18 votes
It is about time the U.S. invest in all power sources. Wind, solar, AND nuclear power are a must. By increasing supply the cost will go down allowing more dollars into the economy and more jobs. With huge increases in energy and health care costs how is the nation ever going to recover!
11 votes
The overall competitiveness of the United States is based upon our ability to constantly innovate in all areas of technology. Advancements in technology lead to increased efficiency and quality of life for every American. We've all heard of Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and Steve Jobs. Their ideas have changed the very nature of the world we live in. But their ideas would have fallen on deaf ears without information ...more »
The overall competitiveness of the United States is based upon our ability to constantly innovate in all areas of technology. Advancements in technology lead to increased efficiency and quality of life for every American.
We've all heard of Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and Steve Jobs. Their ideas have changed the very nature of the world we live in. But their ideas would have fallen on deaf ears without information essential to protecting their ideas.
My idea is to set aside a portion of every patent filing and maintenance fee for the establishment of independent inventor workshops. These workshops would provide information on the patent application process and show potential inventors (people with ideas) how they can focus, protect and market their ideas to America and the world. The workshops, held at USPTO depository libraries (there is one in almost every state), would also provide counseling by experienced patent professionals in both the public and private sector (pro bono).
Ideas are the heartblood of the American economy, but those with ideas need information to make those ideas real.
« less full details »
48 votes
Intro: Every federal employee loves when the IT guys says " you are getting a new computer" - which in many agencies means a laptop. This happens every three years and it is time. Three years of use at 40 hours a week and newer programs on dated technology are a problem - but why the new monitor? I have seen the property book and what they cost and been involved in "excessing" the old ones that all work fine. Do ...more »
Intro: Every federal employee loves when the IT guys says " you are getting a new computer" - which in many agencies means a laptop. This happens every three years and it is time. Three years of use at 40 hours a week and newer programs on dated technology are a problem - but why the new monitor? I have seen the property book and what they cost and been involved in "excessing" the old ones that all work fine. Do you replace yours at home every three years?
My Suggestion: Change the lifecycle from 3 to five years for flat screen monitors. From years 0 to 3 they can be supported under the help desk agreements or warranties and from 3 to 5 years if they have a problem they are replaced.
2.15 million Federal works x $175 per monitor (I am low balling here) = $376,250,000 every three years or $125,416,667 per year. If it was 5 years it would be $75,250,000 per year and a savings of $50,166,667 per year! Over 20 years the savings is $1,003,333,340 - that is over a BILLION dollars for such a simple change.
Impact: None. All federal employees still have a monitor. No loss in services!
« less full details »
14 votes
This contract should be competed like any other. KBR is raking in the dough at USG expense, and there are cheaper, equally secure options. KBR rates are crazy expensive. They have no/no motive to lower their costs since there is no/no competition for their sole-source contract with DOD.
6 votes
Develop products for world trade that are tied to/compliment other products that are heavily traded in the world marketplace.
19 votes
Stop relying solely on years and/or age for retirement. I cannot determine how many hours that I have to work each week. My job requires me to work between 60 and 84 hours per week, every week depending on need. I cannot elect to work fewer hours. How many hours should a person have to work in order to reach retirement? Others work 40 hours or less per week. Why should the number of years of service be the factor to determine ...more »
Stop relying solely on years and/or age for retirement. I cannot determine how many hours that I have to work each week. My job requires me to work between 60 and 84 hours per week, every week depending on need. I cannot elect to work fewer hours. How many hours should a person have to work in order to reach retirement? Others work 40 hours or less per week. Why should the number of years of service be the factor to determine when a person reaches retirement rather than the actual amount of real time spent working? Allow a person to reach retirement earlier than is presently the norm based on required hours of service. Efficiencies and effectiveness of the workforce, including health, would improve and costs diminish.
« less full details »
258 votes
We buy computers from Dell. Each computer comes with a license from Microsoft. (Sticker with license key) We then buy an Enterprise license to install Windows (any version) on that computer. Dell sells computers without Windows. We can buy our computers without Microsoft licenses, and then install our Enterprise software. (Volume Licensing) We never use the preinstalled version, and we never use the license key we pay ...more »
We buy computers from Dell. Each computer comes with a license from Microsoft. (Sticker with license key) We then buy an Enterprise license to install Windows (any version) on that computer. Dell sells computers without Windows. We can buy our computers without Microsoft licenses, and then install our Enterprise software. (Volume Licensing)
We never use the preinstalled version, and we never use the license key we pay for that comes with the computer. Currently, Microsoft gets payment for two copies of Windows for every computer we purchase.
We can save millions across the government.
« less full details »
11 votes
Laboratory sample boxes which are expensive to dispatch from labs to inspected facilities and back again are often going back and forth both empty and unnecessarily. There could be better communication among multiple labs (overlap/duplication?) to stop sending cumbersome boxes after a sampling set has been completed. Additionally, I have seen the request and fulfilled obligation to FedEx numerous large boxes from a ...more »
Laboratory sample boxes which are expensive to dispatch from labs to inspected facilities and back again are often going back and forth both empty and unnecessarily. There could be better communication among multiple labs (overlap/duplication?) to stop sending cumbersome boxes after a sampling set has been completed. Additionally, I have seen the request and fulfilled obligation to FedEx numerous large boxes from a plant where they are no longer needed back to the lab, only to have the lab send the boxes all back to the same plant! Why even send the boxes back to the lab when the boxes could be sent directly from the plant not needing them to a plant that needs them. I believe that only sending requested materials rather than arbitrarily sending supplies could save a ton of money, time, and effort.
« less full details »
12 votes
What is and what has become "government business"? Trim that which is outside of the parameters of the intended design and purpose of the US government and restore the rights of the people to pursue happiness, live, and have liberty. Many have come to realize the multiple burdensome costs of slipping from constitutionality. Funding cowboy poetry or abortions does not form a more perfect Union or promote the general Welfare ...more »
What is and what has become "government business"? Trim that which is outside of the parameters of the intended design and purpose of the US government and restore the rights of the people to pursue happiness, live, and have liberty. Many have come to realize the multiple burdensome costs of slipping from constitutionality. Funding cowboy poetry or abortions does not form a more perfect Union or promote the general Welfare or secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity in an indebted nation.
« less full details »
6 votes
Since 1995, US State Department records indicate that international adoptions by Americans had increased more than 140 percent. Couples often cited the lack of American babies as the reason for adopting from abroad. The above is from the article Born in America, adopted abroad; found at http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1027/p11s01-lifp.html We are violating our US Constitution by killing humans in the womb. The infringement ...more »
Since 1995, US State Department records indicate that international adoptions by Americans had increased more than 140 percent. Couples often cited the lack of American babies as the reason for adopting from abroad. The above is from the article Born in America, adopted abroad; found at http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1027/p11s01-lifp.html
We are violating our US Constitution by killing humans in the womb. The infringement on life has led to manifold deficits in USA including unrealized human capital. The dead cannot compete. I suggest we restore protection of the right to life for all in society which includes the unborn.
« less full details »
28 votes
Revisit and adopt more of the 18,000 plus ideas submitted in the 2010 SAVE Award campaign. Multiple blogs and idea submitting plans under different titles such as Cultural Transformation, Cost Savings, SAVE Award, etc. are good ideas for gathering good ideas, but create additional areas of overlap and duplication within our government.
18 votes
Save travel costs, energy costs, and increase health of federal employees by providing the option for low-cost non-motorized transportation reimbursements rather than only providing the current high cost motorized vehicle use rates. If, as an example, just a couple percent of federal employees would use bicycles that could be reimbursed at 10 cents per mile instead of 50 cents/mile for automobile use – much would be saved ...more »
Save travel costs, energy costs, and increase health of federal employees by providing the option for low-cost non-motorized transportation reimbursements rather than only providing the current high cost motorized vehicle use rates. If, as an example, just a couple percent of federal employees would use bicycles that could be reimbursed at 10 cents per mile instead of 50 cents/mile for automobile use – much would be saved annually in various monetary/environmental/energy/sedentary costs associated with exclusive motorized vehicle usage. Those employees that are eligible for patrol assignment home to home reimbursements have a good opportunity to benefit the taxpayer (including self) and the environment by using non-motorized transport between home and duty station.
« less full details »
111 votes
Instead of having ideas submitted like this once a year, why not have this website operational year round? Employees a bound to come up with similar ideas during other parts of the year but have no way to submit them.
24 votes
In our haste to cut spending and increase the efficiency of our government, let's not lose sight of the value of providing quality education to all of our citizens. The cost of university education is moving out of reach to all but the wealthy, but many of our citizens of modest means are bright, creative, and full of ambition. Let's not waste this resource by making it harder for all of our citizens to easily access ...more »
In our haste to cut spending and increase the efficiency of our government, let's not lose sight of the value of providing quality education to all of our citizens. The cost of university education is moving out of reach to all but the wealthy, but many of our citizens of modest means are bright, creative, and full of ambition. Let's not waste this resource by making it harder for all of our citizens to easily access education that will keep us competitive in the future. The education given to Americans in the wake of WWII resulted in the greatest increase in prosperity in history.
« less full details »
