Original Date: 04/07/1997
Revision Date: 04/14/2003

The Army Ideas For Excellence Program (AIEP) at Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) is intended to encourage employees to improve present policies and practices and to enhance morale by giving employees and active duty personnel an opportunity to improve operations at RIA. AIEP is a suggestion program which has been in operation since 1945. Military personnel have been eligible to submit and receive recognition for suggestions since 1965. Employees are encouraged to submit suggestions by filling out a suggestion form. Suggestions are evaluated expeditiously by Arsenal personnel selected for their knowledge and expertise in the area addressed by the suggestion. Approved suggestions yield cash awards to the suggestor from $50 to as much as $35,000. Awards are based on the tangible and intangible first-year savings or benefits documented by the evaluator. When an idea is adopted for which the evaluator recommends an award under $50, the suggestor receives a non-monetary award of similar value chosen from a selection of attractive items. Non-monetary awards were instituted because the cost of processing monetary awards for less than $50 by the Defense Finance Center was often more than the award itself. The RIA program has a full-time manager who has extensive experience in employee suggestion programs, and facilitates an active program with excellent participation and recognition for employees.

In 1996, the program received suggestions from about 15% of the total employee population, and nearly 50% of those suggestions were adopted. Overall, the AIEP saves the Arsenal money and increases morale and goodwill. Employee ideas are not wasted, and participating employees feel directly involved with the Arsenal. The program helps make the Arsenal competitive in an ever-changing workplace.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.