Public Release of Information 20250219.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- 19AQMM25R0119
About this file
This document is a formal communication from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) providing strict guidelines for public release of information related to OBO projects. The memo mandates that any content about project design, construction, or services must first be submitted to OBOPublicRelease@state.gov for government review and clearance before public dissemination. This prohibition covers all media forms including photographs, social media, award submissions, narratives, company websites, interviews, and internet forums, and applies to both prime and subcontractors at all tiers.
The document additionally requires specific formatting for public release requests, including a clear file naming convention that includes project name, location, feature, photographer, date, and a unique identifier. An important note indicates that content previously cleared before January 20, 2025, must be re-reviewed, with specific instructions to remove sustainability and diversity terminology, reframe sustainability as "building performance", and avoid terms like "LEED", "climate", and "sustainability". All project-generated documents and records are considered the exclusive property of the U.S. Government, with ongoing restrictions on publication even after project completion.
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Text version
February 19, 2025
TO: ALL PRIME AND SUBCONTRACTORS SUPPORTING PROJECTS FOR
THE OVERSEAS BUILDINGS OPERATIONS (OBO)
FROM: GLOBAL ACQUISITIONS OFFICE OF DIPLOMATIC MISSION SUPPORT –
FACILITIES & OBO EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OBOPublicRelease@state.gov
SUBJECT: PUBLIC RELEASE REQUESTS FOR OBO PROJECTS
The U.S. Department of State (DOS), Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), and Global Acquisition (A/GA) remind you that the public release of information regarding any aspect of the design, construction, or any other service related to our projects is strictly prohibited without the written approval of a Contracting Officer and OBOPublicRelease@state.gov.
Any content relating to an OBO project a company would like to make available in the public realm must be submitted to OBOPublicRelease@state.gov to undergo required government reviews and clearances before publication. Companies are prohibited from releasing information publicly in any form of media, such as photographs, social media, award submissions, narratives, company websites, interviews, or any Internet forum without the prior authorization from a Contracting Officer and/or OBOPublicRelease@state.gov. This prohibition extends to all firms involved in the project, including subcontractors at any tier. Prime contractors are required to distribute the contents of this letter to all their cleared and uncleared subcontractors working on DOS projects. All subcontractors are required to submit their public release requests through the prime contractor to ensure proper coordination and oversight.
Primes shall submit the subcontractor’s public release requests per the instructions below in addition to including their support for the request.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any content cleared prior to January 20, 2025, that is included in new public-facing materials must be submitted for re-review and clearance to ensure alignment with current executive orders aimed at making the United States stronger, mailto:OBOPublicRelease@state.gov safer, and more prosperous. Before re-submitting to OBOPublicRelease@state.gov, all references to sustainability or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) shall be removed.
Sustainability features should be framed through the lens of the new administration’s priorities by:
o Focusing on building performance o Using language like “adaptation” rather than “resilience” o Removing terms “LEED,” “climate,” and “sustainability”
All documents and records (including photographs) generated during the performance of work under OBO projects are for the sole use of and shall become the exclusive property of the U.S. Government. No article, book, pamphlet, recording, broadcast, speech, television appearance, award submission, film, or photograph concerning any aspect of the work performed under these projects shall be published or disseminated through any medium without the prior written authorization of the Contracting Officer and/or OBOPublicRelease@state.gov. These obligations remain in effect even after the expiration or termination of the projects.
Information associated with any DOS project is considered sensitive and must be safeguarded against public release. Your company, employees, including subcontractors must exercise the utmost discretion regarding all matters, materials, and data related to their duties and functions on Diplomatic projects.
For future requests to publish DOS project information on the internet, in print, or other media, please submit your request with the information you would like to release prior to publication to OBOPublicRelease@state.gov for approval. The request shall include the contract or task order number.
Note: Any files included in the request, please ensure the file naming convention is clear and in a consistent format that includes the project name, location, feature/angle, photographer/source, date, and a unique file name (e.g.
ProjectName_SouthFacade_JohnSmith_20241219_01.jpg). The file sizes shall be compressed and not too large to ensure email transmission (limit is < 25MBs).
Thank you for your cooperation.
mailto:OBOPublicRelease@state.gov
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