GAO

United States General Accounting Office

Report to the Chairman, Committee on 

Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate

March 2000 STATE DEPARTMENT

Overseas Emergency 

Security Program 

Progressing, but Costs 

Are Increasing

GAO/NSIAD-00-83

Page 1 GAO/NSIAD-00-83 State Department

Contents

Letter 3

Appendixes Appendix I: Status of State Department Emergency 

Supplemental Appropriations Funds 16

Appendix II: Emergency Supplemental Unobligated Balances, by 

Appropriation 18

Appendix III: Status of Key Security Upgrade Projects 19

Appendix IV: State’s Positions Authorized and Filled Under the

Emergency Supplemental, as of December 31, 1999 20

Appendix V: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments 21

Tables Table 1: Status of Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Funding, 

by Major Program, as of December 31, 1999 6

Table 2: Status of Major Projects to Deliver Vehicles and Equipment 

to Posts, as of December 1999 9

Figures Figure 1: Status of Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Funds, 

as of December 31, 1999 5

Figure 2: Status of State’s Key Security Upgrades, as of 

December 31, 1999 19
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Page 3 GAO/NSIAD-00-83 State Department

United States General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548

National Security and

International Affairs Division

B-284592 Letr

March 8, 2000

The Honorable Jesse Helms

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations

United States Senate

Dear Mr. Chairman:

The Department of State has overall responsibility for the security of over 

54,000 State and other U.S. agency employees under its authority who are 

working in embassies, consulates, and other facilities at more than 250 

overseas posts. In response to the August 1998 bombings of the U.S. 

embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Congress 

provided State with about $1.5 billion in emergency supplemental 

appropriations1

 to improve security worldwide. Principally, the funds were 

to be used to develop an emergency security program that would 

reestablish the embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, begin relocating other 

highest-risk embassies and consulates, and improve security at embassies 

and consulates worldwide. 

As requested, this report describes the progress that State has made in 

implementing the program funded by the emergency supplemental 

appropriations and the challenges the Department faces in completing the 

program. As agreed with your office, we will report on State’s long-term 

capital construction program and its response to a study on overseas 

presence in follow-on reports.2

Results in Brief State has made progress in implementing the program funded by the 

emergency supplemental appropriations to improve security overseas. 

State has reestablished embassy operations in interim office buildings in 

Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and signed a contract for 

1

Under the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1999 

(P.L. 105-277).

2

State established an Overseas Presence Advisory Panel in early 1999 to examine the size 

and structure of overseas missions. The panel’s November 1999 report contained several 

recommendations for streamlining overseas operations. 
B-284592

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construction of new embassy compounds that are scheduled for 

completion in 2003 at a cost of about $119 million. Projects to relocate 

several other embassies and consulates are also underway. However, the 

current cost estimates for the construction of new embassies in Kampala, 

Uganda; Zagreb, Croatia; and Doha, Qatar, are about $122 million, or about 

$45 million higher than original estimates due mainly to upgraded security 

requirements. 

State has also made progress in implementing many of its planned security 

upgrades, including enhancing vehicle inspection and security guard 

programs, hiring additional special agents and other security staff, and 

instituting a new surveillance detection program designed to identify 

hostile surveillance activities and potential attackers. However, projects 

involving major construction upgrades to improve security at over 100 

posts are, according to State’s estimates, costing more than was originally 

estimated and are behind schedule. State estimates that major security 

construction upgrades and the installation of electronic equipment, 

originally funded at $181 million, are at least 1 year behind schedule and 

could potentially cost about $800 million more to complete than originally 

envisioned due to an increase in requirements and other factors. To address 

these additional requirements, State says it plans to request additional 

funds in its fiscal year 2001 and future budgets; realign funds from other 

projects; stretch the program over several years; and/or, where possible, 

use less costly contracting methods to achieve project objectives. As of 

December 31, 1999, State had obligated $972 million and expended

$445 million of the $1.5 billion emergency supplemental appropriations.

Background Immediately after the bombings in Africa, State developed its emergency 

security program based on information gathered from several sources and 

determined that it would need about $1.5 billion to address the damaged 

embassies, enhance security at all its overseas facilities, and pursue related 

activities. State subsequently deployed teams to Kenya and Tanzania to 

assess the damage firsthand and make cost estimates on replacement and 

temporary facilities. It also sent teams to over 30 other high-risk countries 

to assess threats and possible options to reduce them. Those teams, in 

coordination with State’s overseas security officers, chiefs of missions, and 

other officials, helped State further define its security enhancement 

requirements and estimate the costs for upgrading existing facilities 

worldwide. 
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As requested, State received about $1.5 billion from the Congress to 

improve security. These funds were used to achieve three major objectives: 

rebuilding the destroyed embassies, start relocating and building new 

facilities at high-risk posts, and upgrading security at all posts. Through 

December 1999, State had obligated $972 million of the $1.494 billion 

appropriated for the emergency supplemental program and had expended 

about $445 million of these funds. (See fig.1.)

Figure 1: Status of Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Funds, as of

December 31, 1999

Source: Department of State.

The majority of funds were allotted to various security upgrade projects 

designed to improve security at all posts. These projects include providing 

new security equipment, personnel, and training, and making perimeter 

security improvements to embassy and consulate buildings only. Table 1 

provides a breakdown of program funds by the three major program 

objectives.
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Table 1: Status of Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Funding, by Major 

Program, as of December 31, 1999

Source: Department of State.

Appendix I provides additional information on the status of the emergency 

security supplemental funds, highlighting obligations and expenditures by 

State’s bureaus and offices, as of December 31, 1999. Appendix II provides 

information on unobligated balances by key appropriation accounts.

State has structured the emergency security program to lay the 

groundwork for a major embassy construction program as recommended 

by two Accountability Review Boards on the Embassy Bombings in Nairobi 

and Dar es Salaam.3

 The Secretary of State convened the boards in October 

1998 to review the circumstances regarding the bombings. In January 1999, 

the boards made recommendations to State that dealt with the handling of 

terrorist threats, the review and revision of security standards and 

procedures, the size and composition of U.S. missions, and the need for 

adequate and sustained funding for safe buildings and security programs in 

the future. The boards recommended that, for each of the next 10 years, 

$1 billion for capital construction and $0.4 billion for other security-related 

activities be appropriated to State. The fiscal year 2000 budget included 

$254 million in Diplomatic and Consular Programs and $314 million in 

Security and Maintenance of U.S. Missions for worldwide security-related 

upgrades, capital projects, and recurring support costs. State is relying on 

appropriations received in fiscal year 2000 to complete some of the 

construction projects started under the emergency security supplemental 

appropriations and on future appropriations beyond fiscal year 2000 to 

begin new ones. 

Dollars in millions

Allocated Obligated Expended

Nairobi and Dar es Salaam $163.5 $95.2 $27.4

Relocate high-risk posts 185.0 90.5 11.6

Other security upgrades 1,145.5 786.4 406.0

Total $1,494.0 $972.1 $445.0

3

The Accountability Review Boards were established pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 4831-4832.
B-284592

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Operations in Nairobi 

and Dar es Salaam 

Have Been 

Reestablished

State’s top priority after the bombings in Africa was to rapidly reestablish 

operations and rebuild the embassy communities in Nairobi and Dar es 

Salaam. In Nairobi, the embassy temporarily moved into the offices of the 

U.S. Agency for International Development until an office building, located 

in the city’s suburbs, could be renovated to better meet the Department’s 

short-term needs. State opened the interim embassy in August 1999. In Dar 

es Salaam, State converted a residential compound into functional, secure 

office space. The interim facility opened in February 1999. These interim 

facilities are providing offices for embassy staff until 2003 when State 

expects to complete construction of new office building compounds that 

fully meet security standards. 

State estimates that it will cost about $119 million to build new embassy 

compounds in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. According to State officials, 

construction of the new embassy office compounds will take about 3 years 

to complete once the designs are finished; occupancy for State and most 

other agencies is scheduled for 2003.

Efforts to Relocate 

High-Risk Embassies 

and Consulates Are 

Underway

State allocated $185 million in emergency supplemental funds to relocate, 

replace, and/or construct new facilities at some high-risk posts. State did 

not identify which posts would be replaced in its emergency supplemental 

program request but subsequently determined that it would use these funds 

for security construction projects in Doha, Qatar; Istanbul, Turkey; 

Kampala, Uganda; Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil; Tunis, Tunisia; and 

Zagreb, Croatia. By December 31, 1999, State had obligated $91 million and 

expended $11.6 million. It had awarded design/build contracts for new 

embassies in Kampala and Zagreb, begun the renovation of a new office 

building in Doha, and relocated embassy operations in Doha to a safer and 

more secure interim facility. It also selected architects and/or begun 

negotiations for building sites in Istanbul, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and 

Tunis. State said it planned to use funds received in fiscal year 2000 and 

beyond to continue these new construction projects. State received over 

$300 million in fiscal year 2000 and requested $500 million, including 

$50 million for U.S. Agency for International Development facilities to be 

co-located on State compounds, in its fiscal year 2001 budget for 

worldwide security capital projects.

Our analysis of State’s planning documents for Kampala, Zagreb, and Doha 

revealed that completion of these projects is likely to cost about $45 million 

more than the $77 million that State had initially estimated. State attributed 
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the potential cost increases to several factors, including revised staffing 

estimates, more stringent security requirements, and additional project 

management support costs. 

Security Upgrades At 

Existing Facilities 

Progressing, but Costs 

Higher Than Expected, 

and Some Projects 

Behind Schedule

State allocated most of the emergency supplemental (about $1.1 billion) to 

upgrade security at its more than 250 embassies and consular posts. The 

Department used these funds to implement a number of security upgrade 

projects. The larger, high-cost projects include (1) providing additional 

vehicles and security equipment, (2) improving security with more 

personnel and training, and (3) performing construction enhancements to 

upgrade perimeter security. The Department expects to install much of the 

equipment and implement most of the personnel and training projects by 

the end of the year 2000. In addition, many construction enhancements are 

underway, but unanticipated costs are being encountered for larger 

construction security upgrades and certain equipment. According to State 

documents, it had originally budgeted $181 million for these activities. 

Additional requirements could amount to $800 million, and projects are 

behind schedule. Appendix III highlights the status of some of the key 

projects discussed in detail in the following text.

Projects to Provide Security 

Vehicles, Bomb Detectors, 

X-ray Equipment, Radios, 

and Phones Are Mostly on 

Track

Major projects to purchase and deliver lightly armored vehicles, fully 

armored vehicles, bomb detection equipment, x-ray equipment, and 

satellite phones and local emergency evacuation radio systems are 

generally on track. The bomb detection and x-ray equipment projects also 

include installation and related training on the use of the equipment. The 

Department expects to complete the lightly armored vehicles and bomb 

detection projects by September 2000 and expects to deliver all fully 

armored vehicles to 153 overseas posts by December 2000. Table 2 

provides the status of these projects.
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Table 2: Status of Major Projects to Deliver Vehicles and Equipment to Posts, as of December 1999

a

Includes partial shipment of items.

b

Most of this project is scheduled for completion by September 30, 2000. Delays are being 

encountered at posts undergoing major construction upgrades (see p. 12).

Source: Department of State.

The Department has faced several challenges in managing these projects. 

For example, to obtain fully armored sedans, the Department had to get a 

waiver from federal acquisition regulations to purchase them from a 

foreign supplier because no U.S. manufacturer had the capability to 

produce them.4

 For lightly armored vehicles, one company added another 

armoring production line to overcome earlier delays to ensure that all 

vehicles would be delivered on schedule. Further, some items shipped to 

posts sometimes require training on the use of the equipment and 

modification before they can be used effectively. In one case, we were told 

that the bomb detectors shipped to Mexico City needed to be adjusted 

because the high altitude and pollution were causing false readings. The 

manufacturer is working to correct this problem. 

State has also made progress in implementing another significant 

emergency security program−the fielding of satellite phones and local 

emergency and evacuation radio systems to overseas posts. As of October 

1999, State had completed surveys of telecommunications requirements at 

all posts, deployed 950 satellite phones, and received 114 of 233 planned 

host-nation approvals for wireless programs. Problems have been 

Dollars in millions

Projects

Total project

funding

Estimated

completion date

Number of items

required by posts

Number of

items shipped

Number of posts

to receive items

Number of posts

that received

itemsa

Lightly armored 

vehicles $59.7 9/30/00 799 248 243 80

Fully armored 

vehicles $28.1 12/31/00 231 60 153 12

Bomb detection 

equipment $28.7 9/30/00 720 324 240 136

X-ray equipment $21.5 9/30/01b 289 200 176 131

4

These regulations require federal agencies to buy only U.S.-made products unless 

otherwise excepted or waived (48 C.F.R. Part 25 (1998)).
B-284592

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encountered in obtaining additional host-country approvals for radio 

frequencies, but, according to State, the greater use of satellite systems has 

proved to be a workable solution. Progress in other programs has included 

providing video recorders and Imminent Danger Notification Systems to all 

posts and the purchase of upgraded computer equipment for security 

operations at 190 posts (scheduled for installation by June 2000). 

Projects to Improve 

Security With More 

Personnel and Training

The Department added more personnel and increased training to improve 

security, including upgrading local guard capabilities, increasing vehicle 

inspection efforts, and instituting a surveillance detection project. In 

addition, State began a major project to hire and train additional security 

personnel, many of whom were deployed overseas. The status of these and 

other projects is as follows:

• By September 1999, the Department allocated all of its planned

$66 million to upgrade perimeter security and vehicle inspections at 

overseas posts. The Department increased the number of overseas 

guards and provided them with more radios, vehicles, and other 

equipment. The Department has also completed the expansion of its 

project to inspect vehicles entering State facilities primarily by hiring 

and training additional local guards.

• The Department was provided with $53.7 million to recruit and hire 397 

additional staff to enhance security at overseas posts (see app. IV). To 

date, the Department has hired nearly all additional staff, including 200 

special agents and 17 security engineers. According to Department 

officials, as of December 1999, 79 special agents have been deployed 

overseas. 

• State’s Foreign Service Institute provided crisis management training in 

fiscal year 1999 at more than 100 posts, including training for over 1,600 

Americans and 1,400 foreign nationals and incorporated crisis 

management modules in domestic training. This training, costing about 

$1.6 million, helped posts test emergency action plans and fully define 

the resources available in a crisis. The Institute also established 

communications training and recovery assistance courses. 

The $75 million surveillance detection project is one of State’s most 

important and innovative. The overall goal is to hire and train personnel to 

detect suspicious surveillance activities. The project is designed to 

enhance the likelihood of preventing attacks by training staff to recognize 

hostile surveillance directed at personnel and facilities and provide support 

if an attack occurs. Surveillance detection projects have been established 
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at 154 posts, and Department officials expect that training for most posts 

will be completed by April 2000. Department officials told us that all posts 

have at least been made aware of the importance of the projects and the 

techniques involved in detecting hostile activity. Officials also said that the 

project has already identified suspicious activities at several posts around 

the world. 

State has encountered some obstacles in implementing its surveillance 

detection project, largely due to resistance from some host governments. 

State officials said that under existing international treaties, State could not 

implement the project without host government approval. We found that 10 

posts have been unable to institute a surveillance detection program 

because the host government opposes the project, which potentially 

lessens the ability of these posts to detect hostile activity. State officials 

said that the Department is continuing to engage host country officials to 

overcome their opposition and continues to employ a number of alternate 

security countermeasures. These include installing closed circuit television 

monitors, providing security awareness training of employees, and 

providing training of local guards. State officials told us that although they 

are unable to implement fully the surveillance detection projects at these 

posts, all local guards receive training in the techniques to detect potential 

hostile activity.

Post-Managed Construction 

Security Upgrades, 

Installation of Shatterresistant Window Film, and 

Acquisition of Perimeter 

Property in Various Stages 

of Implementation 

State allocated $99 million for post-managed construction security and 

other upgrades that are in various stages of implementation. These 

included the funding of (1) post- managed construction improvements, 

such as the purchase of planters as barricades and (2) the installation of 

shatter-resistant window film at embassies/office buildings and residences. 

In addition, funds were used to acquire adjacent property to increase the 

distance from the building to the perimeter wall or fence at certain posts. 

According to State documents, as of December 1999, approximately

22 percent of these security construction upgrade projects, exclusive of 

property acquisition, had been completed. The status of these projects as of 

December 1999, was as follows:

• State has completed 221 of the over 500 planned post-managed 

construction projects. State anticipates that all of these projects will be 

completed by September 2000.

• State reported that 240 posts needed installation of shatter-resistant 

window film at office buildings and/or residences. Work installing film at 

both office buildings and at residences had been completed at 27 posts. 
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Installations of window film, alarms, window grills, and/or other 

security enhancements at residences had been completed at 130 posts. 

• State has acquired additional property at 19 posts to improve security. 

These acquisitions included vacant lots, additional parking spaces, and, 

at one post, an adjacent gas station. Acquisitions at seven posts resulted 

in 100 percent compliance with security setback standards. Acquisition 

of other properties is an ongoing challenge due to difficulties in 

negotiating with property sellers and related problems.

To help manage the increased workload associated with implementing 

construction and real property-related projects funded by the supplemental 

appropriation, State planned to hire additional staff and contractors. In 

fiscal year 1999, State had filled 16 of 20 planned direct-hire positions and 

24 of 44 personal services contractor positions. State has since filled many 

of the remaining slots. 

Major Construction 

Upgrades Cost More and 

Are Behind Schedule

State’s program to do major construction upgrades at 119 posts will cost 

significantly more and take longer than originally planned due to 

inadequate information on posts’ security requirements and understated 

project costs. Posts’ major construction-related security improvements 

typically include the need for vehicle barriers, compound access control 

centers, walls, and fences. State originally planned for most of the work to 

be done by the posts and budgeted an estimated $113 million for the 

enhancements. State subsequently determined that the work exceeded 

posts’ ability to manage with existing resources, and two U.S. contractors 

were selected to do the upgrades. According to State officials, this change 

in approach contributed to the increase in costs. Contractors’ initial 

proposals to complete the planned upgrades and newly identified 

additional requirements demonstrated that State’s original August 1998 

estimates were underestimated by over $500 million.

According to State documents, the contractors were expected to perform a 

“fast-track delivery” of improvements at multiple facilities. The contractors 

were to survey 119 posts to validate the need for security enhancements, 

make cost proposals for doing the work, and do the work once State and 

the contractors agreed on a final scope of work and cost for each post 

upgrade. All surveys were scheduled to be completed by September 1999. 

The surveys were required to validate security enhancement needs and 

make cost proposals for doing the work. Because of unanticipated costs, 

the survey portion of this program was suspended as of September 1999, 

after 75 posts had been surveyed. In December 1999, State estimated that it 
B-284592

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might cost about $571 million more than the amount originally budgeted to 

complete the construction-related enhancements. The installation of 

electronic security equipment linked to the construction upgrades is also 

behind schedule and estimated to cost more. This includes installing 

equipment such as perimeter alarms, door locks, VCR/cameras, lights, and 

control switches. Original cost estimates to upgrade electronic security 

equipment at these and other posts was $68 million. State now estimates it 

will need an additional $229 million to purchase and install additional 

electronic and technical security equipment. 

As of December 1999, only one major construction upgrade project 

overseas had been completed, and seven were in the construction or 

design/build stage. State plans to initiate construction of at least 20 posts’ 

major upgrades by April 2000, and officials estimate that current funding 

levels are probably sufficient to complete major upgrade projects at 

between 20 and 40 posts, far short of the 119 planned. According to State’s 

fiscal year 2001 budget submission, the Department has requested 

additional funding for construction and equipment totaling $200 million 

and anticipates additional requests in future budget submissions. State 

anticipates that some of the costs may be met by realigning funds from 

other emergency supplemental program components. State also hopes to 

reduce costs through negotiations with contractors on individual post 

projects. The major upgrade program is at least 1 year behind schedule. 

State projects that it may take up to 4 years to complete the program, 

depending on the flow of funds and other factors.

According to State officials, one of the major factors contributing to State’s 

underestimating its funding needs for the major construction upgrades was 

that the emergency supplemental request was prepared within a few days 

after the August 1998 bombings in Africa and without complete information 

on the condition of embassies and consulates or the costs involved in 

making improvements. Although State’s security officers and other 

personnel periodically document overseas security conditions, State had 

not established a central information system capturing the condition or 

extent to which overseas facilities meet security standards. In the absence 

of this information, total worldwide security enhancement requirements 

and potential costs were not fully known. Further, State is also unable to 

easily determine the extent to which security upgrades have been 

implemented at all of its overseas posts. To help correct this deficiency, 

State has hired a contractor to develop a worldwide, automated security 

tracking system, but it will take several years to include updated data on all 

key facilities under State’s security program. 
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Agency Comments The Department of State’s Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Administration, 

and the Chief Financial Officer provided oral comments on a draft of this 

report. State officials commented that they have made considerable 

progress implementing many of the planned security enhancements but 

agreed that certain components of the overall program will cost more than 

originally estimated. These officials reiterated that the higher program 

costs identified in the report are primarily the result of additional 

requirements identified after the request for the emergency appropriation 

was submitted to the Congress and approved. We incorporated technical 

comments and updated figures provided by State officials into the report 

where appropriate.

Scope and 

Methodology

To discuss the progress made by State in its security enhancement program 

and the challenges the Department faces implementing the program, we 

met with officials in State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, which has 

responsibility for overseas security; the Office of Foreign Buildings 

Operations, which has responsibility for construction and other real 

property activities overseas; and other units in the Department. We 

coordinated our work with State’s Office of Inspector General, which is 

monitoring and reporting internally on various aspects of the emergency 

supplemental program. In addition to developing overall information on the 

status of emergency supplemental programs, we conducted detailed 

analyses of the highest-cost projects intended to provide security 

equipment and personnel to posts. We did not validate State’s planned or 

projected cost estimates or the scope of its security requirements.

We also conducted detailed analysis of State documents related to project 

status and issues for 12 overseas posts. These posts were selected based on 

several factors, including size, mission, and location. The posts were 

Bridgetown, Barbados; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Santo Domingo, Dominican 

Republic; Paris, France; New Delhi, India; Mexico City, Mexico; Maputo, 

Mozambique; Manila, the Philippines; Doha, Qatar; Bangkok, Thailand; 

Tunis, Tunisia; and Istanbul, Turkey. We conducted on-site work at the U.S. 

embassy in Mexico City in September 1999, observing one of State’s 

implementation contractors that was surveying the post for security 

upgrades. 

We also met with officials of other key agencies operating overseas, 

including the U.S. Agency for International Development and the 
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Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, to obtain their views on 

security issues affecting their overseas operations. 

We conducted our review from June 1999 through January 2000 in 

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 

We are sending copies of this report to interested congressional 

committees. We are also sending copies to the Honorable Madeleine K. 

Albright, the Secretary of State. We will make copies available to others 

upon request.

Please contact me at (202) 512-4128 if you or any members of your staff 

have any questions concerning this report. Other GAO contacts and staff 

acknowledgments are listed in appendix V.

Sincerely yours,

Benjamin F. Nelson

Director, International Relations

 and Trade Issues
Page 16 GAO/NSIAD-00-83 State Department

Appendix I

Status of State Department Emergency 

Supplemental Appropriations Funds ApendxiI

The Department of State requested and the Congress appropriated

$1.49 billion in emergency supplemental funds. Of this amount, State 

provided $627 million to its Bureau of Administration’s Office of Foreign 

Buildings Operations, which has responsibility for construction and other 

overseas real property activities. State budgeted $588 million for the 

Bureau of Diplomatic Security, which has responsibility for providing for 

the protection of personnel and facilities abroad, to include the provision 

of local guards, regional and post security officers, and security equipment. 

An additional $118 million in supplemental funds was budgeted for State’s 

Bureau of Information Resource Management for wireless communication 

programs for emergency evacuations (radios and satellite phones). About 

$91 million was budgeted for other bureaus and offices for training and 

other purposes; the remaining $70 million was appropriated for foreign 

assistance purposes (antiterrorism training and economic support). In 

addition, $56 million was earmarked within the Foreign Buildings 

appropriation for other foreign affairs agencies. This included $25 million 

provided to the U.S. Agency for International Development.1

Through December 31, 1999, State had obligated about $972 million of the 

$1.49 billion appropriation. The Office of Foreign Buildings Operations had 

obligated $360 million of its $627 million as of December 31, 1999, and the 

Bureau of Diplomatic Security had obligated $382 million of its $588-million 

program component. Actual expenditures totaled $83.6 million for the 

Office of Foreign Buildings Operations, as of December 31, 1999, and 

$236 million for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, as of December 31, 

1999.

State’s Information Resource Management program obligated about 

$83 million for its radio systems and satellite phone program through 

December 31, 1999. As for the Foreign Service Institute, it obligated about 

$3 million for various training programs and related activities through 

December 31, 1999. Actual expenditures for these two program elements 

totaled about $62 million.

1

This report discusses funds that were appropriated to State in the Omnibus Consolidated 

and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1999 (P.L. 105-277). The Congress has 

since appropriated additional funds for embassy security, as provided in the State 

Department’s appropriations act for fiscal year 2000 (Department of State and Related 

Agency Appropriations Act, 2000, P.L.. 106-113). The latter act also contained the Secure 

Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act of 1999. 
Appendix I

Status of State Department Emergency 

Supplemental Appropriations Funds

Page 17 GAO/NSIAD-00-83 State Department

Of the $56 million in emergency funds provided to upgrade the security of 

other agencies’ facilities overseas, $25 million went to the U.S. Agency for 

International Development for security improvements to its existing 

facilities. According to the agency, 40 of its overseas missions and offices 

have inadequate security. The emergency supplemental funds are being 

used for several purposes, including relocating to more secure leased 

facilities, financing the design of new facilities to be co-located on State’s 

new office building compounds, and leasing properties to improve setback 

from perimeter walls and fences. The agency has identified capital 

construction requirements, in addition to the emergency supplemental, for 

eight overseas missions, including new separate facilities in Nairobi and 

Dar es Salaam to be located on State’s new office building compounds. The 

additional estimated costs to build the Nairobi and Dar es Salaam facilities 

total over $45 million.

Other agencies receiving emergency funds, such as the Departments of 

Commerce and Agriculture, got about $8 million each. According to agency 

officials, the agencies used the funds to add residential and nonresidential 

local guards, to move offices to more secure locations, and to accomplish 

other goals.
Page 18 GAO/NSIAD-00-83 State Department

Appendix II

Emergency Supplemental Unobligated 

Balances, by Appropriation ApendxiI

Source: Department of State. 

Dollars in thousands

Appropriation Appropriated

Obligated

through

Dec. 99

Unobligated

balance

Diplomatic and consular programs $773,700 $537,043 $236,657

Salaries and expenses 12,000 9,113 2,887

Security and maintenance of U.S. 

missions 627,000 359,513 267,487

Nonproliferation, antiterrorism, 

demining, and related programs 20,000 14,017 5,983

Emergencies in the diplomatic and 

consular service 10,000 2,837 7,163

Office of Inspector General 1,000 829 171

Economic Support Fund 50,000 48,731 1,269

Total $1,493,700 $972,083 $521,617
Page 19 GAO/NSIAD-00-83 State Department

Appendix III

Status of Key Security Upgrade Projects ApendxiI

State has nearly completed its project to hire additional security staff, 

including local guards and security professionals (see app. IV) and has 

finished its project to increase vehicle inspections. Other security upgrade 

projects are in various stages of implementation. Figure 2 shows the status 

of other key security upgrade projects. 

Figure 2: Status of State’s Key Security Upgrades, as of December 31, 1999

Source: Department of State.
Page 20 GAO/NSIAD-00-83 State Department

Appendix IV

State’s Positions Authorized and Filled Under 

the Emergency Supplemental, as of 

December 31, 1999 ApendxiIV

 .

Source: Department of State.

Bureau or office Positions Authorized slots Actual hirings

Diplomatic Security

Special agents 200 200

Security engineers 17 17

Security technicians 34 34

Secretaries 20 20

Diplomatic couriers 20 20

Support 46 46

Subtotal 337 337

Logistics Management 13 7

Information Management 16 16

Office of Foreign Buildings 20 16

Office of Inspector General 11 11

Total 397 387
Page 21 GAO/NSIAD-00-83 State Department

Appendix V

GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments ApendxiV

GAO Contacts Jess Ford (202) 512-4268

Diana Glod (202) 647-3369

Acknowledgments In addition to those named above, Edward Kennedy, Jesus Martinez, Lynn 

Moore, Maria Oliver, Jim Strus, and Ray Wyrsch made key contributions to 

this report. 

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