Cablegate: Praia Supports Nsdd-38 for Gso and Imo Positions

VZCZCXRO4596
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHPA #0080 0571816
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261816Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY PRAIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1960
INFO RUEHPA/AMEMBASSY PRAIA 2941

UNCLAS PRAIA 000080

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR M/PRI, AF/EX

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: APER ASEC AMGT AMTC CV
SUBJECT: PRAIA SUPPORTS NSDD-38 FOR GSO AND IMO POSITIONS

REF: STATE 12030

Per reftel, Embassy Praia fully supports the addition of a GSO
and IMO position to the USDH Staff ranks. The ICASS Council met
on February 24, 2010 and unanimously approved the addition of a
GSO position. The COM's answers are keyed to the reftel
questions below.

1. Is the need for the proposed staffing change reflected in
the most recent (or earlier) Mission Strategic Plans? If so,
under which goal? If not, what circumstances have changed to
justify this NSDD 38 proposal?

- Yes, Embassy Praia clearly needs the addition of one GSO
and one IMO position. As members of the management support
platform, both will facilitate and assist in making our priority
MSP goals possible. In GSO, we currently have locally-engaged
GSO carrying the full load of property, procurement,
warehousing, facilities, leasing, and motor pool
responsibilities singlehandedly. Although we were lucky enough
to locate a person fluent in the local language as well as
English, our current GSO specialist is unable to coordinate all
of the services in keeping with the Universal Service Standards
while meeting the procurement/property reporting requirements.
Adding a full-time GSO will allow the section to meet the needs
of the ICASS customers and improve the customer service to all
serviced agencies.

- The IMO position is also a critical addition. Our
Ambassador's OMS is currently occupying both the OMS and IMO
roles simultaneously. She is the Mission's only direct-hire OMS
and, Since she is not an IMO specialist by training, she often
requires assistance from regional support, AF/EX, or Frankfurt.
As a result, we need to postpone required upgrades and other
major communications projects for long periods until we have our
occasional TDY support visits. We require an IMO specialist to
oversee our communications system and ensure we remain on the
network, as well as to help us advance our bilateral cooperation
by way of our website, telephones, e-mail, and other
communication tools. We strongly support both additions.

2. If the agency proposes to add staffing based on workload,
are there other resources already present at post that are
performing or could perform the function(s)?

- We are recommending the additions based on skill sets as
well as workloads, and because there are no resources present
that can assume additional responsibilities.

3. If a U.S. Direct-Hire position is requested, could the
function be accomplished through the use of TDY visits,
commercial contracts, host country nationals, American family
members, third country nationals, resident Americans or other
local hire personnel?

- Both of these tasks have been supported through regional
visits and other temporary support, but have not been
particularly successful. Praia has been fortunate thus far in
being able to cover the GSO and IMO responsibilities in-house
with the use of heavy overtime and online assistance, but we are
not able to continue our necessary work when we have a larger
community to support and the same number of service providers
occupying multiple roles on an ad hoc basis.

4. What specific administrative support, space, and funding
arrangements are required to accommodate this staffing change?
Please list the minimum ICASS cost centers in which the
requesting agency must enroll.

- We will need to purchase office furniture for the new GSO
position, but already have a work station available for the IMO.
Both positions would require housing and housing furniture.
The requesting agency is State, so the officers will have full
enrollment in ICASS. We have submitted a request for additional
space, which was mandated by the OIG in its 2009 report for
reconfiguration of our sensitive chancery offices. The cleared
Americans are authorized to work in these security sensitive
floors.

5. Do the benefits of increasing post's presence outweigh the
inherent security risks associated with additional personnel and
their dependents?

- Yes, the benefits to our diplomatic presence far outweigh the
risks at this low threat posting.

BROWN

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