Paper Forms vs Electronic Forms the dollar difference

1. PUBLIC BURDEN HOURS -
FORMULA FOR CALCULATION OF ESTIMATED SAVINGS
(CURRENT AND POTENTIAL)
The SBA Business Case assumes that being able to to fill-in and submit a form on-line
will save 50% of the users time for completing and processing an electronic form. GSA
already has the majority of public use external and internal forms available NOW
electronically through Accessible FormNet. They are fillable by the users and they can
be submitted by email. By using the SBA assumptions, a reduction burden can now be
shown in accordance with the following percentages.
Breakdown of an Electronic Form for 50% savings in burden hours:
1. Electronically available (3.75%)
2. Fillable by user (5%)
3. Submitting electronically(3.75)
4. Processing form electronically (37.5%)
By using this methodology, GSA has already reduced burden hours for each of their
OMB approved forms by 12.5 percent. As each form is made totally electronic by
incorporating electronic processing, the full 50% will be realized. The attached
spreadsheets show the actual reduction in burden hours that GSA can claim to OMB. We
can claim this savings based on OMB guidelines for burden reductions under
category (d), which states: “Using Information Technology and E-Government:
reducing burden by putting in place electronic systems that can speed the exchange
of information between the government and the public and allow respondents to use
their own information technology to ease reporting burdens.”
FORMULA WE WILL USE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE PAPER I SUBMITTED
ON 12/16/03 TO SHOW DOLLAR SAVINGS (COST AVOIDANCE) PER FORM:
COSTS *
PAPER FORMS ELECTRONIC FORMS
Printing and Storing $15.00 per form $1.00 per form
Filling and Processing $145.00 per form $5.00 per form
Cost Per Completed and
Processed Form: $160.00 per form $6.00 per form
Source: “Business @ The Speed of Thought”, Bill Gates

2. Assuming we have already realized one fourth of the potential 50% savings in the
Filling and Processing cost as shown using the SBA Business Case formula above,
burden costs under the current GSA web forms solution can be shown as follows:
PAPER FORMS ELECTRONIC FORMS
Printing and Storing $15.00 per form $1.00 per form
Filling and Submitting $46.25 per form $1.25 per form
Cost Per Completed and
Submitted Form $61.25 per form $2.25 per form
TOTAL SAVINGS NOW
FOR GSA’S ACCESSIBLE
FORMNET: $59.00 PER FORM (OR RESPONSE)
THE ATTACHED SPREADSHEETS SHOW ALL PRESENT AND ANTICIPATED
SAVINGS.
SUMMARY:
Our Accessible FormNet solution has been and continues to be influenced from
design and functionality perspective, by requirements of the Federal government,
including GPEA requirements. In addition, it exceeds the Accessibility 508
requirements and visually impaired Federal employees have gone on record by
stating it is the best ever solution they have experienced. It was also the first to
implement XML in 1996. This is extremely important because it continues to be
enhanced based on our input, to satisfy the ever changing Federal and public’s
needs. The value of our proven solution since 1996 can be quantified as indicated in
the attached spreadsheets. However, the major value to the government is a feeling
of ownership, through the influence of design and functionality, in the solution
without the real costs associated with owning.