Save Award 2010 Legislative Branch

Review all Federal computer programs. Many do not work are inefficient and difficult to navigate even for a computer person. This wastes huge tax dollars and is completely frustrating. Examples: NPS IDEAS, antiquated, poorly designed and locks up often.

Review purchasing protocol. Now to purchase something it must be submitted in PMIS, then re-entered in IDEAS. Even worse, If it is facility related you must enter it... more »

I suggest you reduce the amount of energy used. In the summer we freeze with the air conditioning and in the winter the heat is very high. Heaters are run in summer due to the air conditioners being so cold. Lights should not be left on in bathrooms when not in use. Halls should not be lit during daylight if sufficient light is coming in from outside. This should happen year round and not just during emergency situations... more »

Remove every other fluorescent light tube and cut your electricity use for lighting in half!

I feel that the Government spend too much money on different studies: an example would be the study on teenage pregnancy, why people live below proverty it's just wasteful money that could be used else where. So I guess my idea is to stop wasting money on these useless studies that we alreday know the answer to the question.

Convert federal employees health, vacation, sick-leave, transit subsidies, and other non-pension benefits to a cafeteria plan that allows employees to select the benefits that best meet their needs, and in exchange, reduce the total dollar value of benefits by 15 percent.

Please fund the USGS Publications Group (PG) (a name that probably has changed again) for their editorial prowess. For some years PG has derived it's funding directly from editing USGS papers. This has been one of the worse management mistakes in my 27 years as a research geologist. It seems sometimes that they must scramble for funding with the result that informal data releases can take as long to publish as formal... more »

I suggest one log in for the day would open all programs on your computer instead of 50 ID's and PW. I have atleast five ID's and PW's for GSA program alone. Lock computer when not in use to prevent unlawful use.

Make staircases easier to locate for visitors to large office buildings. When I visit the Forrestal Building I have more trouble locating the staircases than the elevators so I generally take the elevators. I suggest a drop down sign from each Exit sign located next to the staircase. The sign could be a simple line graphic of a staircase and it would be easy to spot down long hallways.

Instruct the United States Senate Disbursing office to stop mailing pay statements to people. Allow online viewing options. Offer opt outs for those not tech savvy. Twice monthly these are sent out, unnecessary costs wasted for postage.

Some of the office buildings in the Congress are using energy to light hallways and walkways that are lit by a multitude of windows. The Hart Building being one. The walkways are lit no matter whether the sun is shining or not. Major energy waster.

I suggest we replace $1 notes with $1 coins, or at last enforce true 50/50 co-circulation. The enabling law and infrastructure already exist, so it would be easy to implement, but it needs Administration support to help the American people overcome familiar, entrenched behavior. A pilot study in late 2008 showed that when people understood the benefits -- $1 coins are durable and last for decades, they are 100% recyclable,... more »

I suggest that the Government cancel all Blackberry's services that have been issued to non-senior (SES) employees. This would save the Government money.

Contractor services have outgrown their efficiencies at EROS. Many positions filled by contractors are so specialized they should be transitioned to government positions. Overall contract costs at this facility are higher than 61% of dollars spent while government staff are 17% of costs. In 2007 a review eliminated a contract employing 11 contractors and the same work is being done by five new government staff at a... more »

Require that all government employees turn off their computers at night, except when backups are being run. Or at least shut down computers on the weekends. Of course, those computers that collect data through the night would be exceptions. Thank you.

remove / disable all seperator pages from the network printers and copiers, this would save an inordiante amount of paper