Cablegate: Nsdd-38: U.S. Agency for International Development (Usaid)

VZCZCXYZ0017
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #4068/01 3561623
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221622Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1707
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA

UNCLAS BOGOTA 004068

SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR M/PRI AND WHA/EX AND WHA/AID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: APER AMGT AFIN CO
SUBJECT: NSDD-38: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Staffing in Colombia

Summary

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1. After careful consideration, and in accordance with the
authorities vested in me as Chief of Mission (COM), I approve the
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to add three
Development Leadership Initiative (DLI's) Officers as follows: one
FS-6 Program Economic Officer, one FS-6 Democracy & Governance
Specialist and one FS-2 General Development Officer position at
post. My authorization to establish these new positions, however,
hinges on the petitioning agency's understanding that all Executive
Branch personnel at post fall under COM authority, or in my
absence, the Charge d'Affaires, and its willingness to satisfy
fully certain administrative and funding criteria contained in
paragraph five below. End Summary.

The Link between Additional Staffing and MSP Goals

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2. USAID/Colombia manages the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC)
Bureau's largest, most complex program with the most efficient
staff/program ratio in the region. This is the fourth largest
USAID dollar program world-wide, implemented through three
technical offices: Democracy and Human Rights (DHR), Office of
Consolidation Livelihoods Environment (CLE) and Office of
Vulnerable Populations (OVP). The Mission's FY 10 Estimated
Program Budget is $212 million and $3.5 million budget for
Operating Expenses. USAID/Colombia's total staff level approved by
the Deputy Chief of Mission was raised from 90 to 101. The new DLI
Program Economic Officer, Democracy & Governance Specialist and the
General Development Officer positions comprise part of the
increase.

3. The Program Economic Officer, Democracy & Governance Specialist
and the General Development Officer, all have crisis and
stabilization backgrounds which will be invaluable in furthering
USAID's ability to consolidate our assistance to regional and local
governance, support our Colombia Strategic Development Initiative
(CSDI) activities, and provide economic analysis and assistance for
monitoring and evaluation. These DLI Officers will be mentored and
trained by the Office Chiefs. They will assist their supervisors
in the development, implementation, and monitoring of new projects
and will provide support in the management of the Mission's
programs. Additionally, they will explore ways of integrating
U.S. mission programs into the USAID portfolio (or vice versa)and
provide full administrative support in reporting and coordinating
operations with other agencies and the Government of Colombia.

Administrative Support, Space, and Funding Arrangements

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4. All new Mission Colombia positions intrinsically link to the
following obligatory administrative support and/or funding
requirements of the petitioning agency:

-- Office Space. Office space in Mission facilities remains at a
premium. A petitioning agency must finance all costs (including
those that might necessitate displacing another agency) associated
with reconfiguring and/or equipping identified space within a
secure USG facility to accommodate a new position. Direct all
questions regarding the availability of Mission office space to the
Management Section.

-- Housing. We assume that all new direct-hire employees will fold
into our Housing Program. In the event an agency wishes to pursue
other housing possibilities (e.g., living quarters allowance), it
must acquire formal post concurrence before finalizing such an
arrangement. For the rare such requests we approve, Post policy
requires that the Regional Security Officer and Post Occupational

Safety and Health Official inspect and certify for occupancy any
new residential space prior to acquisition.

-- ICASS Services. We further assume a petitioning agency

will subscribe a new position to an identical level of ICASS
services already enjoyed by existing staff with similar employment
status. Any significant deviations to a traditional ICASS services
menu require separate negotiation with our Management Section. Any
new or existing agencies seeking staff increases must subscribe
these new positions to a predetermined minimum level of ICASS
services (basic package, CLO services, a certain number of OpenNet
Plus accounts needed to communicate effectively with other Mission
elements, etc.) to ensure they may conduct interagency business
efficiently without placing an additional burden on our ICASS
support platform. Post will use the partial year invoice to fund
resource requirements attributable to the increase in staff
workload and to obtain a target level increase for the next fiscal
year. The workload counts used to generate the partial year
invoice will reflect the time period prior to the arrival of the
new position(s) (i.e. 3 months) for the work performed during that
time in support of the position(s).

5. Please contact Deputy Chief of Mission, Brian A. Nichols, if
you have program-related questions or concerns regarding the
establishment of this new position. Direct questions or concerns
of an administrative nature to Management Counselor, Theresa Leech.
BROWNFIELD

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