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Innovations In American Government 1986-1996 Tenth Anniversary.
U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Export
Assistance Centers
Export
Assistance Centers use an entrepreneurial approach to increase
overseas trade opportunities for small- and medium-sized U.S.
firms. The office of Domestic Operations in the International Trade
Administration's U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service consolidated
the export promotion and trade finance services of federal, state,
and local agencies into "one-stop shops" to help American companies
enter and expand into the global marketplace. Using a hub and spoke
design, the Commerce Department created 15 "hub" centers in major
cities and 73 smaller district centers (spokes) throughout the
United States. Trade specialists seek out firms as clients to
provide information about countries and specific distributors. Each
specialist currently assists 200 firms on average, for a total of
40,000 or 27 percent of the estimated number of U.S. firms active
in foreign markets.
U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The
Federal Direct Student Loan Program
The Federal
Direct Student Loan Program simplifies the delivery of federal
student loans and provides flexible repayment options with a single
loan holder, the federal government. The system virtually
eliminates confusing paperwork and long lines by using electronic
transfer of funds, electronic imaging of promissory notes, and a
home page on the World Wide Web that links applicants to guaranty
agencies and to information about types of borrowing and repayment.
Students have options to repay loans based on their level of
earnings. The program has caused a sharp drop in the number of
emergency loans issued to students waiting to hear about their
loans from banks and guarantors and has also saved taxpayers more
than $4 billion. More than 1,350 private and public colleges and
universities are participating, with another 500 planning to join.
By the spring of 1996, the program had provided $8.3 billion in
loans for 1.4 million student and parent borrowers.
U.S.
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Disability Services Team
The
Disability Services Team restructures the Social Security
Administration's relations with disabled employees by providing
assistance to improve their access to jobs and promotions within
the agency. Made up of eight employees, the team assesses the needs
of new hires, transfers, or existing employees who become
disabled