MS 515: Living Quarters, Furnishings and Guard Service for Full-time Overseas Employee |
Date: 2/4/95 v. 2
Office: AD/IO
Supersedes: MS 515 9/29/87, 01/15/92, 10/30/92
Table of Contents
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1.0 Purpose
This Manual Section establishes Peace Corps policy for residential quarters, furnishings, guard service and utilities for full-time, overseas employees and their families. The policies for housing, furnishings, guard service and utilities for Peace Corps Volunteers are detailed in Manual Section 221 (MS 221).
2.0 Scope
The provisions of this Manual Section apply to full-time, overseas employees of Peace Corps, including Country Directors.
NOTE: Residential and office space for Peace Corps is not provided by the State Department under the Foreign Services Building Act.
3.0 Policy
The Country Director is responsible for ensuring that full-time, overseas Peace Corps employees under his or her supervision have suitable secure residences that reflect a modest lifestyle.
Residences for Peace Corps employees should be in neighborhoods predominantly occupied by local citizens. This policy is consistent with the mission of Peace Corps overseas, and helps to promote closer contact and identification with local citizens and Volunteers. Exceptions to this policy may be made by Regional Directors, taking into account Country Director or Embassy recommendations, for compelling reasons such as safety and security.
The Country Director in consultation with the Regional Security Officer from the Embassy will determine the security enhancements appropriate for the local situation. Disagreements should be resolved by the post's Emergency Action Committee with the concurrence of the Chief of Mission. (References: Diplomatic Security Act of 1986, 12 FAM 330 & Department of State Security Standards Handbook.)
Peace Corps employees may not live in residences with swimming pools or tennis courts, nor may they live in neighborhoods considered by the local population to be "foreign compounds." Exceptions to this rule may be made only by the Regional Director. Exceptions should be based on recommendations from the Country Director and documentation from the Chief of Mission concerning the lack of adequate and secure housing in-country.
Host Country Nationals and Third Country Nationals residing in the country of assignment are not eligible for housing provided or reimbursed by the Peace Corps.
U.S. citizens and Third Country Nationals who are recruited from outside the country of assignment, and are working under Personal Service Contracts (PSCs), may be provided housing and U.S. government furniture in lieu of per diem at the option of the Country Director. When housing is provided, appropriate adjustment to any per diem received must be made (see MS 812, Paragraph 11.2.1.).
To the extent possible, single employees should be assigned housing with an additional bedroom and employees with authorized dependents should be provided housing that assures that:
- No child must share his/her parents' bedroom,
- No child over six years of age must share a bedroom with another child of the opposite sex, and
- Each dependent over ten years of age has a separate bedroom.
Dependents and other family members at Post for one month or less shall normally be required to share a bedroom with another dependent of the same sex.
4.0 Residential Leases by Peace Corps
Refer to Manual Section 733, "Leases," for details on residential leases. In most cases the Peace Corps Country Director or Administrative Officer, rather than the individual staff member, should negotiate residential leases on behalf of Peace Corps. An effort to renew existing leases will often be clearly in the interest of Peace Corps, and, if so, should be attempted because Peace Corps often invests substantial funds in employee housing by making modifications (such as the installation of security systems and other necessary renovations). Where such improvements have been made, renewing the lease is usually advantageous to the Peace Corps.
The Country Director should check with the Regional Security Officer, in leasing Peace Corps residences, to ensure that the location of the residence meets the security requirements of the Embassy. If the Peace Corps Post and Embassy cannot agree on the location of a Peace Corps leased or privately leased residence, the issue should be referred to the Director of Administrative Services (M/AS) who will negotiate the issue with the Department of State through the Inter-Agency Housing Board.
Lease payments shall not exceed $20,000 per annum without prior approval of the Regional Director. Payment must be made in local currency unless the lessor can establish legitimate justification for payment in a currency other than the local currency. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has the authority to permit payments in U.S. dollars or the currency of a third country. This authority is transferable and may be redelegated by the CFO to an employee under his or her supervision. A request for authorization of U.S. dollar payments, or third country currency payments, must be consistent with Embassy policies and practices. Each lease file must include the appropriate justification of type of payment.
All leases shall be signed by the Country Director as the Peace Corps Contracting Officer, or someone delegated that authority by the Country Director.
5.0 Residential Leasing by Employees
A Country Director may determine in writing that leasing by individual employees, rather than the Peace Corps, is to the advantage of the U. S. Government. Temporary duty requirements, or the expected completion of a program within the year, are examples of when individual leasing might be advantageous to the U.S. Government. In such cases, the Peace Corps will provide a housing allowance for overseas employees not in excess of the Department of State housing limitations contained in Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas) where they exist, or in accordance with local practice where no Department of State limitations exist. Allowances in excess of $20,000 per annum, allowances paid in dollars, and allowances paid in other hard currencies must be approved as noted in Paragraph 4. Employees will be personally responsible for any costs above the authorized rate. Employees will also be personally responsible to the landlord for all damages to the residence and to any furnishings provided as part of the lease.
6.0 Utilities and Telephones
The Peace Corps will pay all reasonable utility costs in leased quarters or quarters owned by the U.S. Government, including payment for the installation of one telephone, all official toll calls, and service charges not related to actual telephone usage (i. e., service fees as distinct from metered or periodic usage charges). Employees must keep a log of all official toll calls for reimbursement purposes (see MS 834, "Telephone and Fax Use"). Routine charges for telephones located in employee quarters, after the initial installation, are the responsibility of the occupant. Under no circumstances will the Peace Corps pay for the installation of telephone service in privately owned or privately leased quarters.
7.0 Guard Service
Country Directors may authorize guard service for employees' residences, when they determine that the welfare of Peace Corps employees is jeopardized during periods of insurrection, terrorism, personal threats, high-crime, or where the host country is unable to provide adequate safeguards. An authorization for guard service must be supported by written concurrence from the Embassy Chief of Mission and/or the Regional Security Officer confirming the reasons residential guards are required. Written authorization must explain the special circumstances that make on-going guard service both necessary and appropriate and must have the written concurrence of the Embassy Chief of Mission. Examples of special circumstances are identified as insurrection, incidents of terrorism, high crime areas, personal threats, where the host country is unable to provide adequate safeguards, etc. Regional Security Officer and/or Chief of Mission will determine whether a country or specific area poses a security risk and whether those conditions will not be alleviated within one year. Funding required to provide for guard services should be separately identified in the budget submissions for the Post.
The Department of State, through the Ambassador and Regional Security Officer, has the legal responsibility and authority under the Diplomatic Security Act of 1986 to determine the level of threat and degree of guard service required at each location.
NOTE: Resident hires and Foreign Service Nationals are not eligible for guard services at the Peace Corps' expense. Personal Service Contractors and Third Country Nationals recruited from outside the country of assignment are eligible for guard service at the discretion of the Country Director.
8.0 Furnishings
For purposes of this Manual Section, "furnishings" are defined as those movable items normally used to equip a residence for living, such as the following: chairs, tables, sofas, beds, curtains and major appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, transformers and heating and cooling equipment. Country Directors are responsible for purchasing furniture that is appropriate for climatic conditions (e. g., heat, humidity) and does not appear ostentatious. For these reasons, furniture should be purchased in-country. If unavailable in the host country, furniture may be purchased in a nearby country or as a last resort, in the United States through the Office of Administrative Services (M/AS). See MS 732 for more information on procurement policies.
Country Directors are responsible for establishing in-country policies regarding issuance and warehousing, and for ensuring that items purchased are appropriate, durable and economical.
8.1 Furniture Assignment
All employee furnishings procured by Peace Corps are Peace Corps property and will be assigned and reassigned in writing to individual employees by the Country Director using the Residential Property Hand Receipt in the automated property management system. Accordingly, few employees will need entirely new furnishings. They will be assigned used furniture that can be refinished, if necessary, at Peace Corps expense, and may request procurement of additional needed items which then become the property of the Peace Corps.
8.2 Furniture Control
The Country Director is responsible for maintaining up-to-date property control records for all Peace Corps furnishings. Instructions for maintaining property records and reporting requirements are outlined in MS 511, "Property Management at Overseas Posts."
9.0 References
MS 733, "Leases;" MS 834, "Telephone and Fax Use;" MS 511, "Property Management at Overseas Posts."
MS 221, "Volunteer Allowances," for housing, furnishings, guard service, and utilities for Peace Corps Volunteers.
Diplomatic Security Act of 1986 for authority in determining level of threat and degree of guard service. (also 12 FAM 330 and the Department of State Security Standards Handbook)
6 FAM 722, "Overseas Housing Program."
10.0 Effective Date
This Manual Section takes effect on the date of issuance.