| STRATEGIC GOAL 12: MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE |
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Ensure a high quality workforce supported by modern and secure infrastructure and operational capacities |
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The 30,000 Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National employees posted in over 260 locations around the world are our most significant resource. The Department is committed to building, deploying, and sustaining a knowledgeable, diverse, and high-performing workforce. The Department also continues to maintain and develop skills in foreign languages, public diplomacy, leadership and management. To fulfill our mission effectively, the Department of State invests in systems that facilitate the collection, analysis, communication, and presentation of information to the public, businesses, other U.S. Government agencies, foreign governments, and our employees. In addition, the Department ensures security in the workplace through a broad scope of global activities, including the protection of the Secretary of State and other senior officials; foreign missions in the U.S.; American embassies/consulates overseas; and special events. The provision of secure, safe, and functional domestic and overseas facilities enables U.S. Government employees to pursue the vital interests of the American public more effectively. Finally, integrated budgeting, planning and performance measurement, together with effective financial management and financial accountability, enhance the Department's management practices and performance. Together, this investment in management and organizational excellence helps ensure that resources entrusted to the Department are well managed and judiciously used. |
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Under Secretary for Management Henrietta Fore gestures during an interview in Washington. AP/Wide World Photo |
The table below shows the performance rating distribution of the FY 2005 results for the Management and Organizational Excellence strategic goal.
| Significantly Below Target | Below Target | On Target | Above Target | Significantly Above Target | Totals | |
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| Number of Results | 1 | 13 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 41 |
| Percent of Total | 2% | 32% | 42% | 22% | 2% | 100% |
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Performance Trends. Among the key trends in the strategic goal area of Management and Organizational Excellence is a steady, four-year increase in leadership, language, and public diplomacy training. In FY 2005, the Foreign Service Institute and the Human Resources bureau placed greater emphasis on identifying and developing appropriate skill sets and both have become better at measuring the impact of training rather than the training event itself. The Department saw a slight decline in the number of individuals taking the Foreign Service Written Exam - particularly minority candidates - and a decline in the number of Americans employed by international organizations. Positive trends continued in overseas building operations, as administrative efficiency and embassy construction increased. There was also a notable increase in security awareness and effectiveness for networks, individuals, and facilities.
Outcome-level Results. he Department achieved significant results in the following areas:
Results Significantly Above or Below Target. The Department's program to develop and deploy a new electronic worldwide messaging system was rated significantly below target and the Department continues to face challenges recruiting and placing talented minority candidates in the Foreign Service. Results significantly above target include a higher-than-expected increase in the number of applicants to Foreign Service specialist positions.
Resources Invested. Investment in worldwide security upgrades increased by 1.5% in FY 2005, from approximately $640 million to $650 million, while funding for security construction increased 2.8%, from $753 million to $774 million. Funding for the IT Central Fund declined approximately 3.5%, from $251 million in FY 2004 to $242 million in FY 2005.
The indicators below are representative of the Department's priorities and overall performance for this Strategic Goal. The FY 2005 PAR contains all indicators with detailed performance information.
| Number of Applicants to Foreign Service Specialist Positions | |
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| Rating | Significantly Above Target |
| Target | 4,200 |
| Results | 5,966 |
| Impact | The increase indicates more interest in the Department of State as an employer of choice and, possibly, provides a greater pool of qualified applicants from which to hire. |
Foreign Language and Leadership TrainingThrough FY 2005, the Department provided leadership training to over 6,700 Foreign Service and Civil Service mid-level employees. Since its inception in 2004, the Senior Policy Seminars division has continued to expand opportunities for advanced professional development, policy discussions, and networking opportunities to senior leaders in the Civil and Foreign Services. Crisis Management remains a key component of the Department's leadership training program. The Department's School of Language Studies delivers 450,000 hours of training to Department personnel in Critical Needs Languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian, as well as Turkic, Indic and Iranian languages. The Foreign Service Institute developed innovative options for more advanced language skill development through targeted overseas immersions and focused offerings to meet specific needs, such as language media skills. "Continuing education" and non-traditional training are being strengthened through pilot iterations of short-term in-country "transition" immersions, and growing delivery of distance language learning offerings, currently numbering 18 courses in 11 languages. Instructors from the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam teach members of the American community Swahili language and culture during a three-day immersion visit to Zanzibar, an island off the coast of Tanzania. State Department Photo |
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| System Authorization (Certification and Accreditation) | |
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| Rating | Below Target |
| Target | Adopt a three-year recurring centrally-monitored process. |
| Results | The Department reported 97% of General Support Systems (GSS) and Major Applications (MA) certified and authorized. OMB mandated a 100% requirement for the E-Government Scorecard in the President's Management Agenda by the Fourth Quarter FY 2005. The Department was lowered from Green to Yellow after not meeting this requirement. The Department is re-categorizing IT assets in conformance with Federal standards and anticipates this effort will verify our initial categorization of systems in 2003. This effort will assist the Department in determining and ultimately utilizing common security controls in conformance with Federal standards. Currently the Department is re-categorizing IT assets in conformance with national standards and anticipates this effort will verify our initial categorization of systems in 2003. This effort will assist the Department in determining and ultimately utilizing Common Security Controls. |
| Impact | A robust certification and accreditation process ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the Department's information technology systems. |
| Reason for Shortfall | The Department certified and authorized 97% of General Support Systems and Major Applications, falling short of the OMB mandated 100% mark. |
| Steps to Improve | The Department will redouble efforts to identify, categorize, certify and authorize 100% of General Support and Major Applications as required by OMB. |
| Installation of Technical Security Upgrade Equipment | |
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| Rating | On Target |
| Target | TSUs completed for 47% (i.e., 60/127 identified as requiring upgrades) of facilities that house foreign affairs personnel (i.e., facilities other than embassies or consulates). |
| Results | Of the more than 260 U.S. facilities overseas, 180 are designated as highly vulnerable. Of these facilities, 48 have a Critical (highest level) Security Rating and 52 have a High (second highest level) Security Rating. More than 50 facilities have had security upgrades either finished, under construction, or have new construction contracts in place. |
| Impact | Improving the technical security of 50 posts overseas has contributed directly to the increased safety and security of personnel at post and has indirectly contributed to the effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy. |
| Number of New Sites Acquired for Capital Security Construction Projects (PART Program) | |
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| Rating | Above Target |
| Target | 9. |
| Results | Ten NEC sites have been acquired (closed) as of September 30, 2005. |
| Impact | Sufficient NEC sites were acquired to maintain momentum of NEC construction . |
| Implementation of Central Financial Planning System (CFPS) Modules | |
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| Rating | Below Target |
| Target |
Complete development and deployment of the following modules:
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| Results |
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| Impact | CFPS primary objectives are to enable performance and budget integration, improve resource management, and facilitate interagency coordination of programs and resources. The Dashboard and BRMS modules are key components of this system. (Note: The CFPS is now called the Joint Performance and Planning System to reflect the increasing efforts of both State and USAID to develop the system.) |
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| Steps to Improve |
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| Competitive Sourcing | |
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| Rating | On Target |
| Target | Complete agreed-upon competitions; complete 85% of full A-76 cost comparisons within 18 months of official announcement; all commercial activities exempt from competition have OMB-approved justifications. |
| Results | 100% (four) of agreed upon streamlined competitions have been completed within OMB approved timeframe of 90 days. Three standard competitions were announced. 100% of commercial activities exempt from competition have OMB approved justifications. |
| Impact | Competitive Sourcing provides the accountability needed to ensure that operational cost efficiencies and performance improvements are achieved. |
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