The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) directs the worldwide overseas building program for the U.S. Department of State. Working with other offices and bureaus, foreign affairs agencies, and Congress, OBO sets worldwide priorities for the design, construction, acquisition, maintenance, use, and sale of real properties and the use of sales proceeds. As the single real property manager for the U.S. government’s diplomatic facilities overseas, OBO’s portfolio spans 285 worldwide missions and over 80,000,000 square feet of functioning property. OBO’s primary mission is to provide safe, secure, and functional facilities that represent the U.S. government to the host nation and support the Department’s staff as they work to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives abroad.
The Program Development, Coordination, and Support Directorate (PDCS) is responsible for the design, coordination, and management of OBO’s building program.
The Office of Design and Engineering (DE) provides expertise in architecture and landscape architecture; interior design and space planning; space programming; graphic design; civil/structural, seismic, blast, and geotechnical engineering; electrical and telecommunications engineering, and mechanical engineering and energy optimization. DE also maintains the design standards and issues building permits for posts worldwide. DE monitors the performance of architecture-engineering contractors hired to develop the design of OBO’s projects. The office serves as the building code official, confirming the technical adequacy of construction documents.