10 fam 400
promoting state department programs
10 FAM 401
promoting state department programs
10 FAM 410
highlighting State Department Programs, Assistance,
Outreach, and Activities ABROAD
(CT:PEC-60; 11-20-2018)
(Office of Origin: R/PPR)
10 FAM 411 Appropriate marking of state
department programs, assistance, and activities for foreign audiences
(CT:PEC-60; 11-20-2018)
a. The contents of this subchapter are based on ALDAC
12 STATE 28558 from the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources
(D-MR).
b. By better informing foreign audiences about
Department partnership and sponsorship of programs, our provision of
humanitarian, economic, technical, and other types of assistance, and our
efforts to address issues of common interest, we can increase the visibility
and understanding of Department activities abroad while significantly advancing
U.S. foreign policy objectives and the national interest.
c. To promote greater clarity in projecting to foreign
audiences the Department of States role in overseas programs and activities,
the Department has instituted a moratorium on the introduction of new logos and
markings designed for use with foreign publics, and has designated mandated
uses of the U.S. flag in conjunction with established Department logos for
appropriately highlighting and identifying programs and initiatives funded by
the Department and carried out by our embassies and implementing partners
abroad. Exceptions to this policy are noted in 10 FAM 412.5,
and guidance for implementing partners is found in 10 FAM 412.3.
10 FAM 412 ESTABLISHING BASIC STANDARDS
TO HIGHLIGHT THE Department of State's role for foreign audiences
10 FAM 412.1 Moratorium on New
Logos
(CT:PEC-45; 01-18-2018)
a. The Department has imposed a moratorium on the
development of new logos, seals, and markings (hereinafter collectively
referred to as logos) designed for use with foreign publics. Bureaus, offices,
and posts must not develop or introduce any new logos for Department of State
programs or activities undertaken by U.S. embassies, consulates, or other
Department program entities or venues, including programs undertaken with
implementing partners. The creation of additional logos contributes to
messaging confusion and undermines efforts to identify programs and assistance
with the U.S. Government.
b. This moratorium does not apply to Department and
overseas mission social media sites and digital media engagement, such as those
hosted on Facebook and other non-U.S. Government platforms. However, the
Department strongly encourages bureaus, offices, and posts to identify clearly
their social media sites. In addition, the Department strongly encourages
implementing partners to highlight U.S. Government sponsorship in the
information that partners post to their social media and other Web sites.
10 FAM 412.2 Use of the U.S. Flag
(CT:PEC-45; 01-18-2018)
a. Since the Department of State and individual bureaus
and offices that comprise it are not widely recognized by foreign audiences,
all publicity and promotional materials should underscore the sponsorship by or
partnership with the U.S. Government or the U.S. embassy. Existing logos or
program materials may continue to be used; however, a standard rectangular U.S.
flag must be used in conjunction with such logos.
b. The U.S. flag may replace or be used in conjunction
with the Department of State seal, the U.S. embassy seal, or other Department
of State program logos. As the most recognizable symbol of the United States
of America, a standard rectangular U.S. flag must be incorporated by posts and
Department bureaus into new:
(1) Signage and banners at embassy press conferences,
cultural and other program events, conferences, receptions, public events, U.S.
speaker programs, etc., sponsored by an entity of the Department of State;
(2) Department and post-produced print publications
(e.g., English language teaching materials, exchange information);
(3) American Spaces or other physical Department
program entities;
(4) Signage and labeling on Department-sponsored
foreign assistance activities;
(5) Publicly distributed materials, including fact
sheets; and
(6) Other Department of State-supported programs and
activities, the focus of which is to engage foreign publics.
c. The Department has posted downloadable
high-resolution files of the official U.S. flag at Visibly American.
10 FAM 412.3 Guidance for
Implementing Partners
(CT:PEC-45; 01-18-2018)
a. The goal is to ensure that programs and assistance
for foreign audiences implemented through grants, cooperative agreements, or
contracts suitably recognize U.S. Government support, and to the maximum extent
practicable, incorporate the U.S. flag. Hereafter, posts and bureaus awarding
such grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts for Department of State
programs abroad should, as a general matter, include clauses that require use
of the standard, rectangular flag for Department-funded activities.
b. In addition, grants, cooperative agreements, and
contracts awarded to implementing partners should contain a clause stipulating
that U.S. Government support be acknowledged appropriately in all dealings with
program participants, and in press releases, ceremonies, dedications,
interviews, publicity, etc.
c. Finally, such instruments should stipulate that all
award recipients must coordinate publicity, ceremonial events, dedications,
etc., with the sponsoring Department of State or embassy office and public
affairs officer.
NOTE: These logo moratorium and
flag marking guidelines do not apply to USAID programs, which have their own
marking regulations, whether USAID implements these programs with its own
funding or with Department of State funding. Nor does this guidance apply to
other U.S. Government agencies implementing Department of State-funded
programs, although they are strongly encouraged to follow the Department of
State's guidance. The guidance does not apply to U.S. Government
contributions to international organizations.
10 FAM 412.4 Guidelines for Staging
Events and Programs
(CT:PEC-45; 01-18-2018)
a. In addition to using the U.S. flag, U.S. diplomatic
missions and Department bureaus and offices should develop comprehensive
strategies for promoting Department of State-sponsored programs and activities
abroad.
b. Mission officers, including but not limited to
public affairs officers, program officers, control officers, and site officers
for official Department programs, visitors, or for events in which the
Department is a major sponsor, must ensure that the U.S. Government is clearly
identified as the host, sponsor, partner, etc.
c. Staging, photo opportunities, program labeling, and
the like should be developed with U.S. Government identification in mind.
Posts and action officers should:
(1) Review signage and printed material for events or
programs in light of the guidelines herein;
(2) Consider the physical backdrop of speaking events,
conferences, and outreach activities so the most likely photography angles of
the speaker, banners, etc., include the U.S. flag or other identification with
the U.S. Government, as appropriate;
(3) Use Web engagement, social media, and other
digital engagement to promote Department activities; and
(4) Ensure public remarks, talking points, press
releases, interviews, and other promotional materials indicate that the events
or programs are U.S. Government-sponsored or funded, when applicable and
appropriate.
d. Department of State employees should adopt
multi-faceted approaches to highlighting U.S. Government assistance, public
diplomacy programming, and other activities supported by or through the
Department's overseas diplomatic missions, activities, and partnerships. The
approach should incorporate:
(1) Appropriate use of the U.S. flag;
(2) Press and promotional materials that clearly
identify the U.S. Government sponsorship or role; and
(3) Talking points in speeches, interviews, digital
media, and for engagement with participants, audiences, grantees, partners, or
media that clearly underscore the U.S. Government support.
10 FAM 412.5 Policy Exceptions
(CT:PEC-45; 01-18-2018)
a. Recognizing the need for and intense public interest
in exceptions from marking requirements, this marking policy, consistent with
existing marking policies and practices, ensures the means for the Department
to provide exceptions, including means by which a recipient organization may
request exceptions.
b. While the goal is to implement this policy in a
comprehensive fashion, there are situations which warrant that exceptions be
made. Posts, bureaus, and offices should make clear to partners that the
Department provides for exceptions. Legitimate reasons that the Department may
decide not to mark our programs may include, but are not limited to:
(1) Reasons of safety and security for Department
employees, implementing partners, and/or program participants and
beneficiaries;
(2) Programs or projects in which the U.S. Government
is one of any number of co-sponsors or participants, or where highlighting the
United States would be disproportionate to the U.S. contribution (in which case
Department or mission officials should seek other ways to recognize U.S.
Government support); and
(3) Where identifying U.S. Government support, or
where use of the U.S. flag, would raise suspicion of U.S. motives and alienate
partners, participants, or beneficiaries, or otherwise undermine the goals of
the program.
c. Marking is not required if it would:
(1) Compromise the independence or neutrality of a
program or materials, such as election monitoring or ballots or political party
work;
(2) Diminish the credibility of reports, analyses,
etc. whose data or findings must be seen as independent;
(3) Undercut cooperating country government
ownership of laws, policies, studies, or other communications;
(4) Impair the functionality of an item, such as
sterilized equipment or spare parts;
(5) Incur substantial costs or be impractical, such as
items too small or otherwise unsuited for individual marking;
(6) Offend local cultural or social norms, or be
considered inappropriate on certain items; or
(7) Conflict with international law.
10 FAM 413 Policy Implementation
(CT:PEC-45; 01-18-2018)
a. It is the responsibility of the bureau Assistant
Secretary or coordinator responsible for the implementation of a specific
program, or the chief of mission for programs funded at post, to take steps to
implement this guidance and to determine whether an exception should be
applied. Where there are legitimate reasons for exceptions to be made, such
exceptional circumstances should be documented by the responsible bureau or
post, such that progress toward implementation of this guidance can be
evaluated by the Department.
b. Chiefs of mission have broad authority to implement
and enforce policies that appropriately clarify and acknowledge the
contributions of the U.S. Government abroad and its identity among foreign
publics.
c. Grants and contracting officers will review
compliance of the marking requirements with grantees, partners, and
contractors, respectively.
10 fam 414 resources
(CT:PEC-45; 01-18-2018)
a. The Office of the Under Secretary for Public
Diplomacy and Public Affairs has developed a resource site for posts, offices,
and bureaus (Visibly American) that contains detailed information and guidance
on the use of logos, high-resolution images of the U.S. flag, frequently asked
questions, and a list of specific limited exceptions to these guidelines.
b. Recipients and applicant organizations should
contact their sponsoring Department of State bureau, office, or overseas
mission (grants officer, grants officer representative, contracts officer,
contracts officer representative, etc.) for specific information related to
Federal assistance or contracts. For general questions about the Department marking
policy and overall branding strategy, please contact VisiblyAmerican@state.gov.
10 FAM 415 through 10 FAM 419
Unassigned