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IDEAS save money, award Air Force employees

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE --  They said, "Show us a better way" and Team Tinker did.
   "They" are Innovative Development through Employee Awareness, or IDEA, program analysts and points of contact. Since 1995, Air Force employees -- civilians and military -- have submitted process improvement and resource savings ideas through the program. In fiscal 2007, Tinker submitted 368 ideas.
   "The IDEA program helps everyone understand they play a vital role in the mission no matter what type of job they have or how small they think their job is," said Sam Nowakowski, a POC for the 76th Maintenance Wing. He is one of 16 POCs who aids submitters through the IDEA applying process. "It's very important. If you could save the government money, it could really help the mission and the government could use that money elsewhere."
   In FY 07, Team Tinker saved the government more than $4.75 million. In turn, submitters received approximately $107,205 in awards, officials said.
   Submitting an idea is more than suggesting a better concept. Submitters must take ownership of their idea and be able to show proof. Furthermore, they must take necessary steps to implement the idea, officials said.
   If an idea is implemented and a tangible savings is realized, the appropriate submitter will receive a monetary award -- between $200 and $10,000.
   To submit an IDEA, Team Tinker personnel are encouraged to explore the IDEA Web site at https://wwwmil.tinker.af.mil/idea or call the IDEA office at 739-2004.
   "If you use the tools out there, it's not difficult to correctly submit an idea," Mr. Nowakowski said.
   Submitters are encouraged to stay in close contact with their respective POC and submit ample written evidence proving ownership of an idea. The evidence is better known as a Separate Improvement Process approval document. Officials said a SIP can be as simple as an e-mail or a memo from a supervisor.
   Mr. Nowakowski said a great deal of ideas submitted incorrectly were deemed ineligible because they lacked documentation.
   "Ninety-nine percent of eligible ideas include an approved SIP in support of submission," said Mitzi Carter, IDEA program manager. "And you must submit an idea within 30 days from date of notification of SIP approval."
   Recently, program managers, POCs, evaluators and supervisors have made strides to review, approve and award ideas within 75 days, Ms. Carter said.
   Yet, in some instances officials have awarded submitters within 30 days, Mr. Nowakowski said.
   The most recent $10,000 award winner was awarded $9,800, the second installment of his monetary award, in late August. Unlike most IDEA award winners, he received his award money in two payments, two years apart.
   Ray Hatleli, an electronic technician for the 76th Maintenance Support Group, received $200 nearly two years ago for an idea he submitted. After a tangible savings of more than $415,000 was realized, Mr. Hatleli was cut a check for $9,800.
   Knowing he saved a substantial amount of money, Mr. Hatleli submitted a reconsideration of his initial idea submission.
   "The second time around they decided I had saved the Air Force a lot of money and awarded me the $10,000 award," Mr. Hatleli said.
   Mr. Hatleli came up with an idea to prevent TF33, F108 and F118 jet engines in a test cell from ingesting a pendant control -- a large remote control-like device that is connected to a cord and hangs from a unit overhead -- into an engine, ultimately damaging the engine and destroying the pendant control.
   Prior to Mr. Hatleli's idea, two engines were destroyed during the test cell process. The first happened in May 2003 and caused more than $287,000 in damage. The second was destroyed in June 2004 and cost more than $554,000 in damage, according to Mr. Hatleli's official IDEA documentation.
   Mr. Hatleli discovered a way to disconnect the pendant control from its overhead unit midway down on the cord and reattach the pendant control in an outlet where operators sit to test the jet engine. In addition, Mr. Hatleli's idea also required test operators to plug the pendant control in an outlet where they sit to start the jet engine.
   Through Mr. Hatleli's new method, approximately $6,000 is spent on the detachable pendant control and its setup, which brings the tangible savings total to just more than $415,000.
   In fiscal 2007, 11 submissions were reconsiderations and 73 ideas have been approved.