White House launches third annual SAVE awards

The White House on Thursday announced it is accepting cost-cutting ideas for the third annual Securing Americans Value and Efficiency awards.

Part of the Obama administration's Campaign to Cut Waste, the contest allows federal employees to send in their proposals to improve government operations. After the submission deadline of July 29, employees will cast their votes for their favorites, the administration will select four finalists and then the general public will pick the winning proposal. The winner will meet with President Obama to discuss his or her idea. "We know that federal employees like you know the most about how government works -- and in some cases, doesn't work as efficiently as it should," Vice President Joe Biden said in an email to 2009 and 2010 contest participants.

Last year's winning idea to end automatic delivery of hard copies of the Federal Register was chosen from 18,000 submissions by federal employees nationwide.

Although there is only one winner, many of the submissions are put to good use. Earlier this month, an Office of Management and Budget memorandum directed chief financial officers to review and rank SAVE award ideas submitted for their respective agencies. OMB estimates that President Obama included approximately 40 ideas in his budget proposals for the past two years.

Ideas can be submitted through the White House website.