Embassy New Delhi, India and Constituent Posts - OIG - US ...

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staff, consisting of three U.S. direct-hire managers and almost 390 LE staff members, including
11 engineers, allows commitment of substantial labor to almost any task. At the same time,
however, having available such a large work force can discourage adopting automation and has
led to undertaking projects without OBO approval. As a result, the embassy has not implemented
the component of the Department-standard eServices that deals with maintenance work requests.
Instead, it takes requests via telephone, email, or paper. Moreover, work order clerks do not enter
disapproved requests into the WebPASS Work Orders for Windows application, which deprives
management of useful information. Use of eServices would automatically correct this data entry
error.
Recommendation 53: Embassy New Delhi should implement eServices as the means for
submitting work requests to the facilities management unit. (Action: Embassy New Delhi)
The OIG inspector found 6,125 Work Orders for Windows records in “Approved” status.
According to the work order clerk, many had been completed. The clerk needs to review the
records in that category and dispose of them as appropriate.
Informal Recommendation 27: Embassy New Delhi should review and update records
in Work Orders for Windows to reflect accurately the status of each one.
Embassy New Delhi constructed a second story on an existing building in 2005, property
x01021, without review and approval by OBO. It is now performing additional construction on
the second story, again without the review and approval of OBO and contrary to the
requirements of 15 FAM 641 a. This construction has become a contentious issue between the
embassy and OBO, which is aware of its existence but does not recognize it as a legitimate
structure. The OIG team noted the need to review the design and plans, even if retroactively, to
ensure the building meets appropriate construction codes and is safe to use for its intended
purpose. It would also serve to legitimize the additional space, thereby making it eligible for
OBO funding and approved for use beyond its currently intended purpose of swing space
pending completion of the new office annex. A similar case exists in Kolkata, where the
consulate general undertook on its own to reconfigure a government-owned apartment,
apartment 1a in property 9999, reducing the living space and creating an area for community
recreation use. The consulate general did not request OBO review of the project. The residual
apartment space is now deemed inadequate in terms of size and the significantly reduced amount
of direct light that is allowed in. However, OBO’s perspective is that the property exists as it was
prior to renovation, so returning the apartment to its original configuration is problematic.
Recommendation 54: Embassy New Delhi should submit to the Bureau of Overseas Buildings
Operations the necessary designs and plans for the second-floor construction of property number
x01021 in New Delhi and apartment 1a of number 9999 in Kolkata for review and approval.
(Action: Embassy New Delhi)
Both OIG and OBO performed audits in 2010 of Embassy New Delhi’s OBO funding.
The OIG audit 1
was conducted as part of a worldwide examination and was limited to the 7901
regular maintenance and repair account. The OBO audit addressed the full range of OBO
1
OIG Report No. AUD/FM-10-30, Audit of Maintenance and Improvements of Overseas Real Property - September
2010.
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