OMB has issued a memo calling on agencies to implement a series of immediate, concrete changes to address simple inefficiencies identified in over 38,000 submissions as part of its SAVE award program.
The winner of the contest was Nancy Fichtner, a fiscal program support clerk at the Department of Veterans Affairs who proposed to allow veterans leaving VA hospitals to be able to take the medication they have been using home with them instead of it being thrown away upon discharge.
Her idea has been included in the fiscal 2011 budget proposal, and now OMB wants agencies to put into practice countless other ideas born from every day work routines.
Those include phasing out paper pay stubs. It said many workers expressed concern about the costs associated with paper pay stubs, such as printing, shipping, and distributing.
Agencies offering SmartTrip benefits should begin a communications campaign to encourage employees not to claim monthly benefits if, during a particular period of time, they have a balance that is sufficient for the coming month.
Each agency should identify at least two areas where efficiency and citizens’ access could be improved through the use of online technology.
Within 60 days, all agencies should report to OMB with their findings and with a plan for implementing their recommended changes, the memo said.