IDEA capital program pays more than penny for thoughts

  • Published
  • By Deborah Silliman Wolfe
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  What would you do with an extra $200? Take your buddies out for lunch? How about an extra $10,000? Would you pay off your car loan or take a romantic getaway with your spouse? 

One does not have to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow to gain a couple of thousand dollars -- the opportunity exists right here on base when Luke community members take the time to submit a suggestion online to the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program. 

"The IDEA program serves as an avenue for members of the Air Force community to implement change or request change in the Air Force," said James Ferris, IDEA program manager for Luke. "It is also a recognition tool for individuals that have been able to make change happen in their agency or area of responsibility." 

According to Ferris, submitting an idea can be done entirely online at https://ipds.csd.disa.mil. 

"When you suggest an idea, the submitter needs to include how the situation is currently being dealt with, the proposed new method, and the benefits that will come out of the idea including a detailed explanation, which could include the savings and who should evaluate the idea," he said. 

Once an individual submits an idea online, Ferris receives a notification, looks at the new idea and decides who in the base community would be qualified to evaluate it, if it has not already been approved by another source. 

"Many of the ideas we receive financially recognize individuals that are already making change happen though another avenue, like an Air Force instruction or technical order, even if it is something as small as a checklist," said Ferris. If the member is successful in implementing change through another avenue, they can submit that idea to the IDEA program and use the documentation from the other avenue as documentation that the idea has already been approved and is in use. 

Nontangible ideas that may streamline a process, but not necessarily save the Air Force money, are awarded $200. When an Airman submits an idea that can be shown to save a tangible amount of money, the member receives 15 percent of the money saved within a year, with a cap of $10,000. 

According to Ferris, if both the submitter and evaluator, who Ferris chooses, think the idea is valid and can save the Air Force a tangible amount of money, Ferris gathers a committee that validates the amount of the proposed money saved. Once the committee agrees on the amount of money that the Air Force will save in a year's time with the implementation of the new idea, the submitter is approved for the cash award. The award is based on how much money the Air Force can save in one year by implementing the idea, and is capped off at $10,000. Though anyone, civilian employees, spouses, contactors, retirees or active duty members, are welcome to submit an idea, only active duty-members and civilian Defense Department employees are eligible for the cash award. 

Kevin Froh, 56th Component Maintenance Squadron fuels craftsman, was recently awarded the top award of $10,000. He suggested that the current stainless steel scrubber used during the process of neutralizing hydrazine during the refuel and defuel of aircraft hydrazine storage tanks be replaced with a scrubber made of a composite. 

"The stainless-steel scrubber corrodes at the welds after three years at the cost of $38,000 each," Froh said. "I heard of a scrubber made of composite that did not corrode at a cost of $2,111 each and has been in use for six years with no corrosion." 

Froh got the new scrubber added to the TO, and also submitted the suggestion to the IDEA program. According to Ferris, three bases so far have agreed to switch over to the new device, which will save the Air Force more than $90,000. 

"The monetary side of the program was awesome -- $10,000 before taxes!" Froh said. "I encourage everyone to submit their ideas. With today's budget, any way to make the job safer, faster and save money is in the best interest of Air Force personnel." 

In fiscal year 2007, there were 119 submissions from members of the Luke community which saved the Air Force $195,959 and $26,059 in award money was given out. 

"The program is so easy and anyone can use it," Ferris said. "It's just like a vote. Everyone can vote and give their input which doesn't only benefit the Air Force, but also benefits the member. It's a way for any one person to make their mark on the Air Force." 

To find out more about this program and how to submit an idea, contact Mr. Ferris at 856-IDEA (4332).