49. Paper Prepared in the Department of State1
Washington,
February 8,
1962.
SPECIFIC ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND FOSTER ECONOMY OF OPERATIONS
- 1.
- Strengthening of Ambassadorial performance through President’s letter of May 29, 1961, and designation of the Director General of the Foreign Service as the focal point for assuring that Ambassadors are adequately oriented, informed and supported.
- 2.
- Elimination of 99 administrative reports from overseas posts.
- 3.
- The number of committees having Departmental participation was reduced from 339 to 144.
- 4.
- Abolition of Correspondence Review function.
- 5.
- Curtailment of newspaper clipping service.
- 6.
- Consolidation of Operations Center with Secretariat.
- 7.
- Reduction of Administrative personnel by more than 125 persons.
- 8.
- Review of Department’s appraisal, inspection, and audit activities to improve the Department’s capacity to evaluate overall performance of the Department, including overseas posts.
- 9.
- Reorganization of The Bureau of Research and Intelligence with reduction of 230 in employment.
- 10.
- Decentralization of operating authority on administrative matters to geographic bureaus and to the field.
- 11.
- Plans formulated for the establishment of a consolidated administrative service center at Lagos for 20 African posts, with particular attention to supply and medical problems of these posts.
- 12.
- Department’s directive regarding the use of tourist class accommodations for air travel in the U.S. and over the North Atlantic except under unusual circumstances. (Savings of about $300,000 on North Atlantic travel had to be used for other high priority items.)
- 13.
- Decision to hold personnel at 1962 level—no increase overall in 1963, but some redistribution in authorized Bureau strengths.
- 14.
- Simplification of procedures for handling and processing security reports from other agencies.
- 15.
- Reduction from 15 to 11 Foreign Buildings offices overseas.
- 16.
- Improvement of payroll and bond programs with less people. (Bonds are now issued currently instead of one month behind date of last deduction.)
- 17.
- Elimination of special group for Communist economic activities.
- 18.
- Elimination of special officer for East-West Exchanges.
- 19.
- Abolition of special position to review and advise on security appeals.
- 20.
- Sharp curtailment of overhead position in Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs.
- 21.
- Curtailment of unnecessary Departmental inspections.
- 22.
- Extension of Paris Regional Finance Center to serve African posts to cut down African staff buildup.
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1960–63, 110.10/2–862. No classification marking. No drafting officer is indicated; the paper was presumably drafted in the Bureau of Administration.↩