10 FAM 360
IIP INFORMATION RESOURCE PROGRAMS
(CT:PEC-83; 03-28-2019)
(Office of Origin: IIP)
10 FAM 361 Programs, products, and
services
(CT:PEC-83; 03-28-2019)
The Office of Regional Strategy and Training (IIP/PR/RST)
directly and indirectly supports key information programs of U.S. embassies
through:
Regional Public Engagement Specialists (REPS) corps (see 10 FAM 362)
American Centers (see 10 FAM 363)
American Corners (see 10 FAM 364)
10 FAM 362 Regional Public Engagement
Specialists (REPS)
(CT:PEC-73; 03-11-2019)
REPS are Foreign Service specialists who have
responsibility as regional consultants for advising and providing expertise to
posts in the regions that they serve. Through regular visits and electronic
communications, they work closely with public affairs officers (PAOs), other
Public Affairs Sections (PAS) officers and American Center staff at posts in
their portfolios. They ensure that the American Centers outreach and
information services are cost-effective, of the highest quality and consonant
with the missions public diplomacy strategy. REPS coordinate their work with the
Office of Regional Strategy and Training (IIP/PR/RST) in Washington, DC. They
ensure that posts make use of IIP products and services, and that feedback from
the field is relayed to the Bureau so that IIP products remain relevant to
public diplomacy needs.
10 FAM 362.1 REPS Responsibilities
(CT:PEC-73; 03-11-2019)
a. Ideally, REPS should visit posts in their assigned
regions at least twice a year.
b. Core responsibilities of the REPS are to:
(1) Counsel and assist posts in developing the most
effective information resources, services, and outreach strategies to
communicate with target audiences on key mission performance plans and public
diplomacy issues.
(2) Evaluate management policies and practices
affecting American Center programs, making recommendations to improve
productivity, and ensuring that American Centers function as integrated
resources for the mission.
(3) Report and make recommendations to posts and
bureau officers on the effectiveness of American Center programs and the use of
IIP products and services.
(4) Assess the professional development needs of the American
Center staff, develop training programs, and provide professional guidance on American
Center personnel issues.
(5) Evaluate host country information infrastructure
to determine realistic levels and applications of information technology needed
to conduct outreach and information dissemination programs consistent with
established IIP expectations.
(6) Develop and maintain contacts within host-country
information communities.
(7) Assist posts in the evaluation of sites for
American Corners and in setting up suitable collections and resources.
(8) In the case of Washington, DC-based REPS,
participate in bureau initiatives supporting REPS and American Centers in their
region and worldwide and serve as the bureau liaison to the relevant regional
bureau when applicable.
(9) Manage classified material and information
properly.
10 FAM 362.2 REPS Reporting
Requirements
(CT:PEC-44; 12-28-2017)
a. REPS are required to file trip reports within one
month of completing their consultation at post. REPS should post their reports
in the REPS report database maintained by IIP/PR/RST.
b. REPS establish and update annual plans for each post
in their portfolios. The annual plan identifies the resources and strategies
the American Center's will use to meet mission performance plan and public
diplomacy goals and to address mission relevant information needs of key
staff. The REPS is responsible for writing the plan and clearing it with the
PAO. Ideally, the plan should be updated or revised during the first visit to
post in the fiscal year.
c. In the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, the REPS
submits an annual home post report on the status of the American Center. It
highlights significant achievements completed previous year.
d. REPS submit an annual financial plan and quarterly
financial reports to IIP/PR/RST.
e. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) requires
the two most recent REPS reports and the most recent American Center annual
plan as a part of the pre-inspection documentation on posts to be inspected.
f. Guidelines for these reports can be found on the
IIP Intranet web site. The Office Director of IIP/PR/RST must approve any
request for exceptions to compliance with the above requirements.
10 FAM 362.3 REPS Evaluations
(CT:PEC-73; 03-11-2019)
In accordance with 3 FAH-1
H-2813.3, evaluations for REPS assigned to posts abroad with regional
responsibilities will be conducted by the PAO or designee at the home post of
the REPS. Rating officers will solicit input on the officers performance for
use in preparing the evaluation report from posts serviced by the regional REPS.
The responsibility for reviewing field-based REPS is held by the Office
Director of the IIP regional office to which the REPS is assigned with input
from the Office Director of IIP/PR/RST. The rating officer for Washington,
DC-based REPS is the regional office director where the REPS is assigned. The
Office Director of IIP/PR/RST serves as their reviewing officer.
10 FAM 363 American Centers
10 FAM 363.1 American Centers Purpose
(CT:PEC-44; 12-28-2017)
a. American Centers make the most relevant use of
information technology and content from a variety of sources to advance U.S.
interests abroad. They belong to the PAS of U.S. embassies. American Centers
may be, but are not necessarily, located in a chancery. Their primary purpose
is to direct timely, authoritative information to targeted foreign audiences in
support of U.S. policy goals. American Centers also serve as a resource for
selected host country contacts, who use a variety of reference services within
the American Center (e.g., automated catalog systems, supervised Internet
access, print collections, and online services) to find information about the
United States, its policies and values. At the discretion of PAS management,
they also provide policy information to key mission members. In all cases, American
Center resources should support the mission performance plan and public
diplomacy strategy.
b. For information on policies and procedures, (see the
IIP procedures on the IIP Intranet web site).
10 FAM 363.2 American Center
Audiences
(CT:PEC-44; 12-28-2017)
a. Under the guidance of the PAO, American Center staff
identify and prioritize audiences. The institutions, groups, and individuals
they choose should be consistent with audiences identified by the missions public
diplomacy strategy. They include, but are not limited to, policymakers and
those who shape public opinion. Primarily, American Centers' audiences for
external public diplomacy programs typically include the media, universities,
think tanks, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), intellectuals, and public
opinion leaders, as well as members of the host-country government. As
appropriate, American Center staff may also provide reference and information
services to a broader audience- including mission officials.
b. Many American Centers have public access for
targeted or general audiences (see 12 FAM 445.1
for further information on identification of visitors and establishment of
mission policies on public access).
10 FAM 363.3 American Center
Staffing
(CT:PEC-44; 12-28-2017)
American Centers are managed by locally employed staff (LE
staff). They are trained as information professionals in the use of
specialized online and print resources to promote awareness of U.S. policies and the context in which they are formed. Although American Center staff
benefit from professional and technical guidance from Regional Public
Engagement Specialists (REPS), they are supervised by the PAO or a designated
PAS official. REPS are regional officers and may on a case-by-case basis
accept delegated authority to oversee tasks related to American Center development.
However, they should not be designated as American Center supervisors without
the approval of the Office Directors of IIP/PR/RST and the relevant regional
office in IIP.
10 FAM 363.4 Specialized Training
for American Center staff
(CT:PEC-73; 03-11-2019)
a. The specialized nature of American Centers' work
requires that its staff benefit from frequent professional training to keep
their knowledge and skills current with changes in technology and information
services.
b. This training is a principal element of support
provided by REPS in the field and by IIP/PR/RST. IIP/PR/RST coordinates, plans
and designs expert training programs, specifically addressing the needs of American
Centers and REPS. They include the following:
(1) Foundations of Public Diplomacy PY 100.
(2) Regional Locally Employed Staff (LE Staff)
Training Programs Workshops and conferences organized and conducted by Regional
Public Engagement Specialists (REPS) and held at appropriate training
facilities.
(3) Public Diplomacy Locally Employed Staff (LE Staff)
American Center Program an annual training program carried out in
collaboration with the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in the U.S. designed to
enhance functional knowledge and skills on selected policy issues and other
topics on which American Center staffers provide research and outreach
services.
(4) Online Search and Reference Skills specialized
training in cost-effective use of specialized online databases supporting American
Center reference and outreach.
10 FAM 363.5 Support to American
Centers
(CT:PEC-83; 03-28-2019)
Support from IIP/PR/RST consists of the following:
(1) Standards and Guidelines
IIP/PR/RST is the designated central point of contact and authority in the
Department for establishing guidance and standards for American Centers and
REPS worldwide.
(2) Centralized Online Database
Contracts IIP negotiates and funds selected centralized contracts for
major U.S. commercial and government online databases that are fundamental to
the American Center program, and ensure these databases meet the business
requirements of American Centers and the information professionals who support
them.
(3) Information Resources
IIP evaluates information resources relevant to American Center business
requirements, providing guidance and training in using them effectively.
(4) Procurement IIP provides
guidance and assistance with procurement of U.S. information resources for American
Centers.
(5) Bibliographic services
IIP provides bibliographic support to facilitate the identification of
publications and electronic resources that are relevant to American Center business
requirements.
(6) Fee Recycling IIP
manages the program enabling American Centers to recycle funds collected for
services (see 10
FAM 363.6).
10 FAM 363.6 Fee Recycling
(CT:PEC-83; 03-28-2019)
a. Public Law 100-204, section 203 , amended by Public
Law 101-246, section 208 (22 U.S.C. 1475e), authorizes American Centers at U.S.
missions abroad to charge and retain fees for certain services to such extent
as may be provided in advance in appropriations acts (see 4 FAH-3 H-328 for more information on recycling funds).
b. Guidelines for fee recycling include:
(1) Membership FeesMembership
fees cannot under any circumstances be charged for the use of the American
Center;
(2) Services CoveredFees may
be charged for photocopying, printing of electronic and microform resources;
interlibrary loan services; online database searches and associated
telecommunications costs and print-outs; document delivery; and mailing of American
Center materials;
(3) Services Not CoveredFees
cannot be charged for the sale of books, periodicals, or other materials the
post would normally purchase for its own collections;
(4) Reporting RequirementsIIP/PR/RST
grants approval of post recycling levels. Posts must report to IIP/PR/RST and
appropriate Department of State budget offices on a routine basis monies
collected under the recycling program; and
(5) GuidanceIIP/PR/RST
provides guidance to posts on specific recycling activities and expenditures.
10 FAM 364 American Corners
10 FAM 364.1 American Corners
Purpose
(CT:PEC-44; 12-28-2017)
While American Centers are an integral part of the Public
Diplomacy program, American Corners provide a multi-functional programming
platform for engaging a broad range of audiences. American Corners magnify
Public Diplomacy's capacity to support understanding of U.S. policy and
exposure to U.S. values through information services similar to those available
in American Public libraries and through an ongoing series of post supported
programs and exhibits.
10 FAM 364.2 American Corners Role
(CT:PEC-011; 02-03-2006)
a. American Corners are partnerships between the Public
Affairs sections of U.S. Embassies/Consulates and host institutions. They
provide access to current and reliable information about the United States via
book collections, CD-ROMs, the Internet, and through local programming to the
general public. The multi-media, book and periodical collections ideally
should be open and accessible to all interested citizens of the host country. American
Corners also provide facilities to host program events and activities (e.g.,
author readings, films, speaker programs, workshops, meetings, and exhibits).
b. The fundamental function of the American Corners is
to make information about the United States available to foreign audiences at
large. At a minimum, American Corners should consist of a collection of
American books. The book collection may include reference titles, works of
fiction, business and government publications. American Corners also provide
access to U.S. information through supervised Internet access, audio and video
products, CDs, and CD-ROMS. No American Corners are to be connected to the
Department computer network (OpenNet).
10 FAM 364.3 American Corners
Support
(CT:PEC-37; 08-23-2017)
Through the office of IIP/PR/RST and the network of REPS,
IIP provides oversight, policy coordination, and support for American Corners
as follows:
(1) Establishes core elements and standards of
American Corners and related definitions.
(2) Maintains a centralized database that aggregates
American Corners statistics and examples of best practices and serves as the
officially designated source for statistical reports required by the Under
Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R).
(3) Designates an American Corners Coordinator to
liaise and work with REPS, regional bureaus, R, and other elements in the
Department in support of American Corners.
(4) Develops a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
template to be used by posts with each American Corners thereby standardizing
minimum requirements. Posts may further customize MOU in accordance with local
conditions.
(5) Oversees the training programs supporting American
Corners, designing content, and conducting and coordinating resource sharing
among posts, regional bureaus, and IIP. Resources supporting programs run from
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), such as English Teaching,
Student Advising, and study of the United States are often essential components
of many American Corners collections.
(6) Designs and conducts American Corners training
programs, sharing costs with regional bureaus.
(7) Maintains Web resources used by American Corners
staff and U.S. Government employees to identify multimedia products and
services appropriate for American Corners programs.
(8) Coordinates and overseas REPS field activities
that support American Corners programs.
10 FAM 364.4 American Corners
Audience
(CT:PEC-011; 02-03-2006)
American Corners generally reach a younger and broader
self-selecting audience than other Mission public diplomacy programs. As
American Corners are frequently located outside of capital cities, American
Corners reach audiences who have little or no exposure to American culture or
ideals.
10 FAM 364.5 American Corners
Staffing
(CT:PEC-011; 02-03-2006)
The host institution provides staff and pays for salaries
as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding. American Corners staff are not
U.S. Government employees, but Posts should select partner institutions that
are able to provide staff fluent in English and who demonstrate management and
programming skills.
10 FAM 364.6 American Corners
Funding
(CT:PEC-011; 02-03-2006)
Funding for American Corners is provided by post funds, by
regional bureaus, by R, or through special funding. IIP does not provide
funding for establishing, equipping, or staffing American Corners.
10 FAM 365 Through 369 UNASSIGNED