ICASS AFSA Survey Results - American Foreign Service Association

There should have been physical inspections carried out before and after consolidation. A team from Washington should comeand make their observations.Just this: We are told over and over again that we must do a cost benefit analysis before consolidating and that we should beable to show a savings to the US government, when in reality nobody really cares what the results of any analysis shows--weare going to consolidate anyway. I think the USG should do things that make sense instead of forcing an agenda that is notalways practical.USAID is treated by State as a second class group. In most cases we are at higher grades yet we are not given housing orservices commensurate with where we are at. ICASS does not save money because there is no watchdog overseeing State likewith USAID. State also does not have very qualified persons running ICASS>Consolidation worked reasonably well at my post. Where there may have been a deterioration in services, this applied equallyto USAID, State and other agencies.Consolidation should not be harried. Start with few departments at a time and observe how it is performing to avoid makingmistakes. Consolidation of programs should be the last activity to undertake. I would recommend that we tread carefully inconsolidating programs because the majority of efforts in this activity have proved to be difficult with nasty results.We have been fortunate here and credit goes to Embassy Tel Aviv management counselor and staff who worked with us in acollaborative, constructive manner. We've heard horror stories from other missions. Embassy management counselors andAmbassadors should be instructed to implement consolidation in a collaborative manner and not play the 10,000 lb gorilla.We are forced to follow State directives, but USAID has terrible access to STATE internet sites, e.g., not possible from post forUSAID staff to access State Med website on USAID computer system. A password prompt appears, but our passwords are notaccepted.Somebody on a high level needs to stand up to State and say enough is enough. If consolidation is going to continue, show usevidence that a) it saves money for USAID; and b) it doesn't decrease the quality of services for USAID personnel. If USAID'scosts go up, even if somehow State's costs go down, USAID is effectively subsidizing services to State and perhaps otheragencies.Consolidation will in a long run benefits the government by reducing cost of the direct hiresAmbassador at Post is derisive of USAID concerns in joint meetings.There should be an Audit or GAO study of consolidation under ICASS. How has foreign assistance faired under sharedadministrative services? Economic questions need to be asked: Have we reached a point of diminishing returns? What is theideal 'firm size' with regard to ICASS service units? Is it possible that as ICASS units have grown, we have reached a pointwhere "diseconomies of scale" have set in? Here is an metaphor/anecdote: I live in an apartment building - and am on goodterms with my neighbor. My neighbor and I both have a fridge, a stove and a table. We also both live on a budget. So whydon't we just save the money by eliminating my kitchen or my neighbor's and just eat all our meals together? The answer isobvious; practically, while friends, we are different. We don't follow the same schedule or like exactly the same foods. I amvegetarian, she is Jewish. We are two houses, not one. We are neighbors, not family. We will remain better friends if we fix ourmeals separately. USAID is a government endeavor distinct from Diplomacy, and distinct from Defense. In the interests of notimpeding foreign assistance goals, USAID needs to be cut a little more slack than the rigid consolidation mandates JMC hasordained.The consolidation causes much more work because of the oversight to ensure service is provided and to monitor expenditures.Also, it seems we are put on the defensive at post because every time a State person comes prowling around, we wonder whatwill be taken next. We don't like to provide information as they will use it against us during some hostile takeover scenario. Forexample Embassy HR openly talk to my FSNs about taking over HR. This is very bad for morale and I have to keep remindingeveryone about JMC directives and that HR recruitment doesn't mean HR. Further, I would like to thank all the staff inUSAID/Washington with a backbone to stand up to the State dept folks in their attempts to inch by inch swallow us. This has tobe a horrible job, but we thank you for this. As Dr. Shah said - we are obligated to dissent.We need to organize training sessions and working groups in order to make sure that both service providers and customers hasthe same understanding like others.Now USAID is at the mercy of the whims of the service provider. When good people are in place, it's okay. When they aren't itcan make things very unpleasant and difficult.USAID must be seen as an equal partner with STATE. This is a hostile merger!USAID pays more, gets less under consolidation. It is also further undermining our ability to manage or control our resources inways that best benefit our foreign assistance objectives.