UNIFORM LOCAL RULES AND PRACTICES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP68-00140R000100280024-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 23, 2009
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: January 6, 1964
• Content Type: BULL

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JOINT STATE, AID, USIA, CIRCULAR
SUBJECT: Uniform Local Rules and Practices
January 6, 1964
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Background
a. Uniformity in the treatment of overseas personnel and in overseas
administrative practices is a major goal of the Department of State,
including the Agency for International Development (AID), and the
United States Information Agency (USIA). Differences in treatment
of overseas personnel lead to serious morale problems; differences
in admi.nistrati.ve practices create added burdens on administrative
staffs which service more than one agency.
b. The problems arising in the field from lack of uniformity in our
overseas administrative regulations have been a matter of deep
concern to Washington and field staffs for some time. In .response
to this need .and to the President's over-all policy for achievement
of greater coordination of the total United States foreign activities,
the three agencies established a Task Force in July 1962 to develop
a program .for achieving uniformity in overseas administrative re-
gu~ations wherever possible. The progress to date has demonstrat-
ed Chat this is a realistic and possible objective. The sen'.ior admin-
istrative officers of the three agencies have agreed to give this work
added impetus and higher priority and have directed their staffs ac-'
cordingly.
c. While the issuance of uniform regulations by Washington will elim-
inate obstacles, the responsibility for the actual achievement of uni-
formity rests largely with the. field. Most regulations require im-
plementation by local rules and practices and there are many areas
subject to local control which are not covered by Washington regula-
tions. Where uniform regulations are issued by Washington, they
will normally spell out any areas requiring local implementation.
Even where regulations are not entirely uniform, a large measure
of uniformity can be achieved locally and in many cases this has
already been accomplisb.ed.
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FAMC-163 .
2, Issuance of Uniform Local Rules and Practices
a. The President's letter of May 29, 1961 places on the ambassador
the responsibility "to oversee and coordinate all the activities of
the United States Government" in his country of assignment and
grants special responsibility and authority in regard to the proper
conduct of United States Government employees. In order to
achieve the maximum degree of uniformity and in accordance with
the President's letter of May 29, 1961, the ambassador, after con-
sultation with heads of other agency missions, and subject to law
and to the policies and regulations prescribed by each agency's
headquarters in Washington, shall exercise his authority to issue
uniform rules and adopt uniform practices governing administrative
matters of the three agencies .within his country of assignment.
b. This authority is designed to implement more fully the President's
letter and the contents of this circular are not to be construed as
circumscribing or limiting the authorities granted the ambassador
in the letter or by law, Executive. Order, or regulation,
3. Policies
a. The achievement of greater uniformity necessitates give-and-take
between the several agencies and depends upon a willingness to
understand each other's problems, However, full recognition must
be given to the essentials for carrying out each agency's responsi-
bilitie~,as well as complying with the differing legislative, policy
and regulatory restrictions under which they must operate.
b. The ambassador is responsible for providing leadership in this
eizde.avor as part of his broad responsibilities as the principal`re-
presentative of the United States Government in the country, The
full and active participation by the heads of USIA and AID establish-
ments and by other agencies in the country is vital to success,
While the ambassador must exercise leadership, this is not a
project to impose the Embassy's or Department of State's admin-
istrative policies, regulations or practices on the other agencies,
Rather, each agency's administrative concerns must be given full
recognition,
c, In drafting regulations or procedures applicable to the entire
country, provisions should be included, when appropriate, to meet
differences peculiar to local areas of the country and to unique
differences in programs.
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d. State, AID and USIA have agreed that, as a matter of principle, the
standards of benefits applying to individuals of one agency will not
be reduced zn order to achieve uniformity with agencies whose
personnel receive lesser benefits, Rather, every attempt will be
made to raise all agencies to the higher level. There will, of
course, be exceptions to this principle if an agency feels that
certain of the benefits enjoyed by personnel of another agency are
unwarranted for its own. In such instances, appropriate restrictions
or limitations should be specified.
4. Program for Field Action
a. At many posts, particularly those with small AID or USIS staffs,
lack of uniformity has not been a great problem. Furthermore,
most posts have already taken action to overcome many of the
problems with which they have been faced. However, at posts which
still have morale or administrative problems arising from differences
in local rules and practices, a positive program of local action is
needed. The program requires two actions: first, establish a means
for consultation and collaboration to assure that administrative pro-
cedures and practices adopted in the future embody the ma:cimum
degree of uniformity consistent with the separate responsibilities of
the agencies at the -post; and second, review and revise existing in-
structions with the same objective.
b. To achieve uniformity in future instructions affecting two or more
agencies, administrative personnel must consult and collaborate
with their opposite numbers in the other agencies during the formula-
tion stage of new proposals. The ambassador should designate a
senior officer to take the leadership, in consultation with appropriate
officers of other agencies, to identify and resolve differences in ex-
isting instructions.
c. In drafting uniform instructions, it may prove necessary to incor-
porate special provisions or exceptions for one or more of the
agencies. Such exceptions should be included in the uniform rules,
rather than as one agency's amendment or supplement to the basic
instruction. Uniform administrative rules should be?published as a
separate Embassy series. Where necessary, they may be reproduced
for inclusion in each agency's local issuance systems.
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5. The Funding Problem
a. Although some uniform regulations will be established by
Washington and supplemented by uniform instructions in the field,
temporary shortages of funds, equipment, buildings and other
facilities may prevent one or more agencies from immediate im-
plementation to the fullest extent.
b. Each agency at the post must seek to solve the financial problems
which are obstacles to uniformity, seeking Washington assistance
where appropriate. In developing field instructions, temporary
shortages ~of funds should not preclude agreement in principle.
Where the shortage appears to be of long duration, special exersip-
tions for particular agencies may be needed.
6. Reporting Instructions
Each ambassador is requested to report on action taken in accordance
with this instruction. The report should be submitted as a Joint State/
AID/USIA airgram, subject: REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES -
Uniform Regulations, and should be transmitted not later than August
1, 1964. The report should cover:
(a) The instructions which have been issued by'the ambassador and
heads of other agency missions;
(b )
(c)
~.
The administrative action taken to ensure interagency consultation;
The areas where uniformity is being worked on, with a statement to
progress made, and a schedule for areas for future attention;
(d) Any problems or other comments;
(e) In countries where there is no need for local action, a negative
report is requested;
(f )
(RP )
An analysis of local problems which are created by differences in
regulations and procedures issued by Washington. This analysis
should cite. the pertinent provisions of the regulations of each agency
and should describe the problems in terms of the specific adverse
effects upon post personnel or operations.
(NOTE: .Number of last circular issued: FAMC Na. 162. )
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