OSAC Receives 2018 Annual Partnership Excellence Award

The Office of Global Partnerships awarded OSAC the 2018 Annual Partnership Excellence Award.

On March 5, 2018, at the opening of Global Partnerships Week, Thomas Debass, Acting Special Representative for Global Partnerships, U.S. Department of State, presented Tom Scanlon, OSAC Executive Director, with the annual award at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.

Pictured left: Thomas Debass (left), Acting Special Representative for Global Partnerships, U.S. Department of State, and Tom Scanlon, OSAC Executive Director.

The award recognizes a U.S. Ambassador, an individual Foreign Service Officer or Civil Servant, and a Group from the U.S. Department of State for their strong commitment to the advancement of public-private partnerships to expand the reach and impact of our foreign policy goals. OSAC’s first-ever selection is for its “unwavering commitment to the advancement of public-private partnerships and for championing private sector engagement in [its] work,” notes the Office of Global Partnerships.

Congratulations, OSAC!

A distinct entity within the U.S. government that works with both for-profit and non-profit organizations, OSAC is solely focused on the physical and personal security of the organizations’ assets, personnel and interests abroad. Highlights of OSAC’s recent leadership efforts were detailed in the award nomination letter:

• OSAC analyzes and shared a broad range of open-source information, diplomatic reporting and on-the ground feedback with its constituent base of more than 5,000 businesses, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and faith-based organizations.
• Staff includes 25 trained research analysts and outreach coordinators.
• Last year, OSAC’s public website captured more than 3 million downloads of travel warnings, crime and safety reports and more. The 10,000-plus followers on OSAC’s Twitter received timely distribution of security messages, global security and incident tracking.
• OSAC leads 12 “Common Interest Councils” and a network of more than 140 Embassy-led Country Councils around the world.
• During Hurricane Irma, OSAC worked extensively with U.S. organizations in the Caribbean to ensure the security of their personnel and with faith-based organization as they organized relief efforts in Saint Maarten.
• Using findings from an OSAC’s annual benchmark surveys to compile, assess and report on what organizations are seeing on the ground and how they are responding security threats, an academic institution cancelled a student-led trip to Pakistan in March 2017 after transportation recommendations provided by OSAC constituents could not be met.
• In October 2017, the OSAC International Development Working Group (IDWG), one of OSAC’s seven industry-specific networks, hosted a “Kenya Snap Call” for the IDWG, Africa Regional Council and Nairobi Country Council to discuss upcoming elections in Kenya, latest political developments, incidents of civil unrest and anticipated hot spots for violence, and the security posture of U.S. Embassy Nairobi.
• 2017 inaugural OSAC events included the Europe Regional Council hosted by Bloomberg LP in New York City, NY (April), the Energy Security Working Group, an OSAC sector-specific working group for oil and gas constituents (October) and the Women in Security Forum (November) to recognize and foster professional development for a growing security professional demographic which is often dominated by men.

All OSAC events are free to OSAC constituents, with many events supported through gifts to the non-profit International Security Foundation.