Presidential Idea Program Seeks New Efficiencies

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 29, 2009 - Federal employees with ideas geared toward boosting workplace efficiency and reducing government cost can submit their suggestions to the Presidential Securing Americans Value and Efficiency Award program. President Barack Obama will select the winning SAVE submission.

During his weekly address to the nation April 25, Obama announced his intent to establish "a process through which every government worker can submit their ideas for how their agency can save money and perform better."

Employees can submit their ideas directly to the Office of Management and Budget through the http://www.saveaward.gov/ Web site. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 14.

Classified information should not be included with any submissions, officials said.

OMB officials will select the most promising ideas and forward them to the president. Submissions will be considered using the following criteria:

-- Does the idea reduce costs in a way that is concrete and quantifiable?

-- Does the idea improve the way government operates by improving output quality at lower costs, simplifying processes to reduce administrative burden or improving the speed of government operations to improve efficiency?

-- Does the idea have a tangible impact on citizens' lives or environment?

-- Does the idea have a clear and practical plan for implementation?

-- Will it be possible to begin realizing savings immediately?

Two awards will be given: one for the best savings proposal and the other for the agency that garnered the most employee idea submissions.

The winning idea will be incorporated into the fiscal 2011 federal budget. Other ideas that show potential also could be incorporated into the budget, officials said.

Winners will be announced in November.

Although the winning entry will not yield a monetary award, the submitter will present the idea personally to the president.