responsible directly, through its staff, and indirectly, through 

 the issuance and oversight of delegations of contracting 

 authority to various offices, for the negotiation, contract for- 

 mation, and continuing contract administration involving the 

 expenditure of most of the Smithsonian's appropriated Federal 

 and Institutional trust funds. The Business Contracting Division 

 manages and has oversight for contracting for income generating 

 and special relationship business contacts. The Travel Services 

 Division manages all of the Smithsonian's travel bookings and ar- 

 rangements for worldwide activities. The Property and Inventory 

 Management Branch has responsibility for the Institution's ac- 

 countable property control system. 



During Fiscal Year 1997, the office provided regular and 

 ongoing support to the Institution's numerous exhibits, projects, 

 design and construction activities, and programs, and con- 

 tinued carryover activities from 1996, negotiating contracts 

 for the opening, operation, and closing of each convention 

 center site for the "America's Smithsonian" exhibition. The - 

 office negotiated an agreement with a partnership of two firms to 

 take over the production management of the "America's 

 Smithsonian" exhibition tour for part of 1997, with Office of 

 Contracting providing contract administration and oversight 

 after the management of the exhibition was turned over to the 

 partnership. The office was also integral in negotiating for the 

 lending of artifacts from the "America's Smithsonian" exhi- 

 bition for a special exhibition in Scottsdale, AZ, and for a 

 special arrangement to store the "America's Smithsonian" 

 exhibition equipment and exhibits in Scottsdale during a 

 dormant phase of the "America's Smithsonian" exhibition 

 tour. 



The request for proposal and contractor selection process for 

 food service concessions for all Smithsonian Washington-based 

 museums and facilities consumed the entire calendar year. Two 

 contractors were selected and contracts awarded in December 

 after extensive rating and evaluation by the north-side and south- 

 side evaluation committees. Transfer of function from the pre- 

 vious contractors scheduled for early January, 1998. 



Several projects and contracts on behalf of the 

 Smithsonian's Marine Station at Ft. Pierce, FL, for the 

 assumption of occupancy of the former MacArthur Founda- 

 tion property. Issues addressed included encroachment on 

 the land by an adjoining landowner, movement by barge to 

 the property of a donated house (including the process of 

 severing the house from its former property, transfer to the 

 Smithsonian property, and installation and renovation at 

 the Smithsonian property), dock and access issues, and 

 related land use issues. 



The Office of contracting awarded and is managing an 

 ambitious training program for project and contract 

 management. 



Office of Equal Employment and 

 Minority Affairs 



Era L. Marshall 



Fiscal Year 1997 was a year of challenge and opportunity for 

 OEEMA. Our successes indicate that we met the challenges 

 and took advantage of the opportunities. 



OEEMA spearheaded an effort to teduce the number of 

 formal EEO complaints by streamlining and improving the 

 complaints process. We reassigned the precomplaint counsel- 

 ing process to a special team consisting of an EEO manager 

 and a mediation specialist. Results included responding to 

 more than 1,000 contacts from managers and staff members 

 through in-depth counseling and various consultative advice 

 and assistance efforts. Seventeen new collateral-duty coun- 

 selors were recruited and trained in EEO laws, practices, and 

 mediation techniques. Our increased emphasis on intake coun- 

 seling and the efforts of our internal EEO counselors resulted 

 in the resolution of 56 complaints. This improvement affected 

 a very conservative savings of well over a quarter of a million 

 dollars (£252,000) in cost avoidance to the Smithsonian 

 Institution. 



OEEMA's newest service, mediation, was promoted and 

 encouraged at the Under Secretary's Operations Meetings, 

 CASD, CIED, and COBD, at on-site meetings with unit 

 directors, in Town Meetings for employees, and at Directors' 

 Roundtables. Fourteen cases went to mediation; 12 were suc- 

 cessfully resolved through this process. The Institution real- 

 ized a savings of approximately $54,000 in cost avoidance. 



OEEMA chaired the SI Equal Oppottunity Advisory Coun- 

 cil and convened meetings to promote EEO and diversity pan- 

 institutionally. The Council seeks to promote harmony and to 

 foster a work environment that recognizes and practices equal 

 opportunity for all employees. The Council consists of repre- 

 sentatives from the Council of Museum Directors (COMD), 

 the Council of Administrative Directors (CASD), the Council 

 of Information and Education Directors (CIED), and includes 

 the Director of Human Resources, the Ombudsman, a repre- 

 sentative from the Office of the General Counsel, and the 

 Counselor to the Secretary for Community Affairs and Special 

 Projects. In close collaboration with the Council, OEEMA 

 developed and presented some highly visible and successful 

 programs that strengthened diversity and inclusion at the 

 Smithsonian: Town Meetings, Roundtables, EEO Training for 

 Supervisors, and the Annual Secretary's Award for Excellence 

 in Equal Opportunity. These are all initiatives recommended 

 and supported by the Council. 



OEEMA orchestrated the third annual Secretary's Award 

 Program for Excellence in Equal Opportunity in collaboration 

 with the Secretary's Office and the SI Equal Opportunity Ad- 

 visory Council. This key EEO awareness and appreciation ac- 

 tivity has proven successful in gaining Institutional support 

 for EEO initiatives. OEEMA created the concept and was the 



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