March 30, 2007

To:       Ann Barrett, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Passport Services  
cc:        MANAGER B, Passport Operations Manger
            MANAGER C, Director – Passport Services Office of Field Coordination
            MANAGER D, Passport Operations Officer
            MANAGER E, Chief Labor-Management Negotiator –Department of State
            All NFFE Local 1998 Union Representatives
            All Passport Services Bargaining Unit Employees
            Rick Brown, President – National Federation of Federal Employees
            Steve Flory, Business Representative – National Federation of Federal Employees 

Re:       Petition asking that adjudication numerical performance standards be lowered

Ms. Barrett: 

Attached please find a petition signed by 327 non-probationary Passport Specialists asking that headquarters lower the numerical performance standards so that they can have more time for diligent adjudication of passport applications.  This petition is being submitted to you in accordance with our collective bargaining agreement.  Article 1 states in part that “The Parties agree to fulfill the mission by maintaining and enhancing the integrity of the … the passport issuance process….”  Article 18 states in part that “Employees will be afforded an opportunity to participate in the establishment of performance standards….”  Here is the exact wording of the signed petition: 

We, the undersigned (non-probationary) Passport Specialists, respectfully request that Passport Services provide additional time for passport adjudication.  We ask that you lower the numerical requirements for Element 2 from the current levels to a fair and reasonable standard.  We ask this because the current numerical standards do not give us sufficient time to diligently scrutinize the applications and evidence for fraud.  The current standards require us to rush through the work to such an extent that we are not able to consistently perform all of the core adjudication functions (including checking and verifying information on the application and computer) that have been assigned to us.  Changes since the 2004 nationwide standards went into effect (e.g., new data entry contractor, systems changes, etc.) have made meeting and exceeding those standards even more difficult. 

The current numerical standards make our process too vulnerable to being exploited by frauds and criminals.  It is all too easy for someone to fraudulently obtain a passport, and lowering the numerical standards will enhance the integrity of the passport issuance process.  We believe in "zero tolerance for fraud".  However, as things stand now, you, along with the American people, should have NO CONFIDENCE that Passport Specialists have enough time to adequately do their job and to fulfill the intent of the Western Hemisphere Passport Requirement. 

Our work culture is too focused on quantity over quality, and we believe this should be rectified both for the sake of anti-fraud efforts and for the sake of good customer service.  The majority of Passport Specialists today are able to meet or exceed the numerical standards only due to rushing through the applications and/or cutting corners.  No one purposely issues a passport to a fraud; however, we must work too quickly to spot the fraud indicators.  We respectfully request more time so that we can ensure that every issued passport has been properly adjudicated.  

As previously reported to you, the integrity of the passport issuance process – including the issue of sufficient time for adjudication – is the most important issue to our bargaining unit employees.  The Union has been making great efforts to work with Management on this issue, as witnessed by our contract proposals, numerous memos and communications, January 2006 survey, and face-to-face communications.  Unfortunately to date we have not been successful in persuading headquarters that there is a problem with the standards that needs to be addressed.  This petition is an attempt to directly convey to you the overwhelmingly strong concerns that the vast majority of Passport Specialists share on this issue.  Some managers have said that since most employees meet or exceed the numerical standards then there is no problem; however, those very same employees who are meeting and exceeding the standards are telling you – via this petition – that the standards do not provide sufficient time. 

 

This petition was circulated from late January to early March, 2007 in the sixteen Passport Agencies/Centers.[1]  Only non-probationary Passport Specialists were asked to consider signing the petition.[2]  Of the 383 employees who were present and eligible to sign, 327 signed – which is 85%.  Even more than that indicated agreement with this request, though they declined to sign the petition.[3]  The most experienced Passport Specialists that we have (including virtually all of our GS-11’s) are saying that there is a problem here that needs to be addressed.  In four of the offices, 100% of those eligible and present signed the petition.  

I respectfully request that you accept this petition and listen to the message these signatories are voicing to you.  I respectfully request that headquarters give the Passport Specialists more time for diligent adjudication, by lowering the numerical standards, so that we can do a better job catching errors and detecting fraudulent applications for U.S. passports.  According to the travel.state.gov website, the goal of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is to “strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure and reliable documentation which will allow the Department of Homeland Security to quickly, reliably and accurately identify a traveler.”  The most trusted documentation that meets that goal is the United States passport.  The integrity of the U.S. passport issuance process is the bedrock on which the WHTI is founded – but to fulfill the goals of the WHTI, Passport Specialists must have sufficient time to do their jobs.  

Thank You,  

Colin Patrick Walle
Union President


[1] The petition was not circulated at PPT/SIA or at PPT/TO. 
[2] Three reasons why: 1) they have fewer rights to appeal terminations, 2) preliminary inquiries revealed a great deal of trepidation at signing because of those fewer rights, and 3) some probationary employees are so new that they have little or no experience working under the measured standards. 
[3] A number of non-probationary employees declined to sign out of fear of retaliation, some agreed with the concept but not the wording, some chose not to sign as they are involved in seeking promotions, at least one did not sign for religious reasons, some because they disagreed with the petition and others for unknown reasons.