Daily Archives: July 27, 2017

@StateDept Orders Evacuation of US Embassy Venezuela Family Members, Authorizes Departure of Employees

July 27, 2017 By in Diplomatic Security, Evacuations, Foreign Service, Realities of the FS, Security, Spouses, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: ,

Posted: 5:29 pm  PT
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On July 27, the State Department ordered the departure of family members and authorized the voluntary departure of U.S. government employees from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas.  The State Department also issued a new Travel Warning for Venezuela, warning  U.S. citizens against travel to Venezuela due to social unrest, violent crime, and pervasive food and medicine shortages.  

All U.S. direct-hire personnel and their families assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Caracas are subject to an embassy movement policy that limits their travel within Caracas and many parts of the country.  Inter-city travel by car during hours of darkness (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.) is strongly discouraged and in some cases may be prohibited.  U.S. government personnel must also request approval for travel outside of Caracas.  These security measures may limit the U.S. Embassy’s ability to provide services.  This replaces the Travel Warning issued December 15, 2016.

The political and security situation in Venezuela is unpredictable and can change quickly.  Since April 2017, political rallies and demonstrations occur daily throughout the country, often with little notice.  Disruptions to traffic and public transportation are common.  Demonstrations typically elicit a strong police and security force response that includes the use of tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons and rubber bullets against participants, and occasionally devolve into looting and vandalism. Armed motorcycle gangs associated with the government frequently use violence to intimidate demonstrators.  Clashes between these groups have resulted in serious injuries and over 70 deaths.  U.S. citizens have reported being arrested, detained, and robbed while in close proximity to protests.

Security forces have arrested individuals, including U.S. citizens, and detained them for long periods with little or no evidence of a crime.  The U.S. Embassy may not be notified of the detention of a U.S. citizen and consular access to detainees may be denied or severely delayed.  The detained citizen may be denied access to proper medical care, clean water, and food.

Read in full here.

@StateDept Awards $422M Contract For New Consulate Compound in Erbil, Iraq

July 27, 2017 By in Consulate General, Contractors, Foreign Policy, Foreign Service, Functional Bureaus, Iraq, State Department, U.S. Missions, US Embassy Baghdad Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Posted: 3:49 am ET
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On June 30, the State Department awarded a $422,470,379.00 contract to B.L. Harbery (sic) International, LLC of Alabama for the construction of the New Consulate Compound in Erbil, Iraq (NCC Erbil). We believe the company’s name is actually B.L. Harbert contrary to published information via fedbiz.

The new Consulate Compound will be constructed on U.S. Government property located in Erbil, Iraq. The site is approximately 50 acres and is located 8.1 miles from the city center.  The scope includes: New Office Building, Marine Security Guard Residence (MSGR), Consulate General Residence (CGR), shops, storage, and maintenance facilities (SPX), perimeter security, vehicle and pedestrian access control pavilions (CACs), utility building (UTL), and vehicle parking. Staff Housing, Visitor Accommodations, a Community Center with bathhouse/cabana and compound landscaping are also part of the project.

Delal Bridge, Zakho City, Duhok Province
Photo via USCG Erbil/FB

Consulate General Erbil serves the four provinces of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Dohuk, Erbil, Halabja and Sulaimaniya. The Consulate General consists of an executive office headed by the Consul General and sections covering political affairs, economic affairs, public diplomacy, rule of law, management, and security. Co-located with the U.S. Consulate General is the USAID office serving the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

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Nomination: Career Diplomat Daniel J. Kritenbrink to be U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam

July 27, 2017 By in FSOs, Nominations, Officially In, Trump Tags: , ,

Posted: 3:48 am ET
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Nomination: Gov. Brownback to be Ambassador For Religious Freedom, and Kansas Says Buh-Bye

July 27, 2017 By in Nominations, Officially In, Political Appointees, Senators, Trump Tags: , , ,

Posted: 3:45 am ET
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On July 26, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Kansas Governor Sam Brownback to be the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.  For those who asked, yes, that is a real office. The Office of International Religious Freedom has the mission of promoting religious freedom as a core objective of U.S. foreign policy. The office “monitor religious persecution and discrimination worldwide, recommend and implement policies in respective regions or countries, and develop programs to promote religious freedom.” 

In October 1998, President Clinton signed into law the International Religious Freedom Act, passed unanimously by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Act mandated the establishment of an Office of International Religious Freedom within the Department of State, headed by an Ambassador-at-Large who serves as principal advisor to the President and Secretary of State in matters concerning religious freedom abroad.  The Act has been amended a number of times over the years, most recently by the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, which President Obama signed into law in December 2016 (see 22 U.S. Code Chapter 73).

The Twitters gave him a memorable send-off; here are some of the tweets.

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USG Seeks Jerusalem Hotel Room Services For Estimated 2,704 Room Nights For a Year

July 27, 2017 By in Contractors, Diplomacy, Foreign Affairs, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted: 3:06 am ET
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On July 20, the US Embassy in Tel Aviv issued a solicitation for Jerusalem Hotel Room Services.

The Embassy intends to conduct a pre-proposal conference, and all prospective offerors are invited to attend. The pre-proposal conference will take place at 10:00 AM local Israel time, on August 1, 2017, at the US Embassy Annex Facility located at 11 Galgalai Haplada St., Entrance B, 3rd floor, Herzelia Pituach, Israel.

The requirement is for the providing of lodging rooms for Official US Government visits to the City of Jerusalem.  The estimated number of hotel rooms for one year is 1,202 rooms and 2,704 room nights.  The anticipated performance is for a base period of twelve months and two one -year periods at the option of the Government.

The scope of services requires the contractor to provide a minimum of 40 (forty) and a maximum of 6,500 (six thousand five hudred) single hotel rooms in Jerusalem. According to FedBiz, the contract type will be indefinite quantity.

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