DHS Efficiency Review Turns One: DHS Director of Strategic Sourcing Pulls Triple Efficiency Duty

April 1, 2010 - This week we’ve been talking about some of the innovative things DHS employees are doing to cut costs, save time, and change the way we do business as part of the Efficiency Review. The initiatives we’ve highlighted so far, along with every Efficiency Review initiative underway at the Department, share one trait: they have dedicated employees behind them.

Each of our 20 Department-wide initiatives has a technical lead who coordinates the nuts and bolts of the initiative to make sure it gets implemented correctly and stays on track. One such technical lead, Mike Smith, Director of Strategic Sourcing within the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, has been pulling triple duty for the Efficiency Review. Mike has served as the technical lead for three separate initiatives: maximizing the use of government office space for meetings and conferences in place of renting facilities, increasing usage of DHS-wide blanket purchase agreements for office supplies and converting printers, fax machines, copiers, and scanners into all-in-one machines as replacements are needed.

Under Mike’s leadership, these initiatives are already expected to avoid $7 million in anticipated costs. “I’ve found that when you give people freedom to make a difference along with management support, they will rise to the occasion,” said Mike. “I’ve been impressed and encouraged with the creativity and responsiveness to these initiatives across the Department..”

Through the facilities initiative, Mike has helped saved the Department money by helping DHS employees find federal facilities for meetings and events in place of commercial space. Mike has also helped the Department take advantage of lower prices for office supplies by leveraging the buying power of multiple offices. Finally, through the all-in-one machines initiative, Mike has helped DHS save on maintenance costs and energy, not to mention floor space, when machines that perform just one function wear out and need to be replaced

Smith has brought his considerable knowledge and experience to bear on these initiatives, shepherding them from initial concept to across-the-board implementation. His dedication to these common-sense changes has been critical to their success, and serves as a model for employees throughout DHS to ensure the Department makes the most out of every taxpayer dollar.