (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 7: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and corrective action has been completed and 
implemented (reftel 2005 Harare 0856).  Information Systems 
Officer (ISO), George Westfall has been designated as the 
primary Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) for 
Harare and Information Programs Officer (IPO), Sheena 
Driscoll has been designated as the alternate (A/ISSO).  In 
addition, the ISO has been designated as the ISSO for the 
classified network and the IPO has been designated as the 
ISSO for the unclassified network. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 8: (U) Embassy Harare should establish 
procedures under which officers providing consular services 
must ask applicants whether they paid their visa fees in 
local or U.S. currency and compare the answers to the 
receipts for services provided by the consular cashier. 
(Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 8: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and has recently begun asking all NIV 
applicants whether they paid their visa fees in local or U.S. 
currency and compare their answers to the receipts.  The 
consular section has also begun posting the daily official 
exchange rate in the cashier window, along with a direct 
phone number for the section chief so that an applicant can 
complain if they feel they have been charged incorrectly. 
The Consular Section has also begun a detailed audit of all 
receipts received from the offsite fee collection contractor 
to ensure that no irregularities take place. 
 
¶2. (U) Following are Embassy Harare's responses to the formal 
recommendations made by the OIG Security Management 
Inspection Report of Embassy Harare, Zimbabwe number 
ISP-I-05-37A, dated September 2005. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 1: (U) Embassy Harare should complete the 
emergency action plan and submit it for approval in a timely 
manner.  (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 1: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  The revised EAP is in the clearance process 
and should be completed in January.  Post notes, however, 
that State 4962 recently announced a new EAP format which 
could cause a delay. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 2: (U) Embassy Harare should make both of the 
designated alternate command centers available for immediate 
use at any given time by pre-positioning equipment and 
supplies as per 12 FAH-1 H-131 and keeping pre-positioned 
information current.  (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 2: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  The pre-positioning of equipment and 
supplies will be ongoing but is substantially complete. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 3: (SBU) Embassy Harare should designate as a 
safe haven, the small room with the vault door that is 
located in the general services and information management 
offices annex, and properly equip the room in accordance with 
12 FAH-5 L.15.2 and H-462.3-1. (1997) (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 3: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and is in the process of procuring the safe 
haven materials.  The safehaven will be operational in 
February, 2006. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 4: (C) Embassy Harare should replace the 
single wood finished door to the room housing the post 
communication center emergency generator in the chancery 
building with a door that can provide 60-minute forced-entry 
and ballistic resistance as required by 12 FAH-5 H-463.3-1 
(1997).  (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 4: (C) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  We are seeking financing from OBO/SM for 
procurement and installation of the door.  Completion is 
contingent upon receipt of funds. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 5: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
Embassy Pretoria, should disable the door between the 
consular waiting area and the management and security offices 
by removing the Hirsch keypad controlling the door and 
installing a magnetic lock controlled by the Marine security 
guard at Post One.  This door should remain secure during 
business hours.  (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination 
with Embassy Pretoria) 
 
RESPONSE 5: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and is coordinating with ESC Pretoria and ESO 
Dar es Salaam for the purchase of equipment and its 
installation.  Completion is contingent upon availability of 
funds. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 6: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
Embassy Pretoria, should install a closed-circuit television 
camera outside of the perimeter door to the management and 
security offices for after hours use in verifying the proper 
release of the magnetic lock.  (Action: Embassy Harare, in 
coordination with Embassy Pretoria) 
 
RESPONSE 6: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation and is coordinating with ESC Pretoria and ESO 
Dar es Salaam on this recommendation concurrently with 
recommendation 5. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 7: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
Embassy Pretoria, should program the Hirsch keypad at the 
main entrance to the general services and information 
management offices annex to allow locally employed staff to 
have access to the building during working hours.  The 
embassy should also keep the entrance door secure at all 
times.  (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy 
Pretoria) 
 
RESPONSE 7: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  The equipment is in place and this 
recommendation should be resolved during the next ESO visit 
tentatively scheduled for February, 2006. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 8: (U) Embassy Harare should establish and 
implement a procedure for keeping the sliding vehicle gate to 
the chancery compound closed, to prevent intruders from 
walking on to the compound unimpeded and provide an entrance 
for pedestrians.  (Action: Embassy Harare) 
 
RESPONSE 8: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with this 
recommendation and has taken appropriate corrective action. 
The gate is presently maintained in the closed position. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 9: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should ensure 
that the United States Agency for International Development 
provides antiram planters or bollards along the perimeter 
walls bordering Pascoe Avenue in accordance with 12 FAH-5 
H-430.  (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with OBO) 
 
RESPONSE 9: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  USAID is currently seeking solicitations for 
the project, upon which funding will be pursued with USAID 
Security.  Completion is contingent upon availability of 
funds. 
RECOMMENDATION 10: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should ensure 
that the United States Agency for International Development, 
using a reasonable degree of risk management as outlined in 
Overseas Security Policy Board security standards 12 FAH-6, 
H-511, install a vehicle drop bar behind the sliding gate at 
the Ruda annex compound to provide some antiram protection. 
(Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of 
OBO) 
 
RESPONSE 10: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  USAID is currently seeking solicitations for 
the project, upon which funding will be pursued with USAID 
Security.  Completion is contingent upon availability of 
funds. 
RECOMMENDATION 11: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should ensure 
that the United States Agency for International Development, 
replace the obsolete hardline door in the compound access 
control booth, which allows access to the Ruda annex 
compound, with a 15-minute forced-entry and ballistic 
resistant door, in accordance with 12 FAH-6 H-113.6 (Action: 
Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of OBO) 
 
 
RESPONSE 11: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  USAID is currently seeking solicitations for 
the project, upon which funding will be pursued with USAID 
Security.  Completion is contingent upon availability of 
funds. 
RECOMMENDATION 12: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
Embassy Pretoria, should ensure that the United States Agency 
for International Development installs an imminent danger 
notification system switch at the compound access control 
booths and considers providing the roving local guards 
conducting perimeter security with a remote wireless imminent 
danger notification system switch.  (Action: Embassy Harare, 
in coordination with Embassy Pretoria) 
 
RESPONSE 12: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  USAID is presently seeking assistance from 
USAID security for the purchase and installation of this 
system.  Completion is contingent upon availability of USAID 
Security resources. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 13: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should replace 
the hardline doors separating the administrative and program 
staff in the public affairs section from the public access 
area with a door providing 15-minute forced-entry and 
ballistic resistant protection in accordance with 12 FAH 6 
H-113.8(g).  (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
the Bureau of OBO) 
 
RESPONSE 13: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  The Public Affairs Section is scheduled to 
move into new office space that will meet all 15 minute FE/BR 
requirements.  A funding request is pending with Bureau of 
Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) at this time.  Completion 
of this project is contingent upon funding by OBO. 
 
RECOMMENDATION 14: (U) Embassy Harare, in coordination with 
the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should advise 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to comply with 
the conditions set forth in the waiver granting setback and 
collocation and have public access controls that provide 
five-minute forced-entry protection and that the individual 
who controls the door is behind the hardline, in accordance 
with 12 FAH-5 H-452.3-3 and 12 FAH-5 H-454.3-3.  (Action: 
Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of OBO) 
 
RESPONSE 14: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the 
recommendation.  CDC is in the process of obtaining a scope 
of work and cost estimate from a local architect.  Upon 
receipt, CDC will pursue funding for this project with CDC 
headquarters.  Completion of this project is contingent upon 
receipt of funds. 
DELL