DHS Reaches First Efficiency Review Milestone, Begins Cost-Savings Initiatives Department Wide

Release Date: April 30, 2009

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reached the first of four 30-day targets outlined in its Department-wide Efficiency Review this week, marking the initial implementation of four major initiatives set forth by Secretary Janet Napolitano in the plan announced on March 27.

“The entire Department is focused on streamlining operations and saving valuable resources,” said Secretary Napolitano. “These are simple steps that we can take to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used in the most efficient way possible.”

Throughout the Department, efforts are underway to eliminate non-mission critical travel while maximizing the use of conference calls, web-based trainings and meetings and consolidating subscriptions to professional publications and newspapers.

In addition, DHS is currently working to maximize the use of government office space and facilities for meetings, conferences, and trainings in place of renting private facilities and minimize the printing and distribution of reports and documents that can be sent electronically or posted online.

Initiatives—both large and small—are in progress. The Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement saved $1,600 by reducing staff attendance at an upcoming interagency counterdrug conference in Florida. The National Protection and Programs Directorate National Cyber Security Division expects to recover approximately $10,000-$15,000 annually by utilizing teleconferences and web-based seminars in lieu of flying employees to non-local events.

DHS also expects to save more than $40,000 by printing fewer copies of fiscal year 2010 budget materials, posting budget materials online and hosting budget rollout events at a government facility.

Efficiency Review initiatives are broken down into 30-, 60-, 90- and 120-day groups based on when implementation will begin. Over the next 90 days, DHS will begin numerous cost-saving programs, including acquiring enterprise licenses for commonly used software, implementing energy efficiencies at the workplace and the standardizing employee trainings and orientations.

On Feb. 17, Secretary Napolitano directed the entire Department to identify current and past efforts to improve efficiency. This effort resulted in an inventory of more than 700 initiatives implemented over the past five years. An Efficiency Review Steering Committee with representatives from across DHS components was then established, along with a full-time Efficiency Review Team composed of department veterans. These groups helped direct the current initiatives.

In addition to the Department-wide initiatives currently planned, Secretary Napolitano continues to encourage employees and offices to develop additional ways to save money, streamline operations and increase transparency.

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This page was last reviewed/modified on April 30, 2009.