Persuade China to allow its currency to appreciate
The U.S. needs to do more to get China to stop manipulating its currency or threaten to do the same to ours.
Browse Ideas with tag 'productivity':
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This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »2 comments for Idea: Persuade China to allow its currency to appreciate -
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This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »Take adantage of lower value dollar to jumpstart manufacturing
Add your comment for Idea: Take adantage of lower value dollar to jumpstart manufacturingAmerica can use the lower dollar to her advantage and with the right incentives for business become a manufacturing giant again.
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54 votes
This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »Keep this website open year round
1 comment for Idea: Keep this website open year roundKeep this website open and collect ideas routinely.
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This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »Competitiveness - Tax incentive to create new export item
1 comment for Idea: Competitiveness - Tax incentive to create new export itemHelp U.S. companies expand into international markets with products slated to be exported by giving them tax breaks. Even it is a new break even the jobs alone help the United States and establish better reputation for "Made in America" products.
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20 votes
This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »Tourism - Market the U.S. overseas as a great place to visit
2 comments for Idea: Tourism - Market the U.S. overseas as a great place to visitThe dollar is low and now is the best time to lure Europeans, Middle easterners, and Asians to America for their vacations.
I have not seen much of this but it would help the U.S. Economy.
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18 votes
This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »Nuclear and green energy - so more dollars go into economy
11 comments for Idea: Nuclear and green energy - so more dollars go into economyIt 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!
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68 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Share savings with employees as motivation
2 comments for Idea: Share savings with employees as motivationCreate bonus structures tied to agency goals.
Example: Share budget saving with employees. If agency ABC comes in under budget, share 5% of that amount with employees in the form of a bonus.
There are disconnects between agency initiatives, and the reality of how they are achieved. Rewards should be tied to the bottom line, not the short sighted initiative.
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12 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Upgrade to productivity-enhancing calendar and email systems
My agency at least is using antiquated computer productivity systems---or I should say, there is a lack of the modern applications and systems that make using computers efficient and make collaboration easy, resulting in productivity loss. My calendar does not talk to my email system which does not talk to my Blackberry which does not talk to my travel laptop. I can't have a contacts list common to all these systems, ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Upgrade to productivity-enhancing calendar and email systemsMy agency at least is using antiquated computer productivity systems---or I should say, there is a lack of the modern applications and systems that make using computers efficient and make collaboration easy, resulting in productivity loss.
My calendar does not talk to my email system which does not talk to my Blackberry which does not talk to my travel laptop. I can't have a contacts list common to all these systems, forcing me to waste hours (literally) of time every week looking through email chains to find either the right email reference from a calendar event, or the right email address on my computer to transfer by hand to my Blackberry. Online access to email when away from the office is circa 1995.
Also, available modern applications such as action trackers and collaborative document editing systems are simply not available. Hence, preferred methods for achieving what could all be done online or through a shared network instead involve printing.
This problem may be related to another comment already in this system about training older employees in how to effectively use technology. I get the feeling that these problems have not been addressed because many managers don't understand how much better productivity could be if basic computing issues were resolved; computers need not be constant headaches!
Perhaps what is necessary is a government-wide initiative to modernize its computer systems.
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101 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Part-time Employment Opportunities
3 comments for Idea: Part-time Employment OpportunitiesEncourage part-time employment opportunities and other family friendly policies. Allow Federal employees to work a 32 hour week (with a 20% pay & benefit cut). Working parents need more time with their families, and providing an option to work less would improve moral, increase productivity, and provide more jobs!
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36 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Scanning instead of shipping
3 comments for Idea: Scanning instead of shippingMSHA field offices on a daily basis mail reports into district offices and could save considerable shipping money and trees by purchasing adequate scanners to scan reports in. Then reports could be emailed or put onto a shared drive. Many of the reports are several hundred pages long and the pages come from multiple sources so a PDF file would not work easily for this.
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48 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Monitors - Extend life for replacements - Saves 1 Billion USD!
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 »
12 comments for Idea: Monitors - Extend life for replacements - Saves 1 Billion USD!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!
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182 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »GS 9 and Above should be required to pass proficiency tests
Federal employees should be required to take and pass a proficiency test for composition and writing skills as well as basic math skills for any promotion over the GS-9 level. This would make selecting the best person for the job far easier and more fair. It would increase productivity and efficiency and you could actually do more with less! Far too many federal employees (even with a college degree) are functionally ...more »
27 comments for Idea: GS 9 and Above should be required to pass proficiency testsFederal employees should be required to take and pass a proficiency test for composition and writing skills as well as basic math skills for any promotion over the GS-9 level. This would make selecting the best person for the job far easier and more fair. It would increase productivity and efficiency and you could actually do more with less! Far too many federal employees (even with a college degree) are functionally illiterate. When asked to produce written work it often must be re-done by another employee. Eventually, the functionally illiterate employee is not asked to complete that sort of work. This puts an unfair burden on other employees who must make up for his lack of skill and work twice as hard. As well as using twice the manpower than it should, is a morale breaker and makes it more difficult and time consuming to get a product out. This would not apply to mentally challenged individuals.
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180 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Reduce the number of contract positions in federal agencies
More and more positions are being filled with contract employees in order for agencies to be able to show a reduction in the number of government hires. Unfortunately, the cost to the tax payer for contract employees is, in most cases, significantly higher than for a government employee in the same position. Contract fees are exorbitantly high. I have seen fees upwards of 60% in my agency...i.e., for a contract employee ...more »
10 comments for Idea: Reduce the number of contract positions in federal agenciesMore and more positions are being filled with contract employees in order for agencies to be able to show a reduction in the number of government hires. Unfortunately, the cost to the tax payer for contract employees is, in most cases, significantly higher than for a government employee in the same position. Contract fees are exorbitantly high. I have seen fees upwards of 60% in my agency...i.e., for a contract employee being paid a salary of $50,000, the additional fees run around $30,000
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37 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Telework Rated with Agency/Local Head Job Performance
Teleworking should be incorporated into each agency head's performance rating, and be transferred down to the sub-agency heads in states and other locales. There's a law, and regulation, but it seems as though if the process isn't truly forced to be used, it won't be. Say if we have zero people teleworking out of 100, and 100 are position eligible and person eligible, place in the locale agency head's performance goals ...more »
4 comments for Idea: Telework Rated with Agency/Local Head Job PerformanceTeleworking should be incorporated into each agency head's performance rating, and be transferred down to the sub-agency heads in states and other locales. There's a law, and regulation, but it seems as though if the process isn't truly forced to be used, it won't be. Say if we have zero people teleworking out of 100, and 100 are position eligible and person eligible, place in the locale agency head's performance goals that this year 20% telework, and increase it yearly until there is a certain percentage on normal telework schedules (say, just for example, 70% on normal telework schedules)
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11 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Move the fiscal year start back to July 1
Move the fiscal year start back to July 1. This could be implemented by 2012, by shortening FY 2012 by three months. When the fiscal year end was moved to September 30, one goal and selling point was to give Congress more time to act on appropriation and reduce the need for continuing resolutions. This goal has rarely been achieved. The action failed to produce a favorable outcome and it is time we try a new (old) ...more »
1 comment for Idea: Move the fiscal year start back to July 1Move the fiscal year start back to July 1. This could be implemented by 2012, by shortening FY 2012 by three months.
When the fiscal year end was moved to September 30, one goal and selling point was to give Congress more time to act on appropriation and reduce the need for continuing resolutions. This goal has rarely been achieved. The action failed to produce a favorable outcome and it is time we try a new (old) strategy.
By shortening the amount of time between the release of the President’s budget request and the start of the fiscal year, it might actual help focus and shorten the discussion on appropriation actions.
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8 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Workflow Issues
The National Weather Service utilizes EMRS (Engineering Management Reporting System) for workflow management at the field level. It is a bit Archaic but works. Due to its archaic nature Regional Headquarters does not use it , but they must require their field units to use it. It would make sense for the field to be able to issue requests through this system. We are already required to monitor it daily. Many times ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Workflow IssuesThe National Weather Service utilizes EMRS (Engineering Management Reporting System) for workflow management at the field level. It is a bit Archaic but works. Due to its archaic nature Regional Headquarters does not use it , but they must require their field units to use it. It would make sense for the field to be able to issue requests through this system. We are already required to monitor it daily. Many times we must request facilities, IT, and/or hardware issues assistance that requires regional action or authority. This sometimes involves leaving messages, following up with emails, and trying to determine exactly who needs to be contacted for the issue to be resolved. In this process confusion about who was left responsible or how something should be paid for is at issue. They have a Facility Request System, but it is only to be used in certain circumstances which are usually budget related. By CRH personnel using EMRS, we would all have one place to go to request, assign and monitor work assignments. This would result in fewer phone calls and eliminate wondering if your request is being addressed. If a new system is adopted, we all should be able to migrate to it.
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13 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Stop the out-of-control creation and growth of multiple layers i
New job positions and new “teams” are constantly being created in administration, and are usually filled by promoting current admin staff. The justification is that these new positions and “teams” are needed in order to provide more efficient and higher quality service. Our experience has been that the level of service, efficiency and common sense all decline with the addition of each layer in the review/approval process ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Stop the out-of-control creation and growth of multiple layers iNew job positions and new “teams” are constantly being created in administration, and are usually filled by promoting current admin staff. The justification is that these new positions and “teams” are needed in order to provide more efficient and higher quality service. Our experience has been that the level of service, efficiency and common sense all decline with the addition of each layer in the review/approval process for personnel, travel, purchasing, and other actions. With each added team or “specialist” comes more micromanaging, more time required for each action because of more opinions as to interpretation of regulations and requirements. Seven or so years ago, our personnel and travel packages for the most part were submitted through our AO and, if more approval was required, on to the next person for final approval. Now, our actions are fine-tooth-combed by Admin Tech, then AO, then on to at least one (but usually many more) ‘team’ who each go over it again and require their own changes/additions based on personal interpretation of guidance more often than not. The addition of these layers has also created an atmosphere of folks feeling defensive and protective of their job duties....because the positions were created unnecessarily and the duties overlap with other positions, which causes a good deal of stepping on toes, duplication of effort, and frustration.
Removing the unnecessary layers, returning to a simpler process, encouraging the use of common sense, I believe can save both money and time.
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216 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Expand Telework to Full (or near-full) Time, Reduce Office Space
Telework should be the norm on a daily basis, where possible. Those who have responsibilities that require limited office interaction should be able to reserve and utilize temporary office space. Only those who must routinely use the office should have permanent space. This will allow the following: (1) Reduction in government office space (and associated rents, utilities, office supplies). (2) Reduction in transportation ...more »
17 comments for Idea: Expand Telework to Full (or near-full) Time, Reduce Office SpaceTelework should be the norm on a daily basis, where possible. Those who have responsibilities that require limited office interaction should be able to reserve and utilize temporary office space. Only those who must routinely use the office should have permanent space. This will allow the following:
(1) Reduction in government office space (and associated rents, utilities, office supplies).
(2) Reduction in transportation allowances.
(3) Reduction in COLA pay, as those who are capable of full-time telework could work from anywhere, including low-COL locations.
(4) More qualified workforce -- as qualified applicants who otherwise would be unable or unwilling to relocate to the vicinity of a specific office would still be able to secure the job and successfully function.
(5) Robustness -- A distributed government workforce would be less vulnerable to terrorist attacks, weather, disasters, and other external threats that might otherwise interrupt government service.
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9 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Create a Comprehensive Communication Plan for government
Successful companies create plans for their various communications. Each aspect of a given communication -- the sender, the message, the channel, and the receiver of the communication -- is analyzed and a plan for greatest effectiveness is written and promulgated. Communication schedules are created to avoid panic and firedrills; effective channels are identified and perfected; receivers of communication (target audiences) ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Create a Comprehensive Communication Plan for governmentSuccessful companies create plans for their various communications. Each aspect of a given communication -- the sender, the message, the channel, and the receiver of the communication -- is analyzed and a plan for greatest effectiveness is written and promulgated. Communication schedules are created to avoid panic and firedrills; effective channels are identified and perfected; receivers of communication (target audiences) are identified, analyzed, and a plan to reach them most effectively is created.
All aspects of communication are included -- internal, external, crisis, media relations, reports, legal filings, etc. Plans are made for receiving communications and dealing with them effectively. With a proper plan, no agency should ever receive important information and leave it on somebody's desk because there's no process in place. Inter-agency processes and channels are created and made efficient.
A well-devised comprehensive communication plan makes any entity more efficient, more responsive, and better prepared for emergencies.
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19 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Social Security Statements Should Not Be Sent Annually
Why kill trees? Paper eliminates forests and costs alot of money to produce. Social Security Administration is wasting millions of dollars sending annual statements to everyone. Although the earnings records and future projections of Retirement Benefits, Disability Benefits, and Survivors Benefits are informative, it is wasteful to prepare, print and mail individual statements every year. In addition to the retirement ...more »
3 comments for Idea: Social Security Statements Should Not Be Sent AnnuallyWhy kill trees? Paper eliminates forests and costs alot of money to produce.
Social Security Administration is wasting millions of dollars sending annual statements to everyone. Although the earnings records and future projections of Retirement Benefits, Disability Benefits, and Survivors Benefits are informative, it is wasteful to prepare, print and mail individual statements every year.
In addition to the retirement projections, another objective for SSA was to be "customer friendly" and allow participants to review their earnings data to determine its accuracy.
The earliest retirement benefit commences at age 62. Disability or survivors benefits are available in certain circumstances, but annually the projections do not materially change.
Therefore, I recommend that SSA prepare and mail these Statements less frequently, such as: for individuals less than 35 years old, every 5 years; for individuals between 35 and 55 years old, every 3 years; and then annually after age 55. Retirement planning is most relevant as one gets closer to this event. Also consider making this information available to beneficiaries electronically, in a secure way, similar to internet banking.
Recordkeeping may be important, but someone 25 years of age, who has a retirement horizon so far in the future, should be able to verify their earnings data once in 5 years.
This would benefit to the government greatly, in the form of savings for computer processing, paper, printing and mailing costs, in addition to the manpower costs.
Just imagine the millions of dollars that could be saved. The government will be more efficient, with no negative consequences to individuals, and at the same time we are saving trees.
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55 votes
This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »Give teleworkers option to move to to lower cost localities
So many more people could telework full time than do telework full time. If the government mandated telework for all who qualified and then offered opportunities to staff to move to less expensive locality pay areas the salary and benefits savings could be devoted to decreasing the deficit/federal budget size, buying needed IT infrastructure to support full time telework and supporting travel as needed for important face ...more »
3 comments for Idea: Give teleworkers option to move to to lower cost localitiesSo many more people could telework full time than do telework full time. If the government mandated telework for all who qualified and then offered opportunities to staff to move to less expensive locality pay areas the salary and benefits savings could be devoted to decreasing the deficit/federal budget size, buying needed IT infrastructure to support full time telework and supporting travel as needed for important face to face meetings. Also this "diaspora" of feds would increase readiness of the Federal Government in the event of a disaster or terrorism striking the DC Metro area. There is absolutely no reason why NIH program and grants management needs to be in Bethesda. Employees in these positions should be given carte blanche over managing their travel budgets and time and attendence as long as the jobs get done via the "Best Buy" model which is being tested at the OPM. The government could mandate certain locations as priority zones based on airfairs and underutilized routes to DC.
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6 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »IPACs - Obligating Document Number, PO Number
Add fields on the IPAC form for Obligating Document number of the recipient and Purchase Order Number of the recipient. Perhaps we could all (government-wide) better streamline all of our financial systems if could put information relevant to both agencies (sender and recipient) on all IPACs. If those fields were required, perhaps we could automate a bill matching function better and save everyone in finance centers some ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: IPACs - Obligating Document Number, PO NumberAdd fields on the IPAC form for Obligating Document number of the recipient and Purchase Order Number of the recipient. Perhaps we could all (government-wide) better streamline all of our financial systems if could put information relevant to both agencies (sender and recipient) on all IPACs. If those fields were required, perhaps we could automate a bill matching function better and save everyone in finance centers some time. Saving time saves money.
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10 votes
This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »UNICOR
Numerous UNICOR's have been shut down in Federal Prisons across the country. Inmates need to learn job skills while incarcerated to prepare them for release. UNICOR's are a great avenue to teach skills and to keep inmates busy. This is cost effective labor and the goverment needs to shift more product to inmate workers. These potential products could used by many goverment agencies as well as the military at a low ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: UNICORNumerous UNICOR's have been shut down in Federal Prisons across the country. Inmates need to learn job skills while incarcerated to prepare them for release. UNICOR's are a great avenue to teach skills and to keep inmates busy. This is cost effective labor and the goverment needs to shift more product to inmate workers. These potential products could used by many goverment agencies as well as the military at a low costs.
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12 votes
This idea is active.Ideas to Make Other Parts of Government More Efficient and Effective »Define Bounds of Government by the US Constitution
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 »
4 comments for Idea: Define Bounds of Government by the US ConstitutionWhat 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.
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6 votes
This idea is active.Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »Unattained Human Capital
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 »
2 comments for Idea: Unattained Human CapitalSince 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.
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