SAVE Award 2011 Ideas

Standardize the management of our vehicle and equipment fleets. Currently, each agency, writes policy/regulation and has software, procedures, and management policy for their fleets. Conversely, we're all doing the same thing; tracking utilization, right-sizing, greening, tracking fuel, training, etc. On top of that, each agency is writing directives, regulations, policy, and even creating separate forms. Standardizing... more »

We may be using Fluorescent light bulbs, but we should continue to alternate bulb use like we did prior to using Fluorescent light bulbs. We should keep some lights bulbs Off while others light bulbs are On (alternating bulbs). Thus still providing enough lighting to do the job while conserving Electricity; Reducing lighting where necessary.

You can reduce the amount of printers that are used throughout the Federal Government. I see people complain because they have to walk 10ft to get a printed document. Some will use the excuse that nobody can see what I am printing. To resolve that would be to purchase larger copiers that require codes to be used for each employee to print. This will reduce the TCO and should see an immediate ROI. It will reduce paper... more »

The pager system especially for physciains is an outdated system that no longer serves a purpose especially when almost all of us have cellular phones or smartphones. Eliminate the pager system and work phones and allow employees to use their own mobile phones.

Solar Panels on Every Federal Building. This will save lots of money and can make money by sending extra power to power companies and they would have to pay the government. May allow for charging of electric cars at a fee basis. Vote for this idea show that people care about our environment. Thank you!!

Almost all first world, and many second world, citizens have access to the internet. In those areas, the Information Resource Centers (IRC) in Embassies are greatly underuntilized and a waste of space, personnel, and other resources.

I suggest we remove the IRC from these locations and either save money, or use that money in another area.

Every time I passed by the recycling bin next to the office printer, I often see piles of paper in there that are not documents from work but rather the pages with people’s name and the document’s title. This is such a waste of ink and paper because most people just throw them away. I suggest adding an option as we print from the computer where we can choose whether we want that first page of our name and document’s title... more »

USPS Priority and Express Mail are very cost effective and dependable shipping solutions. Yet, USPS is not even available as a shipping option in some federal government facilities. USPS shipping supplies and training should be available to anyone military or civil servant. Granted, not everything can be shipped using USPS, but it should be the preferable option when and where it's most cost effective. It will not... more »

MIllions (hundreds to thousands per employee) of dollars would easily be saved by moving as many federal jobs as is practical out of the high locality pay locations to where locality pay is a minimum. For example, why does FAA HQ have to be in Washington D.C.?

We suggest HUD modify the way interim interest is calculated when paying claims for insurance benefits under the Title I program. Currently, HUD reimburses lenders interim interest calculated at a rate of 7% of the unpaid amount of the loan obligation. This rate was set in HUD’s regulations (CFR 201.55(a)(2)) many years ago. The manufactured housing loan part of the Title I program was reformed in 2009 and the interim... more »

The current time required to hold onto contracts is six years three months from the date of final payment. Why do we need to hold on to contracts this long? Can this time be reduced? Can there be an approved electronic means to scan documents instead of hanging on to originals? Keep originals of the most important documents and electronically file everything else?

Currently the National Archives charges storage... more »

For example, a co-worker recommended we send out our organization's information, to the 140+ personnel who were coming to visit, in an electronic document. Our leadership didn't like that idea and instead we spent more than $2,000 on organizational binders, not including the man-hours that went into creating the binders.

We shouldn’t be buying niceties when we are in debt, i.e., pretty pens with the government funds... more »