SAVE Award 2011 Ideas

The federal government should track performance of the taxpayer dollars in programs and initiatives that have proven records of success and fix or end programs that do not.

The status quo within the federal government does not support this claim. Paperless filing could help move the government in that direction in the following ways:

1. Smarter data tracking- Paperless files can be pulled into databases; data can then... more »

It would save considerable money if all General Counsel offices across the federal government stopped using printed refernece materials. These are all available electronically -- both the most up-to-date versions and prior versions. In order to allow attorneys the portability of a book, however, one option would be to purchase several e-reader devices (such as a Kindle, Nook, or something similar) that would have subscriptions... more »

Currently, ICE attorneys around the country must file documentary pleadings with the Board of Immigration Appeals. The pleadings are hand delivered through the use of a private mail delivery company. It would save the U.S. tax payers countless dollars if pleadings were allowed to be submitted digitally.

Currently the Forest Service mails single-sided printed copies of the Schedule of Proposed Actions to thousands of people per forest every quarter. Why not print double sided to save paper and postage? Why not offer electronic delivery (it's been online for a long time) instead of automatically mailing a paper copy? And as an employee I definately don't want it mailed to me, I can easily find it online. Same with NEPA... more »

As the world progresses so must the federal government. Purchasing data pads to replace paper (ones you can write and have download/ upload into your computer) would save hundreds of millions of dollars in paper and printing costs.
Security concerns can be addressed easily with the installation of certain features to track and maintain file integrity from outside intrusion. The specifics for that innovation are already... more »

Analyze the funds currently spent on contracts with UPS and Fed Ex to send paper copies of documents (memos, waiver requests) from Field Offices to Headquarters via overnight mail.

Reallocate these funds to develop a simple centralized content management system that allows documents to be submitted online and adds valuable tracking and analytics features.

This could be accomplished with no additional funding by reallocating... more »

All documentation within our systems should be electronic, as it allows us to better manage, organize, store, transport and replicate information. We will save a lot, by implementing this initiative completely. With the production of large amounts of documentation there is a lot of overhead.

Agencies must supply not only the printers but all the parts to maintain them – along with service contracts and of course, paper.... more »

Eliminate Newspapers Delivery to Federal Offices Each morning all throughout the federal government, offices are receiving thousands of copies of multiple newspapers and magazines. The vast majority of these subscriptions can be eliminated; only the agency public affairs office might possibly require these publications. These public affairs offices in many case already employ the best practice of compiling relevant... more »

Restructure the US Tax code and revenue collection systems The Obamacare health care bill alone added some 30,000 IRS agents; their salaries alone would be millions of dollars per year and that is just the tip of the iceberg. While it is important for taxes to be collected, our current system is a drain on time, economic resources, and complicates social issues. The government should switch to a flat tax of 18%. Filing... more »

Instead of mailing multiple reminders to veteran and military patients pateints, the organization can email or phone the appointment reminders. This will not only cut down on postal costs but paper costs too. The automated reminder system will be sent via email or phone whichever is preferred by the patient. The preference will be specified upon registration into the health system.

We print and mail all bills or collections due to the government. Many of the people who receive bills from the government are people who due routine buisness, permit holders for example. If the government did EBills, then billees could get electronic bills, saving money and efficiency... especially since more and more people are embracing electronic billing through their banks.

We are faced daily with the objective of managing paperwork and projects, tracking documents and projects as they move through staff elements for work, review and signature. A developing program known as the Office Workload Manager or (OWL) solves this problem. The OWL provides reports, is a central repository for all documents, and a resource that can be used to support personnel evaluations.
Listed are proposed and... more »

Less Energy to make paper out of new trees then to recycle.

Border Patrol could streamline processing and reduce resource usage through implementation of processing with electronic Alien Files, electronic Transmittal and Routing Slips, and electronic Memorandums. Adobe Acrobat Pro which is already available at some Border Patrol Stations could be used to create and edit these documents.

a. Electronic Alien Files/ Supervisor Mark-Ups: In e3 processing system agents can save... more »

The cost of paper can be reduced by going to an electronic database. Currently we print and reprint a database for distribution several times a month. This takes away several man hours and uses a lot of paper. This can be reduced if we go to a computer read only file. Most of the places our database goes to have computer access anyway. If we were to go to a computer read only file on the share drive we could have several... more »