[wanabidii] Press Releases: SIGAR Letter on Baghlan Prison Construction in Afghanistan

You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Press Releases: SIGAR Letter on Baghlan Prison Construction in Afghanistan 04/03/2014 01:23 PM EDT SIGAR Letter on Baghlan Prison Construction in Afghanistan Taken Question Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC Question Taken at the April 2, 2014 Daily Press Briefing April 3, 2014 Question: Do you have a reaction to the SIGAR letter? Answer: The Department recognizes the concern of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) regarding Baghlan prison construction. We are committed to proper oversight of projects in Afghanistan and cooperate fully with SIGAR in safeguarding U.S. taxpayer investment. The Department recognized the special requirements for construction in an earthquake zone in its initial planning. Contrary to the SIGAR letter, we have provided photographic evidence to SIGAR showing that the Department complied with International Building Code (IBC) standards. The Department will continue to comply with IBC standards in any future reconstruction contracts in Afghanistan. The Department has taken action, through the Contracting Officer, including submitting a cure notice to the contractor on October 2, 2013, to hold the contractor accountable to rectify deficient construction identified by the Department and subsequently recognized by SIGAR. The Baghlan provincial prison units without construction deficiencies continue to be utilized by the Afghan General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Centers. The Department has developed a multi-layered oversight approach in Afghanistan and is putting in place a construction monitoring and reporting contract to track daily construction activities and supplement the oversight conducted by Embassy Kabul personnel. Please see the letter from the Department of State to SIGAR on the inspection of the Baghlan Prison construction project here: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/2014/224360.htm. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.  Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of State. This email was sent to wanabidii@googlegroups.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520

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