Reports of the Administrative Offices 



59 



prepared for the 88 pedestrian directional signs scheduled 

 for installation in the National Mall area. The latter received 

 the approval of the Under Secretary. 



Office of Special Events and Conference 

 Services 



Nicole L Krakora, Director 



The Office of Special Events and Conference Services (OSECS) 

 offers its knowledge and expettise to organizations 

 throughout the Smithsonian, producing events that pro- 

 vide donors, guests, and visitors with memorable, positive 

 experiences, which serve to cultivate continued support for 

 the Institution. OSECS made possible nearly 400 events 

 and scientific conferences this year, many of them for the 

 Board of Regents, the Secretary, senior Smithsonian staff, 

 and the Office of Membership and Development. Over the 

 last five years, and following a change in office mission, 

 the number of events OSECS produces each year has more 

 than doubled. 



The ground-breaking ceremony for the National Museum 

 of the American Indian capped a year of high-level activities. 

 Throughout the year, OSECS produced events for visiting 

 dignitaries, including a reception and a meeting for the pres- 

 ident of Colombia, hosted by the Office of the Provost; a 

 benefit fund-raising reception on the occasion of the visit of 

 His Holiness, the Dalai Lama of Tibet, hosted by the Center 

 for Folklife and Cultural Heritage; and a dinner in honor of 

 the president of the Republic of Panama, hosted by the 

 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. 



Opening receptions were held for a number of exhibi- 

 tions, including "From Bento to Mixed Plate: Americans 

 of Japanese Ancestry in Multicultural Hawai'i," hosted by 

 the Office of the Provost, and "Microbes: Invisible In- 

 vaders, Amazing Allies," hosted by the Office of the 

 Provost and the International Gallery. A luncheon marked 

 the opening of the Folklife Festival, and a press conference 

 and luncheon hosted by Smithsonian Productions cele- 

 brated the premiere of the Smithsonian television series 

 "The Mississippi: River of Song." Fund-raising events in- 

 cluded the Anacostia Museum's annual benefit masquerade 

 ball, Carnival '99. 



Meetings and conferences included the National Confer- 

 ence on Cultural Property Protection in Los Angeles, hosted 

 by the Office of Protection Services; meetings and a lunch- 

 eon for the President's Committee on the Arts and the 

 Humanities, hosted by the Secretary; and activities in con- 

 junction with the Board of Regents meetings, hosted by the 

 Secretary. 



Among numerous events produced for the Office of 

 Membership and Development were the annual James 

 Smithson Society and Smithsonian Treasures weekends, as 

 well as activities associated with meetings of the Smithson- 

 ian National Board and the Smithsonian Corporate 

 Membership Program. 



Office of Government Relations 

 Don Hardy, Director 



Although always a priority of the Office of Government Re- 

 lations, efforts to educate members of Congress and their 

 constituencies about the abundance of Smithsonian outreach 

 programs were significantly accelerated. Secretary I. Michael 

 Heyman's determination and his success in bringing the In- 

 stitution's collections and professional expertise into local 

 communities have resulted in a greater congressional under- 

 standing of the Smithsonian's range and depth and, as 

 important, an appreciation of its commitment to public 

 service. By emphasizing the educational components of the 

 Institution's museum and research activities, Government 

 Relations staff are stressing the practical and immediate 

 public benefit of Smithsonian programs and enlisting con- 

 gressional assistance in making these program opportunities 

 and educational materials available to their communities. 



Operations Directorate 



The many different organizations that make up the Smith- 

 sonian depend on the internal framework of services 

 provided by Washington-based administration, facilities, 

 finance, and information technology staff. These services 

 support and promote effective management throughout the 

 Institution. This year, several offices in the Operations unit 

 concentrated on strengthening their own operations through 

 refined organizational structures, effective use of technology, 

 and improved service to the Institution's museums, research 

 institutes, and offices. 



Efforts to strengthen internal financial services included 

 organizational changes in the Office of the Comptroller, 

 along with the hiring of Edward Knapp as comptroller. The 

 Office of the Chief Financial Officer developed a report to 

 better inform senior management about the Smithsonian's 

 financial condition and began investigating the implementa- 

 tion of a new financial system. The Office of Planning, 

 Management, and Budget put into place the final modules 

 of the integrated electronic Budget Management, Planning, 

 and Policy System (BUMPPS). 



The Office of Protection Services (OPS) made significant 

 progress in advancing the Smithsonian's strategic plan for 

 replacing the Smithsonian Institution Proprietary Security 

 System (SIPSS) and upgrading and integrating the security 

 systems throughout Smithsonian museums and facilities. In 

 partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, OPS 

 developed a mastet plan that outlines the technical specifica- 

 tions for a new integrated security system. In fiscal year 1999, 

 OPS developed and implemented a comprehensive Y2K 

 contingency plan for the electronic security system. Replace- 

 ment of SIPSS in the National Air and Space Museum, Arts 

 and Industries Building, Smithsonian Castle, and Hirshhorn 

 Museum and Sculpture Garden was initiated and was sched- 

 uled for completion in December 1999. OPS also began the 



