Department of Defense Accountable Officials--Local Nationals Abroad
Highlights
The Department of Defense may use appropriated funds to employ foreign local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials under 10 U.S.C. 2773a even though foreign local nationals may not be subject to pecuniary liability under United States law. The Department of Defense should formulate a written policy addressing the consideration and circumstances under which local nationals may serve as Departmental Accountable Officials.
B-305919, Department of Defense Accountable Officials--Local Nationals Abroad, March 27, 2006
Decision
Matter of: Department of Defense Accountable Officials—Local Nationals Abroad
DIGEST
The Department of Defense may use appropriated funds to employ foreign local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials under 10 U.S.C. sect. 2773a even though foreign local nationals may not be subject to pecuniary liability under
DECISION
A certifying officer at the headquarters of U.S. Army Materiel Command Europe has requested an advance decision under 31 U.S.C. sect. 3529 regarding the propriety of using appropriated funds to employ foreign local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials[1] under 10 U.S.C. sect. 2773a. E-mail from Jerome J. Markiewicz to U.S. Government Accountability Office Redbook Queries,
In light of the possibility that foreign local nationals' employment abroad might not be subject to section 2773a and the accountability it imposes, the certifying officer asks whether DOD may use appropriated funds to employ foreign local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials. We conclude that even though foreign local nationals serving as Departmental Accountable Officials may not be subject to the accountability normally coupled with such positions, DOD may use appropriated funds to employ foreign local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials abroad. We caution, however, that DOD should craft a written policy detailing the circumstances, if any, under which local nationals should be placed in positions of accountability.
BACKGROUND
An accountable officer is any government officer or employee who by reason of his or her employment is responsible for government funds. B-304233,
In 2002, Congress authorized the Secretary of Defense to create another accountable position by adding section 2773a to title 10 of the United States Code.[3] Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003, Pub. L. No. 107-314, div. A, title X, sect. 1005(a), 116 Stat. 2458, 2631 (
The Secretary of Defense may not designate as Departmental Accountable Officials individuals who are otherwise accountable, such as certifying or disbursing officers. 10 U.S.C. sect. 2773a(b)(2). Departmental Accountable Officials are pecuniarily liable for illegal, improper, or incorrect payments resulting from their fault or negligence. 10 U.S.C. sect. 2773a(c). The FMR directs that individuals designated as Departmental Accountable Officials sign DOD Form 577, which acknowledges their personal pecuniary liability to the
Agencies of the federal government are generally authorized to hire nationals of foreign countries to staff their operations in those countries. 22 U.S.C. sect. 3968(b). DOD entrusts local national labor at its facilities overseas with various duties, including budgetary and accounting functions. Markiewicz e-mail. Many of these duties are of such a nature that the Secretary of Defense could properly designate those who fulfill them as Departmental Accountable Officials under section 2773a and the FMR.
ANALYSIS
The policy underlying the concept of pecuniary liability for accountable officers is almost as old as our republic. As the Supreme Court stated in 1845, those responsible for the public purse must be strictly liable for losses occurring on their watch, and [a]ny relaxation of this condition would open a door to frauds, which might be practised [sic] with impunity. . . . [W]hat losses might not be anticipated by the public? United States v. Prescott, 44
Employing local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials under section 2773a involves these policy matters. While
A United States citizen designated a Departmental Accountable Official could act in such a manner as to incur pecuniary liability under section 2773a, yet because of the Status of Forces Agreement and German law, a German local national in the same position acting in an identical manner may not be held accountable. For instance, section 2773a permits the Secretary of Defense to impose pecuniary liability for acts of simple negligence, while German law, in fact, may impose a higher standard of culpability.[5] Memorandum from Michael J. Litak, Military and Civil Law division, to Ralf Schoenstein, Civil Personnel Directorate, G1, HQ, USAREUR and 7th Army 5, para. 10a (Aug. 27, 2005) (Schoenstein Memo). Thus, while a local national Departmental Accountable Official might act in a manner that would subject a
The possibility that DOD may not be able to enforce accountability against a local national employed by the
According to section 2773a, the Secretary of Defense may designate any civilian employee of the Department of Defense a Departmental Accountable Official. The FMR defines employee as a current or retired civilian[] paid from appropriated funds. DOD-FMR 7000.14-R, Definition 58 (May 2005). Local national employees are not members of the
Nevertheless, we suggest that DOD consider the wisdom of hiring local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials in countries where by agreement local law applies to the employment, and local law may not subject the local national to the same accountability as other DOD employees.[7] B-188715, Jan. 31, 1978 (concluding that when local national employees in accountable positions, not subject to United States law, cannot be held liable under law of host nation, United States should reconsider its policy of appointing to accountable officer positions . . . citizens of the host nation). Section 2773a is available only to DOD and was meant to give DOD power to subject to fiscal accountability those employees whose exercise of discretion and judgment in the performance of their duties DOD certifying officers rely on when certifying payment vouchers. See H.R. Rep. No. 107-436, at 340. It is somewhat anomalous that DOD would choose to hire potentially unaccountable individuals as Departmental Accountable Officials.
To clarify these responsibilities, DOD should draft a policy addressing the practice of employing local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials. Such a policy should offer clear guidance regarding the advisability of hiring local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials. The policy should include consideration of the law of the host nation before appointing a local national as a Departmental Accountable Official.
In making these suggestions, we remain cognizant that local national employees are important to DOD installations overseas and that they have occupied accountable positions for many years. Schoenstein Memo at 5, para. 11. We are also aware of the possibility that under section 2773a, individuals, including local nationals, could perform functions that the FMR identifies as functions of Departmental Accountable Officials, yet not be designated as Departmental Accountable Officials. We are confident that any policy put forth by DOD would adequately address these circumstances while minimizing the number of Departmental Accountable Officials who may not be held accountable.
CONCLUSION
While employing local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials under section 2773a may undermine the policies behind placing pecuniary liability on Departmental Accountable Officials, we are aware of no legal authority prohibiting the practice. We recommend that DOD craft a policy regarding employment of local
nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials, to address the consideration and circumstances under which foreign local nationals may serve as Departmental
Accountable Officials.
Anthony H. Gamboa
General Counsel
[1] This decision uses the term Departmental Accountable Officials to mean those employees designated as such under 10 U.S.C. sect. 2773a, and uses the term accountable officers to mean government employees who are otherwise responsible for government funds under Title 31 of the United States Code, such as disbursing and certifying officers.
[2] For further discussion of the role of accountable officers, see U.S. Government Accountability Office, Principles of Federal Appropriations Law, vol. 2, 3rd ed., ch. 9, GAO-06-382SP (Washington, D.C.: February 2006).
[3] In 2000, we concluded that a DOD regulation authorizing agency certifying officials to designate DOD employees as accountable officials was impermissible, as only Congress, by statute, may impose pecuniary liability. B-280764,
[4] The request for decision here does not ask that we focus our analysis on
[5] Liability under German law is restricted when the work being performed is damage-prone, defined as work . . . that includes a very high probability of an occasional oversight, even by an employee who generally uses required care. United States Army Europe, Reg. 690-62, U.S. Forces Claims Against Local National Employees in Germany, para. 5b (Oct. 30, 1984).
[6] Department of Defense Manual 1400.25-M, Subchapter 1231 addresses employment of local nationals in general. It does not discuss the hiring of local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials. Because Departmental Accountable Officials exercise judgment and discretion in providing information upon which certifying officers rely, we assume for purposes of this decision that local nationals in Departmental Accountable Official positions are direct rather than indirect hires of the
[7] The State Department follows a similar policy in its hiring of foreign local nationals overseas. Department of State Foreign Affairs Handbook, vol. 4, H-113.2, FSN Direct Hire Employees (June 21, 2005). Before hiring a local national as a disbursing officer (an accountable officer position under Title 31 of the United States Code), the State Department considers [t]he recourses available to the United States in the event the [local national] misappropriates funds and the extent that host country laws and/or the courts aid in the prosecution of their citizens and the recovery of the misappropriated funds. Id.