programs of the Bureau of Overseas Building Operations 
of the Department. 
SEC. 1212. COMPETITION IN EMBASSY CONSTRUCTION. 
Not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committee a report detailing steps the 
Department of State is taking to expand the embassy con-
struction contractor base in order to increase competition 
and maximize value. 
SEC. 1213. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States that the Bureau 
of Overseas Building Operations of the Department or its 
successor office shall continue to balance functionality and 
security with accessibility, as defined by guidelines estab-
lished by the United States Access Board in constructing 
embassies and consulates, and shall ensure compliance with 
the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4151 et 
seq.) to the fullest extent possible. 
SEC. 1214. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) DESIGN-BUILD.—The term ‘‘design-build’’ 
means a method of project delivery in which one enti-
ty works under a single contract with the Department 
to provide design and construction services. 
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(2) NON-STANDARD
DESIGN.—The term ‘‘non- 
standard design’’ means a design for a new embassy 
compound project or new consulate compound project 
that does not utilize a standardized design for the 
structural, spatial, or security requirements of such 
embassy compound or consulate compound, as the 
case may be. 
TITLE III—PERSONNEL ISSUES 
SEC. 1301. DEFENSE BASE ACT INSURANCE WAIVERS. 
(a) APPLICATION FOR WAIVERS.—Not later than 30 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of State shall apply to the Department of Labor for 
a waiver from insurance requirements under the Defense 
Base Act (42 U.S.C. 1651 et seq.) for all countries with 
respect to which the requirement was waived prior to Janu-
ary 2017, and for which there is not currently a waiver. 
(b) CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 45 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of State shall certify to the appropriate congressional 
committees that the requirement in subsection (a) has been 
met. 
SEC. 1302. STUDY ON FOREIGN SERVICE ALLOWANCES. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
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State shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report detailing an empirical analysis 
on the effect of overseas allowances on the foreign as-
signment of Foreign Service officers (FSOs), to be 
conducted by a federally-funded research and develop-
ment center with appropriate expertise in labor eco-
nomics and military compensation. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The analysis required under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) identify all allowances paid to FSOs 
assigned permanently or on temporary duty to 
foreign areas; 
(B) examine the efficiency of the Foreign 
Service bidding system in determining foreign 
assignments; 
(C) examine the factors that incentivize 
FSOs to bid on particular assignments, includ-
ing danger levels and hardship conditions; 
(D) examine the Department’s strategy and 
process for incentivizing FSOs to bid on assign-
ments that are historically in lower demand, in-
cluding 
with 
monetary 
compensation, 
and 
whether monetary compensation is necessary for 
assignments in higher demand; 
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(E) make any relevant comparisons to mili-
tary compensation and allowances, noting which 
allowances are shared or based on the same regu-
lations; 
(F) recommend options for restructuring al-
lowances to improve the efficiency of the assign-
ments system and better align FSO incentives 
with the needs of the Foreign Service, including 
any cost savings associated with such restruc-
turing; 
(G) recommend any statutory changes nec-
essary to implement subparagraph (F), such as 
consolidating existing legal authorities for the 
provision of hardship and danger pay; and 
(H) detail any effects of recommendations 
made pursuant to subparagraphs (F) and (G) on 
other United States Government departments 
and agencies with civilian employees perma-
nently assigned or on temporary duty in foreign 
areas, following consultation with such depart-
ments and agencies. 
(b) BRIEFING REQUIREMENT.—Before initiating the 
analysis required under subsection (a)(1), and not later 
than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of State shall provide to the Committee on 
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Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on For-
eign Affairs in the House of Representatives a briefing on 
the implementation of this section that includes the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The name of the federally funded research 
and development center that will conduct such anal-
ysis. 
(2) The scope of such analysis and terms of ref-
erence for such analysis as specified between the De-
partment of State and such federally funded research 
and development center. 
(c) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall 
make available to the federally-funded research and 
development center carrying out the analysis required 
under subsection (a)(1) all necessary and relevant in-
formation to allow such center to conduct such anal-
ysis in a quantitative and analytical manner, includ-
ing historical data on the number of bids for each for-
eign assignment and any survey data collected by the 
Department of State from eligible bidders on their bid 
decision-making. 
(2) COOPERATION.—The Secretary of State shall 
work with the heads of other relevant United States 
Government departments and agencies to ensure such 
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