Annual Report 2015 | American Foreign Service Association

FY 2016 BUDGET DELIVERS BEST-VALUE CONTRACTING

AND OVERSEAS COMPARABILITY PAY

In December, the House and Senate passed a $1.14 trillion omnibus

containing many pieces of good news for the

Foreign Service. AFSA worked in lockstep with Representatives Lois

Frankel (D-Fla.), Randy Weber (R-Texas) and Ed Royce (R-Calif.) to

secure a new provision within the spending bill that now permits the

Department of State to use “best-value” contracting when selecting

local guard contractors at our overseas diplomatic missions. Previously,

State was required—at all but high-threat posts—to hire the secu-

rity firm offering the lowest price, regardless of past performance or

quality of service.

We also preserved Overseas Comparability Pay—a mechanism de-

signed to place all federal employees posted abroad on equal footing

in terms of salary with those serving in

Washington, D.C.—at the two-thirds level.

Given the current budget environment, AFSA

is pleased with this outcome. Funding for full

OCP remains one of our members’ highest

priorities, and we will continue to work with

agency management and interlocutors on

the Hill to secure it at the earliest possible

opportunity.

UNSTICKING COMMISSION, TENURE

AND PROMOTION LISTS

Finally, AFSA is cognizant of the possibility

that lists of Foreign Service employees

recommended for commissioning, tenure

AFSA Governing Board

members consider nomina-

tions to the Foreign Service

Labor Relations Board.

(AFSA/Maria C. Livingston)