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Inspection of Global Financial Services - CharlestonPDF versionGlobal Financial Services - Today the Department has centralized its domestic and overseas financial disbursing and accounting, international banking, payroll and retirement, and reporting activities in The consolidation of the Department’s financial functions and responsibilities at GFS-C has succeeded. Furthermore, the Department’s associated personnel reductions in Washington and Paris occurred in accordance with all regulatory requirements and addressed the concerns and needs of affected personnel. GFS-C provides excellent service and support to Department bureaus and overseas posts, which is significant because the majority of GFS-C employees have been employed there for less than three years. Management controls in most of the GFS-C operational areas need improvement. To illustrate, the majority of individuals certifying payments domestically do not have certifying officer authority; nonetheless, they certified payments amounting to over $6 billion in FY 2005. In addition, the Department’s financial records differ from those of the Treasury Department by over $250 million. The compensation plan for Department employees serving in Coordination between GFS-C and the Bureau of Administration’s Office of Acquisition Management must be strengthened. Contract documentation is not always available, and the designations of contracting officer’s representatives do not exist or were unavailable. GFS-C’s staff morale is mixed. Communication, top down and laterally, is weak. Viable Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Federal Women’s Program efforts have not existed for some time, if at all. The designated EEO counselor has been away from The e-Payroll Initiative is an effort to consolidate 26 executive branch federal payroll providers into four providers. Implementation of e-Payroll must receive attention because the Department’s payroll systems have many features that are unique. The deputy assistant secretary responsible for Global Financial Services is based in The current deputy assistant secretary has provided strong and effective leadership during a period of overwhelming expansion. Hiring 236 new employees over the last three years was a daunting task, as was responding to the relocation of those employees’ functions and other changes over the past four years. The deputy assistant secretary and his senior staff should be commended for their efforts. Background: GFS-C GFS-C is a unique Department organization. It is headed by the only deputy assistant secretary who is not based in June 26, 2006 |