11 votes
Make it possible for federal employees to download free home use versions of standardised software programs like MS Office, Visio, Anti virus software, MS Project, Adobe Acrobat, etc. More people should be teleworking, and this would enable these people to use the same software on their home computers as they use at work. This would encourage more teleworking. We are already paying for the licenses...
33 votes
Make government leadership affected by the decisions they make. Congress should be "OF the PEOPLE", meaning they get nothing in terms of continuing benefits the rest of USGOV doesn't get. a) Eliminate retirement and put them into a 401k plan or TSP that gets large payments each year, but isn't meant to be a lifetime retirement. (effect=reduced costs) b) Tie them to the GG pay charts, not their special congress pay. ...more »
Make government leadership affected by the decisions they make. Congress should be "OF the PEOPLE", meaning they get nothing in terms of continuing benefits the rest of USGOV doesn't get.
a) Eliminate retirement and put them into a 401k plan or TSP that gets large payments each year, but isn't meant to be a lifetime retirement. (effect=reduced costs)
b) Tie them to the GG pay charts, not their special congress pay. When they freeze pay and retirement growth for USG, it freezes for them too as a result of joining the GG charts. (effect=reduced costs)
c) Medical benefits expire when they leave office, but in office they receive the same medical plan the GG government receives.(effect=reduced costs)
Current congressional benefits that are completely unaffected by the decisions the congress makes for the rest of the government have to end. (effect=better government leadership decisions b/c they put their personal skin into the game)
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9 votes
During my Mom's last illness and hospitalizations, Medicare was automatically billed as the primary payer, even though she had her own private health insurance. Why? I know that many retirees do not have their own insurance, but if those that do had their private insurance billed as primary payer, how much money would Medicare save?
14 votes
1. Where are the biggest opportunities to streamline and modernize government processes? A: Hold government leadership accountable for the jobs they do. All Senators and Representatives vote yeah or nay, in person, for 95% of all votes. With provisions for illness and the like exemption allowances. For budgets, ONE continuing resolution allowed. Then, if there is no budget, the Congress is restricted to the District ...more »
1. Where are the biggest opportunities to streamline and modernize government processes?
A: Hold government leadership accountable for the jobs they do. All Senators and Representatives vote yeah or nay, in person, for 95% of all votes. With provisions for illness and the like exemption allowances.
For budgets, ONE continuing resolution allowed. Then, if there is no budget, the Congress is restricted to the District of Columbia, works 12 hour days 6 days a week, no recess or visits to their states, or trips out of the district until a budget is passed. They need to work FOR the people.
2. How can we use government resources more efficiently and effectively?
A: Make government leadership affected by the decisions they make. Congress should be "OF the PEOPLE", meaning they get nothing in terms of continuing benefits the rest of USGOV doesn't get.
a) Eliminate retirement and put them into a 401k plan or TSP that gets large payments each year, but isn't meant to be a lifetime retirement.
b) Tie them to the GG pay charts, not their special congress pay. When they freeze pay and retirement growth for USG, it freezes for them too as a result of joining the GG charts.
c) Medical benefits expire when they leave office, but in office they receive the same medical plan the GG government receives.
Current congressional benefits that are completely unaffected by the decisions the congress makes for the rest of the government have to end.
Voting transparency:
3. All votes by our representatives get sent to a constiutent's app or email that allows us direct access to see what they voted on and how. Then the app allows us to put a virtual coin in a virtual jar voicing my approval or disapproval. The app allows the user to instantly generate an SMS message to the rep letting them know what I (the constituent they represent) like or not about their voting. During elections, I can see exactly how they voted since the last election and even tag issues that are important to me when I vote.
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4 votes
The Government should decide on the total amount of fringe benefits (Thrift Savings Plan, parking, health insurance, life insurance etc) it wants to provide to each employee. This amount could vary by grade, length of service, age, performance or other factors. Then the employee should be free to decide how to allocate the benefits. This would let employees maximize the value of the money the Government is spending ...more »
The Government should decide on the total amount of fringe benefits (Thrift Savings Plan, parking, health insurance, life insurance etc) it wants to provide to each employee. This amount could vary by grade, length of service, age, performance or other factors. Then the employee should be free to decide how to allocate the benefits. This would let employees maximize the value of the money the Government is spending on their benefits, and make federal employment more attractive. For example, some people might want to contribute more to the TSP while others might want more life insurance. This would also control the Government's costs, by fixing the amount of the Government's contributions.
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64 votes
Do not allow the Treasury Department to borrow money from Federal Retirement Funds. Removing money from any fund in the TSP will result in losses and could potentially have direct impacts on retirement funds. Stating "TSP participants should have nothing to worry about" does not guarantee there will be no impact. Even if they paid back the borrowed amount plus interest, where would we get back our "earnings" for the ...more »
Do not allow the Treasury Department to borrow money from Federal Retirement Funds. Removing money from any fund in the TSP will result in losses and could potentially have direct impacts on retirement funds. Stating "TSP participants should have nothing to worry about" does not guarantee there will be no impact. Even if they paid back the borrowed amount plus interest, where would we get back our "earnings" for the amount? We would be out that much more money in a so-called "no-risk" account.
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20 votes
Why does the government offer so few part-time positions? I've worked for the government for 17+ years (including military service) and have seen quite a few employees that are in positions that would be adequately fulfilled with a part-time employee. I also am aware of quite a few employees who don't feel that they are busy enough to fill a 40-hr work week, and would rather work part-time. Part-time positions would ...more »
Why does the government offer so few part-time positions? I've worked for the government for 17+ years (including military service) and have seen quite a few employees that are in positions that would be adequately fulfilled with a part-time employee. I also am aware of quite a few employees who don't feel that they are busy enough to fill a 40-hr work week, and would rather work part-time. Part-time positions would cut down on commuter subsidies, as well. If the question is health care and benefits, job-sharing should be more prevelant; (in my case, we have healthcare through my spouse's work; but if I were doing a job-share, the "sharing" employee could have the healthcare benefits that I don't need- and the government is only paying one full-time employee.)
Although it might create more positions (bad if you want a smaller govt), it would increase the talent pool across the government, and would also save $$!
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38 votes
http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm -section 8 and low income housing encourages dependency and complacent behavior. Why work when you can get a house for practically free and keep collecting entitlements. ILLLEGAL squatting and unauthrized people live with a legal tenet often and this is a criminal offense since changes in family size and income are required to be reported. the section 8 system and low income ...more »
http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm -section 8 and low income housing encourages dependency and complacent behavior. Why work when you can get a house for practically free and keep collecting entitlements. ILLLEGAL squatting and unauthrized people live with a legal tenet often and this is a criminal offense since changes in family size and income are required to be reported. the section 8 system and low income housing system is a complete failure which has drained the US economy of trillions of dollars and maintained tenets in social and financial bondage. there is no incentive to leave section 8 or low income housing. why work or attend college when you can get housing for free or low cost. This encouranges drug abuse and out of wedlock births and tenet abuse by housing squatters and unauthorized people living in the units. section 8 and low income housing also reduce local taxpayers home values and create blighted neighborhoods with loud music and cars with dark windows and dirty messy yards often with dirt as a yard.. SECTION 8 and LOW INCOME HOUSING TENETS NEED TIME LIMITS of 1 to 3 years then they must be evicted from the units since they are living on free enititlements and have no incentive to Raise themselves out of the free benefits. WAKE UP AMERICA! WE ARE TRILLIONS IN DEBT and giving away FREE BENEFITS . remember that all secion 8 and low income housing authoritys are TAX FREE and you pay the costs of educating the people and their rents are susidized and food and insurance are subsidized and paid for. its like the midlle and upper class is paying triple to live, we all have to pay for everyone else.. its not fair..http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm
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12 votes
So much of a federal employees pay is locked into "benefits". This includes ridiculous "Cadillac" health care plans. Reduce the max amount that employees can receive for health care. Make the health plans differ in cost. If you smoke or are overweight, you should pay more than an employee making an effort to lower their cost by being healthier. Federal Employees get 13 sick days a year. Decrease those sick days ...more »
So much of a federal employees pay is locked into "benefits". This includes ridiculous "Cadillac" health care plans. Reduce the max amount that employees can receive for health care. Make the health plans differ in cost. If you smoke or are overweight, you should pay more than an employee making an effort to lower their cost by being healthier.
Federal Employees get 13 sick days a year. Decrease those sick days by 2 or 3 a year.
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15 votes
I like most ideas on this website. I think that most ideas have come from somebody who is trying to do a great job at what they do. It has become so difficult to navigate through that, I have decided to take 15 minutes out of my day to dedicate to this at home on my own time. I believe that the top 25 contributors and top 25 idea submitters should be invited to bring their heads together and discuss what is really ...more »
I like most ideas on this website. I think that most ideas have come from somebody who is trying to do a great job at what they do.
It has become so difficult to navigate through that, I have decided to take 15 minutes out of my day to dedicate to this at home on my own time.
I believe that the top 25 contributors and top 25 idea submitters should be invited to bring their heads together and discuss what is really important to their agency and to the federal government as a whole.
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10 votes
Army National Guard Military Technicians (Mil Techs) are members of the National Guard who work full-time in a Federal civil service capacity. Techs do not receive full active duty military pay and benefits. Mil Tech pay is based on the Wage-Grade (WG) and General Schedule (GS) federal pay scales. AGR (Active-Guard-Reserve) employees are military service members that belong to the reserve component, but work ...more »
Army National Guard Military Technicians (Mil Techs) are members of the National Guard who work full-time in a Federal civil service capacity. Techs do not receive full active duty military pay and benefits. Mil Tech pay is based on the Wage-Grade (WG) and General Schedule (GS) federal pay scales.
AGR (Active-Guard-Reserve) employees are military service members that belong to the reserve component, but work full time. They receive full active duty military pay and benefits.
For Mil Techs, membership in the National Guard is a term of continuing employment. As this membership requirement exists, Mil Techs are provided 3 weeks paid vacation from work (120 hours military leave), in addition to regular leave, in order to meet their military obligations, which typically include a span of 2-3 weeks of continuous duty each year.
In the instance of a Mil Tech voluntarily taking a AGR job, their Tech position (though vacant) is “held” for them for a period of time (5 years I believe.) During this (5 year) period, they still accrue and are paid for the 120 hours of military leave from the Tech pay system each year.
I suggest removing this entitlement for employees who voluntarily take other full-time (AGR) positions. This equates to an average between $7500 - $20,000 per instance over the 5 year span. This money can be better used to help fund a “temporary” employee to fill the position that the employee voluntarily vacated (which otherwise remains unfilled until the 5 year period is complete.)
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54 votes
As a Federal Employee I am sympathetic to the rest of the country’s economic situation and have taken the 2 year cut on our Cost of Living increase with a grain of salt, knowing ultimately we’re helping out in a small way. But I feel it is a slap in the face when the contractors in my office are granted raises because their contracts state they are entitled to receive it. Why aren’t there clauses in Federal Labor ...more »
As a Federal Employee I am sympathetic to the rest of the country’s economic situation and have taken the 2 year cut on our Cost of Living increase with a grain of salt, knowing ultimately we’re helping out in a small way. But I feel it is a slap in the face when the contractors in my office are granted raises because their contracts state they are entitled to receive it.
Why aren’t there clauses in Federal Labor Contracts that state, “When Federal Employees do not receive a Cost of Living increase an increase in pay rate will not be given to Federal Contractors”? If we all work together and in the same boat, shouldn’t we all have to bail water? This clause should be mandatory on all Federal Contracts and not be up to the COR or Agency to dictate.
The amount of money saved would be at least in the millions and possibly comparable to the savings of not granting Cost of Living increases to Federal Employees.
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24 votes
Instead of printing any Time and Attendance (TnA) document, some time even 3 sheets time 3 or 4 times (for distribution), adding any SF71 to it.... Do them electronically, store them and process them online. Some organization has and can process them via the mainframe financial institution or online secure services. There is no need to print them out, they all can be processed, verified and certified ELECTRONICALLY; ...more »
Instead of printing any Time and Attendance (TnA) document, some time even 3 sheets time 3 or 4 times (for distribution), adding any SF71 to it.... Do them electronically, store them and process them online.
Some organization has and can process them via the mainframe financial institution or online secure services.
There is no need to print them out, they all can be processed, verified and certified ELECTRONICALLY; here is the amount an employee can print every 2 weeks:
1- One copy for the employee,
2- Make another copy for the supervisor
3- And then another for the Admin or budget person to verify the entries.
4- If there is one error the cycle starts again, and you end up 2 or 3 time the initial amout printed originally.
ONE PERSON could generate 12 sheets or more just for each pay period (this assuming there is no mistake and the forms need to be printed again).... you can do the numbers, if you have 1000's employees.
Save more,,,,do less waste... Lets go paperless….
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17 votes
Place a monetary value on each hour of sick leave donated (whether direct designation or to a pool), and let the employee or new retiree take a tax credit for that tax year the sick leave was actually donated. Create and annually issue an IRS form similar to 1098-T for tuition credit…1098- SLD whatever.
6 votes
(1) Federal Payroll systems must be synchronized with the Federal Personal Services (Salaries and Benefits) budgeted in the financial systems. (2) There must be a subsytem used that allows each agency to populate the "budgteted position" of each employee, pull their grade, step, salary and benefits, by the lowest level (org code) to enable it to: (2.1) "project" salary and benefits by each employee by each Org each PPE, ...more »
(1) Federal Payroll systems must be synchronized with the Federal Personal Services (Salaries and Benefits) budgeted in the financial systems. (2) There must be a subsytem used that allows each agency to populate the "budgteted position" of each employee, pull their grade, step, salary and benefits, by the lowest level (org code) to enable it to: (2.1) "project" salary and benefits by each employee by each Org each PPE, (2.2) post the actual salary and benefits from employee to an aggregated "Org" by each PPE, (2.3) show the difference (budget to actual) by each Object Class for each employee at the lowest level and each Org at the highest level; (2.4) calculate a "burn rate" (average of the 3 preceeding PPEs) from which to "project" what the fiscal year end Personal Services Object Classes will be. (2.5) Calculate a "pay-out" (by selecting a PPE) to project the fiscal impact by Object Class if the employee leaves federal service at a specified PPE. It must apportion the "work days" of the PPEs within a month (e.g. day 1 to day 31).
This is "position based budgeting and reporting". It should be available in MAX, accesible to only the respective agencies but serve as a database in MAX so that OMB can develop some predictive models.
Working with MS Excel is 1990s technology. These current financial systems do not interchange data (payroll reconciliation with financial system data within a monthly reporting period so that you can see the detail of Salary and Benefits by position, by Object Classes, and by Org between March 1st and march 31st) so that payroll detail for March is synchronized with the financial data in the March monthly report of Personal Services.
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8 votes
$25k tops is not enough of a retirement incentive to retire as a USG senior employee. For the first half of the incentive, consider paying a certain amount of tax-free cash at upwards of $50k with $25k the floor for all eligible, and issue U.S. Government Savings Bonds at a matching dollar rate for the other half of the incentive package. Would create immediate head-space across all USG levels. Rules would include ...more »
$25k tops is not enough of a retirement incentive to retire as a USG senior employee. For the first half of the incentive, consider paying a certain amount of tax-free cash at upwards of $50k with $25k the floor for all eligible, and issue U.S. Government Savings Bonds at a matching dollar rate for the other half of the incentive package. Would create immediate head-space across all USG levels. Rules would include that retirement must occur within 1st quarter of any new FY to allow maximum recovery of salary/benefits for remainder of the FY. The agency has already received the money for a full FY…a win-win.
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63 votes
A solution to save on fuel costs would be for Institutions to use push mowers instead of gasoline operated mowers. Not only does the government save money for fuel and maintenancer, but inmates are afforded health benefits by pushing the mowers, maintaining their physical fitness. Additionally, the environmental impact is aided in less carbon emisions. The cost of a gas powered mower is around 3 to 4 times what a manual ...more »
A solution to save on fuel costs would be for Institutions to use push mowers instead of gasoline operated mowers. Not only does the government save money for fuel and maintenancer, but inmates are afforded health benefits by pushing the mowers, maintaining their physical fitness. Additionally, the environmental impact is aided in less carbon emisions. The cost of a gas powered mower is around 3 to 4 times what a manual push mower would cost. Also, the maintenance for a manual push mower is 10% of maintaining a gas powered mower.
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40 votes
With the growing number of FERS employees retiring or becoming eligible to retire, a system for checks and balances needs to be addressed to ensure retirees begin receiving their full entitlements within the first six months of retirement. This would limit the need for retirees to seek new employment and/or outside help.
21 votes
A solution to save on fuel costs would be for Institutions to use push mowers instead of gasoline operated mowers. Not only does the government save money for fuel and maintenancer, but inmates are afforded health benefits by pushing the mowers, maintaining their physical fitness. Additionally, the environmental impact is aided in less carbon emisions.
76 votes
Welfare recipients should be required to perform 25 hours of community service each week in order to be eligible for welfare benefits.
This could be very beneficial to communities. One of the biggest complaints against our current welfare system is that people receive free money without contributing anything to society.
14 votes
Equipment CONSOLIDATION and Re-UTILIZATION First come first served. Someone’s trash or excess is someone’s treasure (items needed for another office / or site.) We need to start sharing our knowledge of what we have in excess and what we can donate, exchange, or give away; this could be done within the organization we all resides / or working with…. 1- Each department can provide an equipment list of excess, unused ...more »
Equipment CONSOLIDATION and Re-UTILIZATION First come first served.
Someone’s trash or excess is someone’s treasure (items needed for another office / or site.)
We need to start sharing our knowledge of what we have in excess and what we can donate, exchange, or give away; this could be done within the organization we all resides / or working with….
1- Each department can provide an equipment list of excess, unused or not desire equipment.
2- This list can be consolidated as a good faith estimate for property disposal - but not to be disposed of as scrap or as unserviceable items to your local supply or DRMO (Demilitarized Reutilization Marketing Office) or via disposition under form SF120, or disposal of to “Area 51.”
3- Have 2 Goods-Assets Offices (a logistics office or a Central point of distribution):
a- a Non-Information Technology (IT) or Office Furniture -- Have an office to store or coordinate the excess of furniture equipment - for utilization whiting the Agency; and after 6 or 12 moths the equipment can go on a SF120 for other agencies to take advantage.
b- An Information Technology Equipment -- Have an Office in charge of reporting all of the excess Information Technology Equipment. There is so many unopened or boxed up electronic equipment, cables, parts, magnetic media, ect out there that it can be realigned.
Example 1 --- Maybe someone has a piece of switch / router equipment, or let said a Printer or keyboard, for example it could be transferred to someone in needs of printers or networking communication equipment. And this could start within the office Organization. The cost related to this scenario; as stated before someone needs a $25,000 or $65,000 Cisco 4600 Switch with 192 Giga-Ethernet ports and fiber ports. The equipment could be transferred to the office needing the upgrade without the need of spending almost $80,000 on Switches and this kind of sort of equipment.
Example 2 --- Someone is conducting a program and there is a project of changing cables on the switches and converting this old Cat5 to Cat6 cabling, because the new technology is booming and the office is going to have Voice-over-IP technology. There was an office down the street that has excess of Cat6 cables and connectors sitting in a corner for the last 2 years. The IT Office Reutilization tapped and has the knowledge of this equipment, and then the Cable could be transferred to the NEW Project office for optimizing the network with Voice-over-IP system. The cost scenario here, someone needs 300 patch cables at approximately $15.00 a piece. The total here is $4,500 in just cables (upgrading the infrastructure to CAT6 only.)
Remember some of this part can last a long time; cables, parts, magnetic media (usually this magnetic storage media is good for 30 or 40 years.)
The question is: How many of you have some of them, knowingly that someone could benefit from it.
see other ideas here:
http://governmentreform.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Wind-turbine-and-Solar-Panels/122931-13060
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14 votes
$25k tops is not enough of a retirement incentive to retire as a USG senior employee. For the first half of the incentive, consider paying a certain amount of tax-free cash at upwards of $50k with $25k the floor for all eligible, and issue U.S. Government Savings Bonds at a matching dollar rate for the other half of the incentive package. Would create immediate head-space across all USG levels. Rules would include ...more »
$25k tops is not enough of a retirement incentive to retire as a USG senior employee. For the first half of the incentive, consider paying a certain amount of tax-free cash at upwards of $50k with $25k the floor for all eligible, and issue U.S. Government Savings Bonds at a matching dollar rate for the other half of the incentive package. Would create immediate head-space across all USG levels. Rules would include that retirement must occur within 1st quarter of any new FY to allow maximum recovery of salary/benefits for remainder of the FY. The agency has already received the money for a full FY…a win-win.
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19 votes
All will be surprised how much savings (and equity) can be brought when a little light is shined through mandatory, intra-agency, by-name posting/notification on all awards, promotions, bonuses, incentives, etc., etc., financial and otherwise, on at least a quarterly basis.
24 votes
Pay retirement incentives to already eligible (or within 1 year) similar to most Fortune-500 companies, i.e., $2k for each year of service or 75% of annual salary, etc., plus $25k tax-free kicker whatever. Would create immediate head-space across all USG levels. Rules would include that retirement must occur within 1st quarter of any new FY to allow maximum recovery of salary/benefits for remainder of the FY. The agency ...more »
Pay retirement incentives to already eligible (or within 1 year) similar to most Fortune-500 companies, i.e., $2k for each year of service or 75% of annual salary, etc., plus $25k tax-free kicker whatever. Would create immediate head-space across all USG levels. Rules would include that retirement must occur within 1st quarter of any new FY to allow maximum recovery of salary/benefits for remainder of the FY. The agency has already received the money for a full FY…a win-win.
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14 votes
I am bringing this idea because I have seen government electric bills running too high- exceeding the $15,000 per month average for a 30,000 to 40,000 sq. ft. building. The current setting for government office air conditioning (AC) is set too low. Some offices have the AC too low in summer and too high in winter. Employees have to wear jackets in the summer at the offices and remove their sweater or dress coat in winter ...more »
I am bringing this idea because I have seen government electric bills running too high- exceeding the $15,000 per month average for a 30,000 to 40,000 sq. ft. building.
The current setting for government office air conditioning (AC) is set too low. Some offices have the AC too low in summer and too high in winter. Employees have to wear jackets in the summer at the offices and remove their sweater or dress coat in winter because the heat setting is too high.
Even today, in these days, the civilian and local business offices have controlled their HVAC to appropriate temperature without affecting operation.
Here is how to save energy and government funds by controlling the AC / Heating (HVAC) temperature and cutting off one hour of AC/Heating a day. When the operation of the office is not a 24/7 operation, the HVAC could even be turned off for 3 to 4 hours at night and /or Saturday, Sunday and holidays. The energy consumption would drop, thus savings in the energy bill would be reflected dramatically. This technique has been tested by some public energy services in different cities across the nation.
My recommendation is to have this tested at different government offices at different zoning areas and analyze the trend and production when controlling the AC and heating to different moderate temperatures. Below is a check list with some but not limited key points:
1—Set AC to 79 -81 degrees in summer or very warm temperatures.
2 – Set heat to 69-70 degrees in winter or very cool temperatures.
3 – Provide 1 hour per day to turn off the HVAC for major consumption areas. Some energy companies offer these services in exchange for a new remote control thermostat. Why not bring this to the government buildings?
4 – Turn off HVAC system for 3 to 4 hours at night for offices that are not 24/7 and 16 hours for Saturday, Sunday and holidays on offices that are not 24/7/365.
5 – Power buildings to high temperature cooling system and to low temperature heating system when building is not occupied.
6 - Ensure computers and LAN rooms (requiring a colder environment) operate on a dedicated AC unit system. These areas may be excluded for the 1 hour power-off – energy saving program.
See other ideas.
http://governmentreform.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Wind-turbine-and-Solar-Panels/122931-13060
http://governmentreform.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Equipment-CONSOLIDATION-and-ReUTILIZATION/123337-13060
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