Simple AFSO21 effort reaps big savings

Published Oct. 16, 2006
By Karen Costura
Electronic Systems Center Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- A continuing effort to identify and reduce waste and produce more efficiencies in the workplace using Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO21, has resulted in potential annual savings of more than $200,000 at Hanscom AFB.

Working together, the 66th Air Base Wing Communication and Information division and the ESC Plans and Programs office led this AFSO21 "just do it initiative," which uncovered potential savings by asking ESC organizations to identify and turn in unused telephone lines across the base. With only 60 percent of the organizations responding to date, officials are confident there are even more savings to be realized.

"Each phone line costs $28 per month, or $336 per year, which adds up quickly to real savings for the organization," said Preskella Gindi, an AFSO21 team member and program manager for Plans and Programs. "This relatively simple effort allows us to identify and eliminate this wasteful spending and reinvest these funds back into the workplace to improve the work force's quality of life."

According to Ann Markman, ESC's deputy chief information officer, her office and the 66 ABW Communications and Informational division are also establishing tools and repeatable processes that will help maintain the savings.

"Just last week, both offices worked closely with the ESC Strategic Planning office to sponsor a telephone Rapid Improvement Event," said Ms. Markman. "The RIE group identified process improvements, created an implementation plan and identified team members to take leadership roles in realizing these savings efficiencies."

"The AFSO21 campaign is all about identifying ways to streamline daily operations in order to save money and increase efficiency," she said. "As we identify telephone-related enhancements and additional improvements, we will quickly implement them into the system, which will mean that Hanscom will save even more money to be put to better use."

Ms. Markman further emphasized that RIE teams are focusing on fully supporting the ESC mission by identifying new opportunities to leverage all of the ESC capabilities and innovations to find new ways to be "better, faster and cheaper."

"This telephone initiative is an excellent example of what can be accomplished if we take a good look at our work areas and seek out ways to reduce our costs of doing business," said ESC Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Arthur Rooney. "I encourage everyone in ESC to use the AFSO21 tools to find savings and identify methods to improve our processes. If we can save this much money through a simple effort such as this, imagine what we can accomplish if we all work together and embrace AFSO21."