ADVISORY GROUP ANNUAL REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-00261R000700030021-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: October 9, 1974
• Content Type: MF

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9 O CT "4974
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Administration
SUBJECT Advisory Group Annual Report
1. This report summarizes the activities of the DDA
Advisory Group for the Fiscal Year 1974.
2. The Group was established on 2 July 1973 as a forum
for continuing dialogue between senior management and employees.
It is composed of nine members--one from each DDA office and
one from the Administration Career Service. Under the
original guidelines, the purpose of the Group was to study
issues and problems affecting the Directorate and to make
recommendations for improvement. While suggestions from
employees were to be welcomed, the Group was instructed to
avoid personal grievances.
3. During the first year, the Advisory Group altered
its operating procedures. As a, result of advertising its
existence and interactions with Directorate management, the
Group has become involved with not only more, but broader,
concerns. Consequently, new procedures have been devised to
handle this increase in activity. Issues or problems are
now screened in an effort to determine appropriate action.
In addition to this screening activity, the Group submits
recommendations to DDA for his consideration in the form of
brief memoranda. This represents a departure from prior
approaches to the Group's activity in which a number of in-
depth research reports were submitted. These changes have
permitted the Group to focus its efforts on a greater number
of priority issues having Agency-, Directorate-, and office-
wide impact.
4. Obviously, not every item considered by the Advisory
Group resulted in a demonstrable change in policies or
functioning of the DDA. A number of issues covered and
investigated by the Group did not culminate in a suggestion
for action to the DDA. In the majority of these cases,
investigation showed that efforts were being made. elsewhere
to satisfy the particular need. In other cases, the issue
was brought to. the attention of the Group by an outside
party, and discussion within the Group indicated the issue
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was not of significant magnitude to warrant further dis-
cussion. In'these: cases, the employee who brought the issue
to the attention of the Group was informed of the decision.
However, the importance of these items should .not .be under-
emphasized, since in many cases AAG investigation of the
issue stimulated interest and action on the part. of the
responsible. component or individual.
5. Attachment "A" represents a selected summary of
items considered by the AAG in FY-74.
ADMINISTRATION ADVISORY GROUP
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ADMINISTRATION ADVISORY GROUP
Selected Summary -- FY-74
ATTACHMENT A
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1. Publicizing of Pilo mot. i.ons and QSI's. The publi-
cizing of promotions and QSI's__in the DDA was recommended
and adopted to. alleviate the whispering: campaigns which
followed most promotion cycles. People are motivated by
seeing their name in print and.being complimented by their
fellow workers for their accomplishments. The. publication
of promotion lists eliminates embarrassment caused some
employees by the "rumor mill" when congratulations are
extended to personnel who have not been promoted. This is
in keeping with the Agency's general desire to recognize
employees' achievements.
2. 'Review of the Agency Re:uaatory System. The AAG
undertook to review the time involved to revise Agency
regulations. As a result of this review, AAG recommended
that deadlines be established to coordinate and authenticate
regulations; that the DDA be designated as the authenticating
officer to expedite publication; and that authority be
delegated to the DDA to disseminate handbooks pertinent to
DDA operations without DDO approval. The AAG's recommendations
were considered but were not adopted.
3. The'QSI Pro'ram. The AAG proposed that the Quality
Step Increase QSI Program be reviewed with consideration
given to:
a) Substituting an equivalent lump-sum payment
for special achievement in lieu.of the more costly
step-increase.
b) Retaining the step-increase and including the
lump-.sum payment for special achievement.
c) Revising the regulations to include additional
guidelines and standards to assist supervisors and
Heads of Career Services in. making recommendations for
QSI's.
The proposal was reviewed by the Director of Personnel
who recommended that the Agency continue with the present
QSI program.
4. VIP Unit Price. The Voluntary Investment Program
(VIP) produces for employees who. participate in the program
quarterly reports showing their. contribution, unit price,
units purchased and total units owned. Between these reports,
no information was available concerning the unit price. The
Group suggested that the bi-weekly unit price which is
computed every payday be posted on the bulletin boards.
This suggestion was implemented.
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5. 'Control of DDA-Desi nated:Positions in Other
Directorates.. The G. e .ieves fat t .e D. should have
primary control of its positions,,not:only at Headquarters,
but.overseas.. as well.. The current practice of other
Directorates controlling DDA-designated positions constrains
DDA career planning of personnel resources. The DDA.offices
were asked to comment on changing this practice. Most of
the responses were opposed to.such a. change .for reasons of
organization and budget. The present procedure was retained.
6. Honor.'and Merit Awards. Considerable research was
performed y G members on the use and misuse of the Agency's
Honor and Merit Awards program. This re.search revealed that
promotions and.QSI's are often the only incentives considered
by supervisors. The Honor and Merit Awards program is
sometimes ignored until an outstanding employee nears retire-
ment, when he or she is finally :nominated. This stud
resulted in the publication of Headquarters Notice . STATINTL
STATINTL encouraging the use of the Agency's award program as
soon after occurrence as possible."
7. Puhlication'of General Interest Information in
Unclassified Format. The Agency publishes much unclassified
information of a general interest nature which employees
could share with their families, such as: Tips on Conserving
Gasoline, and the Medical Newsletters. Because these bulletins
were printed on CIA letterhead. employees did not feel free
to take them home. The AAG suggested that such information
be published in an Agency-sterile format.
8. A l'icant Processin Procedures. Of particular
concern in this area was the handling of-specially recruited
applicants, the length of time required for processing, and
the poor image this projected to prospective employees. A
recommendation was submitted to the DDA that a study be made
of. the entire process with a.-view towards improving the
system.
9. 'Drug and Alcohol Ab"use 'and Prevention Pro Programs.
The AAG became concerneda^ out the Agency drug and alcohol
abuse program. The Group recommended the Agency define and
make known its policy on drug and.. alcohol abuse, that more
stringent.:standards be considered for ..dependents .going
STATINTL and such. programs. as the half-way house' program in
be. evaluated..The recommendations were given to the
DDA.
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STATINTL
STATINTL
training criteria, etc. would be stated briefly, followed by
the office and telephone number where full details could be
obtained.
The employee was satisfied and no further action was taken.
12. I"tems'for' 'the Official Bulletin Board. The AAG
submitted to the DDA a proposal to publish in ormati.on on
the Official Bulletin Board in the form of one-liners under
the caption, "Did You Know That-". Information on new
regulations, reminders of existing policy, changes in
10. Space Pro'bl'em. The AAG was asked to consider the
problem involved with consolidation of office space made
available due to cutbacks in personnel. The AAG recommended
the establishment of a working panel of senior representatives
from each directorate. The panel would resolve the relocations
and space allocations on a priority basis. The panel recom-
mendations would be forwarded to the Agency Management
Committee AAG also offered several recommendations for
better utilization of existing space. This proposal was not
considered feasible by higher management.
11. Overtime Cori en:sation for Certain Employees in
Vietnam In response to a query from an in' ndivi dual
who had in Vietnam, an investigation was made of
oyngtime compensation for certain employees in Vietnam and
The group discovered this question had been resolved
t rough official Agency channels and so advised the employee.
13. Bloodmobile Pro ram for 'Rossslyni Area Employees.
Employees who wino do donate blood must go to Headquarters,
wait in line, and then regain their strength prior to departing
via shuttle bus. for Rosslyn again. It was recommended that
a bloodmobile be scheduled for Rosslyn or that employees
from outlying areas be given preferential treatment because
of the time away from the office. After discussion with OP
it was suggested that the employee submit an "Employee
Suggestion."
14. Redundancy and/or Excessive Distribution of .computer
Printouts. The Group discussed ways to reduce the reduundancyand/or
excessive di.stri.bution.of computer printouts. In
researching this problem with.OJCS, the Group found that
OJCS semiannually prepares a list of computer printouts and
sends these to the involved office. The using office then
reviews th.e list and informs OJCS of deletions. The Group
passed this information to the DDA with the recommendation
that OJCS:follow up on the listings to make certain the
office verify need for the report.
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15. CIA Exhibits.Dis Displays., The AAG proposed to the
DDA that t Fie CIA i.
. n-souse' displays put on by the Fine Arts
Commission be shown to the. general public in either the
Science and Technology building of the Smithsonian Institution,
or the Library of Congress. The. purpose of the displays
would be primarily educational with an eye toward public
relations and long-term recruitment. Some of the ideas for
displays included:
a) The award-winning drug display.
b) The Cuban missile crisis display.
c) A display showing commercial applications of
products currently on the market that CIA originally
engineered (c.s., Xerox Telephonic copying, metal
detectors for airport use, etc.)
d) A CIA books and publications display showing
our contributions to the President and other government
agencies.
16. Suggested Format for*Off:ice Reviews. A verbal
request was made by the DDA as to e most desirable format
for office reviews (conferences). After reviewing several
agendas, the activities which occurred, and discussing with
personnel who attended the various reviews or conferences it
was recommended that the three-day conference in the Office
of Finance format was the most desirable.
17. AAG Publicit The AAG discovered from its contacts
that the purpose of the Group was not well understood by DDA
personnel.. In order to clarify the purpose of the Group a
memorandum to all DDA careerists was drafted. Included in
the memo was a statement by the DDA defining the functions
of the group. The names of the advisory group members were
also listed. The DDA memo was issued on 21 May 1974.
18. Cover for PSD Bus Stop. An employee recommended
that a cover for t e bus stop located in front of OL/PSD be
constructed. Upon investigation. we determined that a cover
had already been contracted for by OL/LSD.. The-'employee was
informed and the action considered complete by AAG..
19... Office Name Changes. The AAG.received.a.suggestion
requesting some method or central place be established where
office.names, initials, phone and. room number changes are
either recorded or cleared to end-the' confusion caused by
reorganization or office moves. This action was passed on
to the DDA for whatever action was deemed appropriate.
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20. Casual Dress Code. In response to the ne.cess.ity
of conserving. energy, guidelines went out-to the. various
government agencies in the spring of 1.974r.ecomme.nding
changes in office temperatures. Many agencies responded by
implementing what was called a "casual'dress code" relaxing
either prescribed or traditionally accepted standards of
dress so employees would feel more comfortable. This Agency
went along with the changes in temperature regulations, but
did not formally make a'statemen.t concerning a casual dress
code. The AAG felt management should make a statement con-
cerning acceptance of this code. Management felt a relaxation
of the dress code to a more casual situation was acceptable,
but administration of same was. very difficult. The preference
was to let the situation take a. natural course allowing
standards to relax by way of grapevine communication rather
than by formal edict from DDA position. AAG concurred with
this interpretation.
21. South Cafeteria' Exterior Picnic Area. An employee
complained that the picnic area immediately outside the
South Cafeteria was left. each day in an untidy condition.
There were trays, dishes, condiments, and trash left over
the area. This problem was referred directly to OL/LSD, and
the situation was corrected.
22. GSI Cafeteria Complaints.. Several employees have
asked the AAG to review items of concern effecting the
cafeterias at Headquarters. These items including audit. of
prices, quality of food, etc. were referred to the Cafeteria
Committee, the. established channel for these complaints.
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