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June 13, 2011 By Brian Heaton
Have a great idea on how to use IT to improve the U.S. government? A new competition has 50,000 reasons why you should speak up.
Called the Merit Awards, the worldwide contest has a $50,000 prize for the most innovative, problem-solving and cost-saving proposal that’s centered on technology. Submissions can be entered online at www.meritalk.com/meritaward or through a tweet to @meritalk. The contest ends on Monday, Aug. 1.
The contest is structured in eight categories — citizen engagement, defense, emergency response, entitlement reform, work force management and motivation, back office operations, results achievement and waste. One winner will be selected in each category, but only one entry will win the monetary award.
“The goal is to cut away ‘cholesterol’ here,” explained Steve O’Keeffe, founder of MeriTalk, an online government community that is hosting the competition. “This is a different type of program and [we’re] trying not to be prescriptive on how or what people enter. We want as broad of a church as possible in terms of ideas.”
Each proposal will be evaluated by a panel of technical and governmental experts, who will examine the idea’s originality, practicality and whether it can save money if implemented. The judges include:
Cerf, a renowned computer scientist widely known as one of the “fathers” of the Internet, said the wide-open nature of the competition should lead to ideas that improve domestic government operations and possibly international interaction.
“If it’s an absolutely great idea that requires the repeal of the laws of physics, I’ll probably say that’s a nice idea and move on,” Cerf admitted. “So interoperability is an important element ... [but] from a practical standpoint, if it saves money and you can execute, that’s awfully persuasive right there.”
While a changing budgetary landscape and the need to do more with less are key drivers of the competition, Cerf believed ideas for the contest would be generated by those unhappy with some element of U.S. government operations.
“Someone needs to be discontented with the status quo in order for something to happen. Otherwise, you sit around fat, dumb and lazy,” Cerf said. “So my sense is, the kinds of actionable ideas that will come in will be from someone who isn’t satisfied. ... Malcontents make the world go ’round.”
MeriTalk will announce the award winners at the Innovation Nation Forum on Aug. 23 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
You may use or reference this story with attribution and a link to
http://www.govtech.com/e-government/Great-Idea-Improve-US-Government.html
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bring back the popular Gilatien for lobbied / corrupt politicians and death row prisioners will not to wait any longer. No cable tv in prison. Show the first two Gilatien things on the 6:30pm National news.
@Jpadgett Do you mean guillotine, the French method of beheading? Is this the article you intended to comment on?
Yeah, here's an idea, just use IT to replace most of the government. Costs go down, government gets smaller. Two birds, one stone.
This idea is to help stop gun violence. Driver license or an I D has a scann barcode on the back of them.This could be used to track whom ever buy ammunition.The INFO could be stored in a data base and pulled at any time.With all the gun violence in places like Chicago this will help control people that do not have the right to own a gun.It will also let you know who sold them the ammunition if they commit a crime.There should also be a waiting period on buying ammunition the same way there is on a gun.If we can try to control who buy alcohol & cigarettes,the same should apply to ammunition. Thanks
I have an idea that will save the goverment a lot of money and encourage people to find a job faster. Do you think people on foodstamps should own a dog?Where are they getting the money to feed it or them?See most people love there pets and I am one of them.But if you tell someone on foodstamps they can not own a dog I think they will find a job faster. Also another idea that will help save the goverment money, is to tell parents if they are going to clame a child as a dependent,they must know the where abouts of the child at all times.This will help stop gang violence. This will also stop people from clameing a person that's in jail for a long period if this is happening.Thanks
One more idea I would like to share with you is: Medicaid & medicare pays from $5000.0 up to $35,000.00 for wheelchairs from what I understand.Some of these wheelchairs are never used and placed up for sale by a family member.I think these wheelchairs should go back to the goverment.This will allow the goverment to offer a recycle or used wheelchair at 1/3 the cost.I noticed on my local swap & shop someone had(Jazzy Electric 14 Select Scotter Chair for sale $1500.00).This could be one the goverment paid over $5000.00 for.I rember back in 1973 you could buy a low income three bed room brick house for $13,900.A wheelchair should not cost the goverment three times that.Thanks
RUBBER & PLASTIC RECYCLEING IDEA I read where there's enough plastic thrown in rivers and oceans to stretch around the earth ten times.This rubber and plastic could be recycled and made into stool & tables to go into all the STATE PARKS.This would be less costly and help protect the rivers & forest and cut down on the use of wooden tables.It would also cut the cost if keeping wood paintid. There are many state parks through out our nation.Thanks
THIS IS AN IDEA FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM. IF someone enter this country and wants to work their employer must do direct deposit.Any money paid out must go through a bank.It will be illlegal not to do this.Also to open up an account you must have a green card.This will make it easy for the goverment to audit someone or a company.Also the electric system should not turn on power for someone that's not in this country legal.There should be a new policy that anyone wanting electric service must show proof of green card or is a U. S. citizen.This will also help with the flow of drugs.Anyone with cash in their pocket will have to explain which bank they withdraw it from.All of the above will save the goverment time and money.Thanks
OVERHAUL FAIR HOUSING Another thing that will save the goverment money is overhauling fair housing.(1)If someone apply for a low income loan they should not own a dog. (2)If someone have a child that's in public school on the free lunch program they should not own a dog.I have seen people on the SECTION 8 HOUSING PROGRAM child get free lunch,than that child come down the street walking a PIT BULL.Where does the money come from to feed this animal?A person that own one of these animals should have to carry $100,000 insurance policy.This will make neighborhood safer.Thanks
THIS IS AN IDEA THAT COULD HELP THE GOVERMENT RAISE MONEY: What if we had a UNITED STATE LOTTERY? There would be twenty five drawing a week,each for $100,000,000.The money from the lottery tickets could go toward fixing roads & bridges.Thanks
CONTROL CITIZENSHIP As you are aware we have an embassy mosely in every country.What if we had embassies in this country for other countries with hospitals.The hospitals would be used for females in this country illegal or have a greencard that becomes pregnant to have their child.The law could be reformed than so that the child could remain with the mother as a citizen of their country.That hospital would be considered territory of that foreign country.Tell me, if someone from another country had a child here in their Embassy would that child be an American Citizen?Anyone not having a child at that location would be breaking the law.This would save the American Goverment a lot of money in all areas.Thanks
This idea will help fight identity theft. I think everything about a person should be tied to their finger prints.Their social security card and driver license should feed any INFO that's requested through their finger prints.He or she should have their finger prints placed in a nation wide data base and all their important business are done through finger prints.If someone finger prints do not match their social security number that would set of a signal that could be theft.This would save the goverment a lot of money.Thanks
Credit card idea. As you know when you check your bank account on line it ask you for a pass word.I think a credit card should be the same way.After it is scann at a store the scanner should ask you for a pass word.After you typed it in it should say granted or not granted.If someone steals your credit card it will be useless to them without the pass word.This will put a stop to credit card fraud.Thanks
Saving The Goverment Money: There is a program that comes on TV called the FIRST 48 HOURS.This program deals with mosely minors that commits homicide.What happen to the child support that mother or father was paying if they was not married?It should go to the prison to help pay for his or her stay until they are twenty one years old.If they own a home a lean should be filed aganist it to help the victim family.Thanks
POSTAL SERVICE IDEA: As you know most jails or prisons has trustees.These are people that they feel are none violence and can be trusted.With the postal service losing a lot of money there should be a way to use some of these people.This will surely cut down on cost.Also another thing the postal service could do is convert old unused building into P. o. boxes.This will generate a lot of cash and stop people from been on the waiting list.Thanks
VETERAN AND AIR CONTROL IDEA: There are many unemployed veterans with air traffic experance.Some of these veterans are in the reserve.Instead of cutting back on the budget and risking safety could these people be utilize in a less costly manner?Thanks
PLASTIC BOTTLE RECYCLEING IDEA: I HAVE AN IDEA THAT WOULD STOP PLASTIC BOTTLE LITTERING.WHAT IF MANUFACTURES PLACED I TOKEN IN A POCKET AT THE BOTTOM OF ALL PLASTIC PRODUCT.THE EMPTY BOTTLE WOULD BE RETURNED WITH THE TOKEN INTACK.THE BOTTLE AND TOKEN HAS A VALUE OF $.03 IF RETURNED TO SUPPILER.THIS WILL GIVE AN INCENTIVE TO STOP PLASTIC LITTERING.THIS WILL BE SAME INCENTIVE PEOPLE HAS TO COLLECT ALUMINUM CANS.THANKS
I think there should be a THANK THE TRUCK DRIVER'S DAY.They are really who keeps AMERICA MOVING.Think about any product you know of.Did it get there without a truck?Any idea we come up with would be usless without a truck.Thanks
Another thing I think would save the goverment money is give people a choice in pay check taxes.We should have a choice of where we want most of our taxes to go to. social security or income tax.If we choose to have all of our taxes go into social security we will not have to file income tax unless we owe.The goverment would not have to send out as many refunds at year end.At retirement he or she would draw more at age 62 or 65.Thanks